One of the busiest trumpeters of the 1930s, Manny Klein appeared on a countless number of recordings (both in jazz settings and quite anonymously) through the decades.

Born in New Yok City (February 4, 1908) Klein started out at the top, recording with Paul Whiteman in 1928 and taking a solo on "Makin' Whoopee" that would normally have been taken by the indisposed Bix Beiderbecke. Klein was on literally hundreds of recordings during the next nine years, playing in a style that was similar to (and often later on mistaken for) Bunny Berigan's. Among the many records that he appeared on were dates led by the Boswell Sisters, the Dorsey Brothers, and Benny Goodman, plus many dance band sessions for Don Voorhees, Red Nichols, Fred Rich, Roger Wolfe Kahn, and others; a complete Manny Klein discography has yet to be assembled.

In 1937 Klein moved to California where, other than some work with the Frankie Trumbauer Orchestra and with Matty Malneck (1939), he was a studio musician for 40 years. He occasionally played jazz locally but mostly performed on movie soundtracks (including dubbing for Ziggy Elman in the Benny Goodman Story) where his beautiful tone and versatility were considered major assets.

Klein led record dates for Brunswick (1936), Keynote (1946), Coral (1947), and a full album for Imperial (jazz versions of themes from The Sound of Music in 1959).

He passed away in Los Angeles, CA, on May 31, 1994

—Scott Yanow (All Music Guide)