Gil Fuller

Who was Gil Fuller?

Walter Gilbert "Gil" Fuller was an American jazz arranger. He is no relation to the jazz trumpeter and vocalist Walter "Rosetta" Fuller.

In the 1930s and 1940s, Fuller did extensive work writing and arranging for bandleaders such as Les Hite, Floyd Ray, Jimmie Lunceford, Billy Eckstine, and Tiny Bradshaw; he also worked with Benny Carter, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Count Basie, Machito and Tito Puente. After World War II he found himself increasingly in demand as a bebop arranger along with fellow modern arrangers Tadd Dameron, Gil Evans, and George Russell. Fuller's work with Dizzy Gillespie was of particular note, yielding the tunes "Manteca", "Swedish Suite", and "One Bass Hit".

Fuller started his own publishing company in 1957, and while he continued to work with some jazz musicians, he also branched out into film music and pop.