orig. Stanley Gayetzby
born Feb. 2, 1927, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.
died June 6, 1991, Malibu, Calif.
U.S. jazz saxophonist.
Getz was influenced by Lester Young and became known for his light tone and ethereal approach while performing as one of the "Four Brothers" of Woody Herman 's Second Herd (1947–49). With the advent of the cool jazz of the 1950s, he began to dominate jazz popularity polls, and his incorporation of Brazilian bossa nova music in the early 1960s brought him to a wider public and commercial success.