Results for "Johnny Mandel"
About Johnny Mandel
Instrument: Arranger
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Johnny Mandel

Born:
The eventful career of Johnny Mandel is grounded by a thorough background in music that has resulted in his being acclaimed in the pantheon of American composers, arrangers, record producers and songwriters. His is a career that has had both duration and substance and continues to flourish. He was born in New York City. At the age of 12, he was playing the trumpet and beginning to write big band arrangements. After graduating from New York Military Academy, where he had received a band scholarship, he immediately went on the road working in the Catskill Mountains at various resort hotels. He then joined the orchestra of the legendary violinist Joe Venuti
Michael Rabinowitz: Next Chapter

by Jack Bowers
The title world's best jazz bassoonist" is akin to world's best tap dancer on hot coals," meaning there simply is not much competition for the honor. Even if there were, however, Michael Rabinowitz would no doubt outdistance any challengers and handily earn the blue ribbon for bassoon excellence. One reason is that, unlike others who have ...
David Larsen: The Peplowski Project

by Jack Bowers
The Peplowski Project was a labor of love for saxophonist David Larsen, a longtime admirer of fellow reedman Ken Peplowski who sits in with Larsen's impressive quartet on each of the album's eleven numbers, playing clarinet on six, tenor saxophone on five. As for Larsen, he plays his Gerry Mulligan-flavored baritone sax on ...
The Scott Whitfield Jazz Orchestra West: Postcards from Hollywood

by Jack Bowers
While many people have been excited or enraptured by the music scores accompanying Hollywood's most beloved films, few know (or perhaps even care) who wrote them. That's a shame, as these composers (and their contemporaries) were musical trailblazers whose names should be enshrined forever in the annals of artistic brilliance. One who does care is composer/arranger ...
Stan Kenton: Salute!

by Jack Bowers
Stan Kenton, one of the most renowned and influential bandleaders of the twentieth century, died on August 25, 1979. Fortunatelyfor the sake of history in general and creative music in particularKenton's remarkable legacy lives on, and in a perceptive and open-minded world would endure forever. Even to this day, small but devoted groups of enthusiasts share ...
Roberta Donnay: Blossom-ing!

by Jack Bowers
Blossom-ing! is vocalist Roberta Donnay's tribute to one of the most memorable jazz singers who ever lived, Blossom Dearie. She does so via sixteen songs associated with Dearie including Billie Holiday's Billie's (or Blossom's) Blues," retitled here Roberta's Blues." After leading with that one, Donnay lends her tremulous little-girl voice (eerily similar to Dearie's) to one ...
Doug MacDonald: Overtones

by Jack Bowers
The term all-star" is not one to be used lightly. Be that as it may, the appellation fits guitarist Doug MacDonald's Los Angeles-based octet as snugly as a glove; he and his colleagues are among the finest, most experienced and in-demand musicians on the West Coast. On Overtones, recorded in September 2021, the ensemble shows its ...
Two Bill Evans Record Store Day Releases

by Mark Corroto
Morning Glory: The 1973 Concert At The Teatro Gran Rex, Buenos Aires and Inner Spirit: The 1979 Concert at the Teatro General San Martín, Buenos Aires (Resonance Records), never officially released before, were both recorded in Buenos Aires, six years apart. Bill Evans, who many a critic would claim to be the most significant pianist of ...
David Finck: BASSic Instinct

by Jack Bowers
There's so much variety on BASSic Instinct, bassist David Finck's sixth recording as leader, that it's almost like grooving on half a dozen or more albums for the price of one. Ensembles run the gamut from duo to octet, with vocals added on three of its thirteen engaging numbers. Besides governing the rhythm, composing three of ...
Bill Charlap: Intellect And Emotion

by R.J. DeLuke
"I don't ever remember a time when I didn't play the piano," reflects pianist Bill Charlap, who has become one of the giants of his generation on his instrument of choice, as evidenced by the array of other great players with whom he has performed. With his deft and agile approach he can summon a fiery ...