Entry #12: The Musician's of Big Fat Brass & Jooms Jooms

The Musicians

Thanks for following allowing with this blog, we have finally come to the last blog post, for now! For this one, I've decided to do a bit of a deep dive into the musicians of Billy May's Big Fat Brass album and other works they are known for or anything relevant to them.

Trumpet Section

Conrad Gozzo was an American trumpet player and a member of the NBC Hollywood staff orchestra. He played under various bandleaders such as: Tommy Reynolds, Red Norvo, Bob Chester, and Claude Thornhill. He recorded with such artists as Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra, and was the first trumpet on al recordings of Henry Mancini. In 1955, he released his own album Coz the Great!, directed by Billy May. It was not particularly successful and was reviewed as mediocre.

Black Sapphire by Conrad Gozzo and His Orchestra

Frank Beach was a Canadian jazz trumpet player from Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada. He worked with bandleaders such as Bob Keene, Dennis Farnon, Stan Kenton, and Jerry Fielding.

Johnny Best was an American jazz trumpeter. He worked with bandleaders such as: Les Brown, Charlie Barnet, and Artie Shaw. He played trumpet on "At Last" from the movie Sun Valley Serenade, which was recorded by Glenn Miller and his orchestras.

Performed by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra

Manny Klein was an American jazz trumpeter most associated with sing. He performed with bandleaders such as Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and the Boswell Sisters. In 1939, he turned down an offer from Fritz Reiner to join the Pittsburgh Symphony. He studied with Max Schlossberg of the New York Philharmonic and was a member of the NBC Symphony Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini.

Pete Candoli was an American jazz trumpet, playing with the big bands of Woody Herman and Stan Kenton. He performed extensively in the studios of the recording and television industries, including movies such as: The Man with the Golden Arm, Private Hell 36, and Save the Tiger. He also appeared in The Tonight Show Band.

Pete Candoli & Lionel Hampton performing I Can't Get Started

Uan Rasey was an American musician, best known for his studio work as a trumpet player. He performed on such films as: Ben-Hur, Cleopatra, West Side Story, My Fair Lady, and Spartacus. He performed on many albums of the 50s and 60s, such as those of Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Mel Tormé, Dores Day, and others.

Horn Section

Art Franz was an American horn player. He performed and toured with John Philip Sousa's band right after high school graduation, he was the last surviving member until his death in 2004. He retired from the band to perform in the Hollywood movie studios. He was famed as the 2nd horn at MGM Studios and 2nd horn at Columbia Pictures. He was a founding member of the LA Horn Club.

Color Contrasts by George Hyde, performed by the LA Horn Club

Jack Cave was an American horn player and is considered the first horn player to appear and record with a jazz ensemble. He performed with Artie Shaw and his Orchestra.

James Decker was an American horn player and Professor of Horn at the University of Southern California for 40 years. He performed commercially with Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Nelson Riddle, Henry Mancini, and many more. He was a contracted studio player under Columbia, Fox, Paramount, and CBS Television.

Richard Perissi was an American horn player, performing with such groups as Artie Shaw, Frank Sinatra, Henry Mancini, and Lalo Schifrin. He was also a member of the LA Horn Club.

Vince De Rosa was an American hornist who was a studio musician in Hollywood. He is often considered to be one of the most recorded brass players of all time. He set "impeccably high standards" for the horn, and John Williams called him "one of the greatest instrumentalists of his generation." 

Strangers in the Night by Frank Sinatra & Vince de Rosa, horn

Trombone Section

Ed Kusby was an American trombonist, active in Hollywood from the late 1930s. He performed with Billy May, Baby Christian, Eddie Miller, and Hal Kemp.

Si Zentner was an American jazz trombonist and big-band leader. He performed with bandleaders such as Les Brown, Harry James, and Jimmy Dorsey. He worked at MGM from 1949 to the mid 1950s. He performed on films such as Singin' in the Rain and A Star Is Born. 

Without A Song performed by Si Zentner & His Orchestra

Tommy Pederson was an American trombonist and composer known for his work in jazz, big band, and classical genres. He performed with artists such as Gene Krupa, Tommy Dorsey, Nelson Riddle, Doc Severinsen, and Frank Sinatra. He was a prolific studio musician, sometimes playing as many as six studio sessions a day. 

George Roberts was an American trombonist, born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. He recorded for artists such as Don Costa, Billy May, Axel Stordahl, and Henry Mancini. He worked on movie soundtracks such as Jaws, King Kong, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Tuba Section

Clarence Karella was an American tubist and performed with Billy May and His Orchestra. His career spanned 63 years, which including the big band era and playing with the LA Philharmonic. He also worked in the 20th Century Recording Symphony with Alfred Newman.

Red Callender was an American string bass and tuba player, best known as a jazz musician. He also worked with the group The Wrecking Crew, a group of first-call session musicians in LA. He co-wrote the 1959 top-10 hit "Prime Lane".

Primrose Lane performed by Jerry Wallace

Rhythm Section

Joe Mondragon was an American Jazz bassist. He appeared on albums by June Christy, Shorty Rogers, Marti Paich, Bud Shank, and Ella Fitzgerald.

Ralph Penner was an American bassist. He was a member of the Yale Whiffenpoof group.

Al Hendrickson was an American jazz and studio guitarist and vocalist. He worked with bandleaders such as Artie Shaw, Benny Carter, Billy May, Dizzy Gillespie, and Henry Mancini.

Paul Smith was an American jazz pianist, performed in various genres of jazz, most typically bebop. He is best known as an accompanist of singers, especially Ella Fitzgerald.

Veryle Mills was an American harpist and considered on the top studio harpists in Los Angeles during her time. She had her own dance band called "Veryle Mills and Her Boyfriends."

Alvin Stoller was an American jazz drummer, best known for playing drums on both Mitch Miller's "The Yellow Rose of Texas" and Stan Freberg's parody of the song. He worked with many of the same artists as the others during this era.

The Yellow Rose of Texas by Mitch Miller

Lou Singer was an American percussionist and drummer. He performed with bandleaders such as Artie Shaw, Bobby Christian, Henry Mancini, and Woody Herman.

Ralph Hansell was an American percussionist, specializing on vibraphone and xylophone. He performed with bandleaders such as Milton Rogers and Ralph Carmichael.

Billy May - The Man Himself

Billy May was an American composer, arranger, and trumpeter. He composed film and television music, such as The Green Hornet, The Mod Squad, Batman, and Naked City. He wrote arrangements for many top singers such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, the Andrews Sisters, and Nat King Cole. As a trumpeter in the 1940s big band era, he recorded songs such as "Measure for Measure", "Long Tall Mama", and "Boom Shot" with Glenn Miller and His Orchestra. the 

"Main Theme" from The Green Hornet by Billy May

Jooms Jooms

Lastly, the final track of the album, Jooms Jooms. Written and arranged by Billy May himself, a fitting song to end the album. It gives all the instruments a chance to show off and ends with a rather quiet finish. Enjoy!

Performed by Billy May and His Orchestra

Until next time!

-Jacob