Bacharach's Choice for Trumpet(s)
Rick
trumpet players for his studio recordings?? If so, who might these
players be?? I understand that he was/is extremely demanding of all
the musicians he uses on his recordings.
Thanks ---<Rick
Catzz66
I have wondered that myself. Maybe some of the professional players who might
lurk on the newsgroup from time to time could tell you. If you are talking
about all the Bachrach songs recorded by various artists over the years, it is
anybody's guess. I always thought some of the licks sounded like Chuck Findley
or Bob Findley but have nothing to back it up. There are no credits on the LPs
or CDs or listed on allmusic.com unless I am just overlooking it.
Michael Fitzgerald
Most of the time on the classic 1960s recordings recorded at Bell
Sound, NYC it was Joe Shepley and Burt Collins, two solid studio
players with lots of experience. They still play, sometimes together
in the Mike Longo big band. Marky Markowitz was another player who
made a lot of Bacharach sessions.
Mike
fitz...@eclipse.net
http://www.eclipse.net/~fitzgera - Gigi Gryce book - ARSC award finalist!
WWise72606
Bert and Joe recorded as the Flugel Knights around that same period.
Markie Markowitz had a beautiful sound.
Three of my favorite guys, and great players also.
Wilmer
Jeff
as Mr. Bachurach? Hilarious. The trumpet players were Will Ferrell and
Chris Parnell. They did a pretty good job faking along with the recording,
while having cheesy expressions on their faces.
"WWise72606" <wwise...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030322170616...@mb-mv.aol.com...
Catzz66
say that the Burt Bacharach concert was one of the best ones I have ever seen.
I was a kid in the 50s and listened to the radio a lot from then on, and there
were literally dozens of Bacharachsongs that were top hits during the 25 year
period. His music is very current sounding today and the trumpet/flugel licks
sound just as good now as they did then.
Thanks for the info, Wilmer. I would still like to know if Chuck Findley was
on any of the recordings. Some of them sound like his style, the Bacharach/Hal
David tunes.
Michael Fitzgerald
>I would still like to know if Chuck Findley was
>on any of the recordings. Some of them sound like his style, the Bacharach/Hal
>David tunes.
Chuck Findley has indeed recorded with Bacharach, but on much later
things like the "Arthur" movie soundtrack (1981). This was recorded in
California. Unless I am mistaken, Findley was never a New York studio
player, only in California (he arrived there in 1969 after being on
the road with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra and the Buddy Rich band). He
was born in 1947, therefore it seems to me highly unlikely that he
appears on any of what I consider the "classic"
Bacharach/David/Warwick records on the Scepter label. Those were
recorded in New York City first at Bell Sound and then beginning
around 1966 more at A&R Studios. This period ended about 1972.
I wonder if what you are hearing as the "Chuck Findley style" is
really Findley learning from those 1960s recordings with Collins,
Shepley, and Markowitz.
Catzz66
>things like the "Arthur" movie soundtrack (1981). This was recorded in
>California. Unless I am mistaken, Findley was never a New York studio
>player, only in California (he arrived there in 1969 after being on
>the road with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra and the Buddy Rich band). He
>was born in 1947, therefore it seems to me highly unlikely that he
>appears on any of what I consider the "classic"
>Bacharach/David/Warwick records on the Scepter label. Those were
>recorded in New York City first at Bell Sound and then beginning
>around 1966 more at A&R Studios. This period ended about 1972.
>
>I wonder if what you are hearing as the "Chuck Findley style" is
>really Findley learning from those 1960s recordings with Collins,
>Shepley, and Markowitz.
Also the Carpenters recorded a few of these tunes on A&M, and I understand that
the players supposedly included Findley, but you are probably right, that I was
listening to the later recordings and assuming they were all the same
individuals. There were all different studios, locations, producers, etc. We
are so accustomed to there being good personnel records on movies, and it is
just too bad that it is not so with audio. Thanks for the info.
When you get right down to it, the flugel licks on Walk on By and Close to You
are not all that similar. I was always just glad to hear a trumpet or flugel
on a pop song.
Rick
play in one of Mr. Bacharach's orchestras, in one of his studio
sessions, or in one of his live concerts?? I believe in read in Leon
Merian's book that he did on at least one occasion -- maybe a studio
session(?)
I also remember reading that Mr. Bacharach's sense of pitch was so
keen that when playing in one of his sessions, if you missed a note
(or played a note slightly out of tune), he not only knew what note
was missed but who missed it!! Now maybe this skill is common among
professional composers/conductors -- I've just never been around
anyone who was musically capable. Assuming (of course) that when a
pro makes a mistake, it's not the usual "kunker" that I would produce
and it's not generally that obvious.
There's a nice photo on the cover of his "Lost Horizon" soundtrack
album/cd that was taken just over the shoulder of a trumpet player.
It really gives you a unique prespective or feeling of being there
And I agree, his songs are timeless. They sound as fresh today as
they did back in the 50s/60s.
---<Rick
Catzz66
>play in one of Mr. Bacharach's orchestras, in one of his studio
>sessions, or in one of his live concerts??
All I know is that John Thomas in Calif. played on the last TV special, the one
that had Elvis Costello, Wynona Judd, etc doing the standards and his latest
tunes. I have the CD but don't think there are any credits listed.