American jazz alto & tenor saxophonist, clarinetist and songwriter.
Born May 24, 1919 in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
Died September 17, 1958 in Miami, Florida.
He attended New York's famed Juilliard School of Music (1936–38). He played with Raymond Scott then in 941, at Fort Dix (NJ) he lead a 14-piece swing band. He joined Lionel Hampton's band after his discharge from the army, working with him until 1945 and recording at Carnegie Hall. Then Fields led small groups and big bands from 1944 until 1950, winning Esquire magazine's New Star award in 1945 on alto sax and later recording with Miles Davis. He and his orchestra charted in 1947 with A Huggin' and a Chalkin' , which landed at #14 in the U.S.
In the 1970's he joined up with trumpeter Hot Lips Page. Fields' career declined in the '50s and beyond, and he began making straight pop music, moving away from jazz. In his career he played with many greats including Thelonius Monk, Bill Evans, Billie Holiday, Neal Hefti and numerous others.