Harry Lookofsky

Harry William Lookofsky (1 October 1913 – 8 June 1998) was an American jazz violinist. He was also the father of keyboardist-songwriter Michael Brown, who most notably was a founding member of the Left Banke and Stories.

Early life and family Harry Lookofsky was born in Paducah, Kentucky, in 1913, the son of Ben Lookofsky and Lottie Dinkin, Jewish emigrants from the Russian Empire.

He studied classical violin in St. Louis.

Following his departure from St. Louis in 1938, Lookofsky joined the NBC Symphony Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini for a time while continuing to play jazz on the side. He continued his career as a classical symphony violinist later as concertmaster at ABC following Toscanini's retirement in 1954. The arrangement was heavily influenced by classical music. Lookofsky also played strings on songs recorded by Stories, his son Michael's later band.

Lookofsky's archives are held at the American Roots Program at Berklee School of Music in Boston.

Selected discography Stringsville (1958, Atlantic) Together!/Miracle in Strings (1994 reissue, Columbia). Together! is an album by Herb Ellis and Stuff Smith

Selected albums appeared on The Ballad Artistry of Milt Jackson (Atlantic, 1959) - Milt Jackson Heavenly (Johnny Mathis album) (Columbia, 1959) - Johnny Mathis Blues Shout (1960, Atlantic - Leo Wright) The Song Is Paris (1962, Impulse! - Jackie Paris) The Body & the Soul (1963, Impulse! - Freddie Hubbard) The Individualism of Gil Evans (1964, Verve - Gil Evans) Who Can I Turn To (Columbia, 1964 - Tony Bennett) Sarah Vaughn Sings the Mancini Songbook (1965, Verve - Sarah Vaughan) Wave (Antônio Carlos Jobim album) (A&M, 1967 - Antônio Carlos Jobim) Child Is Father to the Man (1968, Columbia - Blood, Sweat & Tears) Stone Flower (1970, CTI - Antônio Carlos Jobim) Smackwater Jack (1971, A&M Records - Quincy Jones) Marlena (1972, Blue Note - Marlena Shaw) Sophisticated Lou (1973, Blue Note - Lou Donaldson) Polar AC (1974, CTI - Freddie Hubbard) Night Lights (Elliott Murphy album) (1975, RCA - Elliott Murphy) Windjammer (1977, Columbia - Freddie Hubbard) Sounds...and Stuff Like That!! (1978, A&M Records - Quincy Jones) In Your Eyes (1978, Collectables - George Benson) "Collaboration" (1988 EmArcy, Helen Merrill / Gil Evans) Standards (1998, Rhino - Ray Charles)