Hymie Schertzer

Herman "Hymie" Shertzer or Schertzer (April 22, 1909 – March 22, 1977) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, best known for his long-term association with Benny Goodman.

Shertzer was born in New York City, United States, began playing violin when he was nine years old and picked up the saxophone when he was a teenager. He worked as a sideman for Gene Kardos at the club Birdland, then joined Benny Goodman's band, where he was the lead saxophonist until 1938, though he recorded with Goodman intermittently until the mid-1940s. He was in Tommy Dorsey's band from 1938-1940, and also recorded in the late 1930s with Bunny Berigan and Lionel Hampton. He worked with Billie Holiday in 1941 and again in 1944, then became a house musician for NBC radio and television. He worked as a session player for studio recordings of Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Sy Oliver, Louis Armstrong, and Artie Shaw in the period 1947-1953, and continued working with Goodman live, on television, and on record from 1951 until 1969. He was a member of the Tonight Show Band during its Johnny Carson era and was active in recording sessions until the mid-1970s.

He died in New York City, in March 1977, aged 67.

Birth and Death Data: Born New York City (most populous city in the United States), Died March 22, 1977

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1935 - 1956

Roles Represented in DAHR: alto saxophone, clarinet, saxophone, baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 176-200 of 223 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 86572 7/13/1954 Sidetracked Johnny Long Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 86573 7/13/1954 Give, give, give Johnny Long Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 86590 7/19/1954 Sally May Johnny Long Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 86591 7/19/1954 Say hey Willie Mays Johnny Long Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 86592 7/19/1954 Pussy footin' (Back to me) Johnny Long Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 86593 7/19/1954 Flo the all American flirt-1 Johnny Long Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 88435 8/1/1955 Soldier boy Ella Fitzgerald instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 88436 8/1/1955 A satisfied mind Ella Fitzgerald instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 88456 8/5/1955 My one and only love Ella Fitzgerald instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 88457 8/5/1955 The impatient years Ella Fitzgerald instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 88458 8/5/1955 But not like mine Ella Fitzgerald instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 88459 8/5/1955 The tender trap Ella Fitzgerald instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 89016 August 1955 Let's dance-1 Benny Goodman and his Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 89017 August 1955 Down south camp meetin'-2 Benny Goodman and his Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 89018 August 1955 King Porter stomp-2 Benny Goodman and his Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 89019 August 1955 It's been so long Benny Goodman and his Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 89020 August 1955 Roll 'em-5 Benny Goodman and his Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 89021 August 1955 Bugle call rag Benny Goodman and his Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 89022 August 1955 Don't be that way-4 Benny Goodman and his Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 89023 August 1955 You turned the tables on me Benny Goodman and his Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 89024 August 1955 Goody goody Benny Goodman and his Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 89026 August 1955 Stompin' at the Savoy-4 Benny Goodman and his Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 89027 August 1955 One o'clock jump-2 Benny Goodman and his Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 89032 August 1955 Alicia's blues Benny Goodman and his Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
Decca 89033 August 1955 And the angels sing -9 Benny Goodman and his Orchestra instrumentalist, alto saxophone  
(Results 176-200 of 223 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Schertzer, Hymie," accessed January 6, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/113734.

Schertzer, Hymie. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 6, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/113734.

"Schertzer, Hymie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 6 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/113734

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.