Al Plank

American jazz pianist. Born November 22, 1932 in Muncie, Indiana. Died April 2003 in Novato, California. He started playing piano at the age of 11 and clarinet at the age of 13. He went to the University of Indiana. There he met Max Hartstein and later Benny Barth. He left IU in 1953 to go on the road with Max and Benny. In 1958, he recorded an album with Woody Herman and Tito Puente. He moved to San Francisco in the early 1960s. He was Musical Director at the San Francisco Playboy Club 1965-1976, backing up singers and comedians at the club. He was Jazz singer Dee Bell's musical director and a fixture in the San Francisco Jazz scene for over forty years. He continued to play and record right up until his death.