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Fanfare for Uan Rasey
01:12

Fanfare for Uan Rasey

I composed "Fanfare for Uan Rasey" as part of a birthday celebration for legendary Hollywood trumpet player, Uan Rasey (solos on Chinatown, American in Paris, and many more iconic movies). In attendance was the absolute royalty of the Hollywood trumpet world and many other great session musicians and composers who created the soundtrack of our lives. Though I was honored to be asked to compose and conduct this piece, it was also very intimidating since I was only 26 years old at the time, and had just moved to L.A. a month or so prior. I was broke and homeless, but standing before me were a room full of my trumpet heroes who I had dreamt of meeting one day. How could I have ever imagined that my first encounter with these gifted musicians would be to conduct a whole group of them on one of my own compositions honoring one of my childhood trumpet heroes, Uan Rasey. To name a few in attendance: Pete and Conte Candoli, Chuck and Bobby Findley, Mannie Klein, Cappy Lewis, John Audino, Snooky Young, Allen Vizzuti, Nelson Hatt, Malcolm McNab, Bill Bing, and a long list of the "Who's Who" of the Hollywood trumpet world. And to add one more musical giant to make my knees shake, the Master of Ceremonies was the legendary composer/arranger/trumpet player, Billy May, who enjoyed the performance so much, he asked to meet me (I thought I would pass out). A week or so later he treated me to lunch in Studio City, and after lunch we walked over to CBS Radford Studio together, where he was conducting his score to the movie "Pennies from Heaven." To this very day, it all seems like a dream, but that was the Hollywood I knew. It was the great "dream machine," and the amount of love, generosity, and kindness from all my musical heroes seemed to flow endlessly. I'm very grateful to my friend and champion, the late Nelson Hatt, for helping to arrange this unimaginable opportunity for me. For someone brand new in Hollywood, this was like going from zero to one-hundred in one unforgettable, historical evening. I recorded a demo of "Fanfare for Uan Rasey" in 1983. I had lost my original recording of it, but a friend made me a copy from his cassette tape, and I did what I could to improve the sound. I believe the trumpet section was: Charley Davis, Rick Baptist, Nelson Hatt, Larry Lunetta, and Bill Bing.
Poetry in Motion
06:00

Poetry in Motion

"Poetry in Motion" was the chart I first brought to the Tonight Show (Johnny Carson) in October 1981. When "Doc" Severinsen, told me to go rehearse it with band I thought I would pass out because I felt completely overwhelmed standing before a band full of legends at 26 years old. Fortunately, it went very well, and so many of my musical heroes cheered me on and made me feel like a million dollars (especially my trumpet heroes: John Audino, Conte Candoli, Snooky Young, and Maury Harris, and the trombone section as well: Gil Falco, Bruce Paulson, and Ernie Tack). As I was leaving, Doc said, "keep writing for me" and it left me in the most intoxicating daze. Later that night, when the Tonight Show aired on TV, I heard the band playing "Poetry in Motion" when cutting back from a commercial and I cannot express the thrill I felt. I was high as a kite. Based on royalty figures, "Poetry in Motion" was played quite a bit, perhaps because it was kind of "modern" for the time, and a bit different than the other great charts the band played. It had a "Pop" edge and I think Doc was always looking for something new. This is another recording from the Gold Star Studio session in Hollywood. Tenor sax solo: Glen Garrett I believe these were the musicians: Saxes: Phil Ayling Robbie Elinson Glen Garrett Mike Altshul Bev Dahlke-Smith Trombones: Alan Kaplan Bill Booth Rick Culver Wayne Musselwhite (Bass) Trumpets: Charlie Davis Rick Baptist Nelson Hatt Larry Lunetta Bill Bing Rhythm Section: Tom Morell – Guitar Tad Weed – Piano Joel DiBartolo – Electric Bass Bob Leatherbarrow – Drums? *The recording was produced by Ed Yellin.
A Mother's Love
04:45

A Mother's Love

I had only been in Hollywood a few months when I was given the golden opportunity to record new music at the legendary Gold Star Studio in Hollywood in the Autumn of 1981. I didn't know then that Gold Star was where producer Phil Spector recorded most of his hits like, "Be My Baby," "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" and so many more. And Ritchie Valens recorded "La Bamba" and others there. But I was broke at the time so all the musicians played for free to help me get my career started. And I thought that friend and producer, Ed Yellin, had arranged for the studio time to be complimentary. Well, when the session was over, I was handed a bill that I couldn't pay and my heart sank. It was such a terrible feeling. There was no way I could pay the bill. I hardly had enough money for food. So a handful of the musicians pooled their money and paid the bill for me. It was such an unimaginable expression of love, kindness, and generosity that I have not forgotten to this day. These are the kind, wonderful, and talented people I worked with for nearly 30 years. I hope you can feel that there is something extra in this performance that reflects the fact that everyone assembled was there for me 100% and helped give the music a chance to be heard. Flugel Horn Solo: Larry Lunetta Trumpet solos: Bill Bing Piano solo: Tad Weed I believe these were the musicians: Saxes: Phil Ayling Robbie Elinson Glen Garrett Mike Altshul Bev Dahlke-Smith Trombones: Alan Kaplan Bill Booth Rick Culver Wayne Musselwhite (Bass) Trumpets: Charlie Davis Rick Baptist Nelson Hatt Larry Lunetta Bill Bing Rhythm Section: Tom Morell – Guitar Tad Weed – Piano Joel DiBartolo – Electric Bass Bob Leatherbarrow – Drums? *The recording was produced by Ed Yellin.
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