For a period of time, Jackie Mills was in great demand as a drummer. He started out playing guitar, switching to drums when he was ten. Mills led his own band when he was 13 and soon started playing professionally in New York. Among the big bands with whom he performed in the 1940s were those led by Charlie Barnet, Teddy Powell, Dizzy Gillespie, Boyd Raeburn and Benny Goodman (in the late '40s). Mills was also featured on a few Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts. For a decade on and off, starting in 1949, he was the drummer with the Harry James Orchestra in addition to working in the studios. Since the early 1960s, Mills -- who recorded with Dodo Marmarosa, Red Norvo, Gerry Wiggins, Jazz at the Philharmonic, Goodman, James and others -- has primarily been a record company executive, working as musical director for the Ava and Mainstream labels but largely retiring from active playing. Mills recorded two selections as a leader, including numbers with a quintet in 1948 with Stan Hasselgard and Barney Kessel. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi