Milt Bernhart (May 25, 1926 – January 22, 2004) was a
West Coast jazz
West Coast jazz refers to styles of jazz that developed in Los Angeles and San Francisco during the 1950s. West Coast jazz is often seen as a subgenre of cool jazz, which consisted of a calmer style than bebop or hard bop. The music relied re ...
trombonist who worked with
Stan Kenton
Stanley Newcomb Kenton (December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979) was an American popular music and jazz artist. As a pianist, composer, arranger and band leader, he led an innovative and influential jazz orchestra for almost four decades. Though K ...
,
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...
, and others. He supplied the solo in the middle of Sinatra's 1956 recording of '' I've Got You Under My Skin'' conducted by
Nelson Riddle
Nelson Smock Riddle Jr. (June 1, 1921 – October 6, 1985) was an American arranger, composer, bandleader and orchestrator whose career stretched from the late 1940s to the mid-1980s. He worked with many world-famous vocalists at Capitol Recor ...
.
Biography
Bernhart (occasionally spelled Bernhardt) began on tuba, but switched to trombone in high school. At 16 he worked in
Boyd Raeburn
Boyd Albert Raeburn (October 27, 1913 – August 2, 1966) was an American jazz bandleader and bass saxophonist.
Career
He was born in Faith, South Dakota, United States. Raeburn attended the University of Chicago, where he led a campus band ...
's band and later had some "gigs" with
Teddy Powell
Teddy Powell (March 1, 1905 – November 17, 1993) was born in Oakland, California, United States, as Teodoro Paolella, and became a respected American jazz musician, band leader, composer, and arranger. Some of his compositions were written unde ...
. After time in the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...
he worked, off and on, with
Stan Kenton
Stanley Newcomb Kenton (December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979) was an American popular music and jazz artist. As a pianist, composer, arranger and band leader, he led an innovative and influential jazz orchestra for almost four decades. Though K ...
for the next ten years. He is perhaps most associated with Kenton, but in 1955 he had his first album as a leader. In 1986 he was elected President of the Big Band Academy of America.
Although known as "mild-mannered" or humorous, his brief period with
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing".
From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His conc ...
was one area that brought out his ire. He indicated working with Goodman was "the bottom", except for basic training in the Army, of his first 23 years of life. He called Goodman a "bore" and claimed he did nothing about the treatment Wardell Gray faced at a segregated club in Las Vegas. He even alleges that he quit because Goodman publicly humiliated Gray in front of an audience.
Bernhart died of
congestive heart failure
Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, ...
in Glendale, California at the age of 77 at the
Adventist Health Glendale
Adventist Health Glendale is a hospital located in Glendale, California, it is part of the healthcare network Adventist Health. Adventist Health Glendale is one of the city's oldest businesses, founded in 1905, a year before Glendale was incorpor ...
Maynard Ferguson
Walter Maynard Ferguson CM (May 4, 1928 – August 23, 2006) was a Canadian jazz trumpeter and bandleader. He came to prominence in Stan Kenton's orchestra before forming his own big band in 1957. He was noted for his bands, which often serv ...
Stan Kenton
Stanley Newcomb Kenton (December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979) was an American popular music and jazz artist. As a pianist, composer, arranger and band leader, he led an innovative and influential jazz orchestra for almost four decades. Though K ...
Innovations in Modern Music
''Innovations in Modern Music'' is an album by pianist and bandleader Stan Kenton with his "Innovations" Orchestra featuring performances recorded in 1950 and originally released on the Capitol label.Vosbein, PStan Kenton Discographyaccessed Apr ...
Popular Favorites by Stan Kenton
''Popular Favorites by Stan Kenton'' is a compilation album by pianist and bandleader Stan Kenton featuring performances recorded between 1951 and 1953 and originally released as a 10-inch LP and 45 rpm EP on Capitol before being reissued as a 12 ...
Kenton in Hi-Fi
''Kenton in Hi-Fi'' is an album by bandleader and pianist Stan Kenton featuring performances of Kenton's signature compositions from the 1940s recorded in 1956 and released on the Capitol label.Vosbein, PStan Kenton Discographyaccessed April 16, 2 ...
'' (Capitol, 1956)
* ''
Lush Interlude
''Lush Interlude'' is an album by bandleader and pianist Stan Kenton featuring performances of Kenton's signature compositions from the 1940s in new arrangements featuring a large string section along with the Kenton trombones. The trumpet and sax ...
'' (Capitol, 1959)
* ''
Artistry in Voices and Brass
''Artistry in Voices and Brass'' is an album by the Stan Kenton Orchestra revisiting their popular compositions with new lyrics composed by Milt Raskin and arranged by Pete Rugolo for an 18-member vocal chorus and trombone section recorded in 1963 ...
Henri Rene
Henri is an Estonian, Finnish, French, German and Luxembourgish form of the masculine given name Henry.
People with this given name
; French noblemen
:'' See the ' List of rulers named Henry' for Kings of France named Henri.''
* Henri I de Mon ...
Adventures in Rhythm
''Adventures in Rhythm'' is an album by bandleader, composer, arranger and conductor Pete Rugolo featuring performances recorded in 1954 and originally released on the Columbia label as a 12-inch LP.Minn, MMaynard Ferguson Discographyaccessed Oct ...
New Sounds by Pete Rugolo
''New Sounds by Pete Rugolo'' is an album by composer, arranger and conductor Pete Rugolo, featuring performances recorded in 1954 and 1955 for Columbia Records and first released on the budget Harmony label in 1957.Minn, MMaynard Ferguson Disco ...
The Music from Richard Diamond
''The Music from Richard Diamond'' is an album by composer, arranger and conductor Pete Rugolo featuring compositions written for ''Richard Diamond, Private Detective'' recorded in 1959 and first released on the EmArcy label.Behind Brigitte Bardot'' (Warner Bros., 1960)
* '' 10 Trombones Like 2 Pianos'' (Mercury, 1960)
* '' The Original Music of Thriller'' (Mercury, 1961)
With Howard Rumsey
* ''Sunday Jazz a La Lighthouse Vol. 1'' (Contemporary, 1953)
* ''Sunday Jazz a La Lighthouse Vol. 2'' (Contemporary, 1953)
* ''Jazz Rolls Royce'' (Lighthouse, 1958)
With
Lalo Schifrin
Boris Claudio "Lalo" Schifrin (born June 21, 1932) is an Argentine-American pianist, composer, arranger and conductor. He is best known for his large body of film and TV scores since the 1950s, incorporating jazz and Latin American musical eleme ...
Mannix
''Mannix'' is an American detective television series that ran from 1967 to 1975 on CBS. It was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller. The title character, Joe Mannix, is a private in ...
Rock Requiem
''Rock Requiem'' (subtitled ''For the Dead in the Southeast Asia War'') is an album by Argentine composer, pianist and conductor Lalo Schifrin recorded in 1971 and released on the Verve label.Payne, DLalo Schifrin discographyaccessed March 19, 20 ...
'' (Verve, 1971)
With others
* Van Alexander, ''The Home of Happy Feet'' (Capitol, 1959)
*
Chet Baker
Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool".
Baker earned much attention and ...
and
Bud Shank
Clifford Everett "Bud" Shank Jr. (May 27, 1926 – April 2, 2009) was an American alto saxophonist and flautist. He rose to prominence in the early 1950s playing lead alto and flute in Stan Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra and thro ...
Elmer Bernstein
Elmer Bernstein ( '; April 4, 1922August 18, 2004) was an American composer and conductor. In a career that spanned over five decades, he composed "some of the most recognizable and memorable themes in Hollywood history", including over 150 origi ...
Harry Betts
Harry Betts (September 15 1922 – July 13 2012) was an American jazz trombonist.
Background
Born in New York and raised in Fresno, California, he was active as a jazz trombonist and played with Stan Kenton's orchestra in the 1950s. He can be hea ...
, ''The Jazz Soul of Doctor Kildare'' (Choreo, 1962)
* Buddy Bregman, '' Swinging Kicks'' (Verve, 1957)
* Les Brown, ''Les Brown's in Town'' (Decca, 1965)
*
Frank Capp
Francis Cappuccio (August 20, 1931 – September 12, 2017), known professionally as Frank Capp, was an American jazz drummer. Capp also played on numerous rock and roll sessions and is considered to be a member of The Wrecking Crew.
Biography
...
, ''Percussion in a Tribute to Glenn Miller'' (Kimberly, 1963)
*
June Christy
June Christy (born Shirley Luster; November 20, 1925June 21, 1990) was an American singer, known for her work in the cool jazz genre and for her silky smooth vocals. Her success as a singer began with The Stan Kenton Orchestra. She pursued a so ...
, ''June Christy Recalls Those Kenton Days'' (Capitol, 1959)
*
Rosemary Clooney
Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 – June 29, 2002) was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the song " Come On-a My House", which was followed by other pop numbers such as " Botch-a-Me", " Mambo Italiano" ...
, ''Clap Hands! Here Comes Rosie!'' (RCA Victor, 1960)
* Pete Candoli, ''Blues, When Your Lover Has Gone'' (Somerset/Stereo-Fidelity, 1961)
*
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...
, ''
Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings
''Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings'' was Bing Crosby's sixth LP, his first album for Verve, recorded and released in a mono format in 1956.
''Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings'' was a stylistic departure for Crosby, marking the first time he re ...
'' (Verve, 1956)
* Bobby Darin, ''From Hello Dolly to Goodbye Charlie'' (Capitol, 1964)
* Bobby Darin, ''Venice Blue'' (Capitol, 1965)
* Sammy Davis Jr., ''
It's All Over but the Swingin'
''It's All Over but the Swingin'' is a 1957 album by Sammy Davis Jr., arranged by Jack Pleis and Morty Stevens.
Track listing
# "Guess I'll Hang My Tears out to Dry" (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne) – 4:43
# " But Not for Me" (George Gershwin, Ira Ge ...
Dean Elliott
William Lorenzo Bunt (May 11, 1917 – December 31, 1999), known professionally as Dean Elliott, was an American television and film composer.
Career
Elliott was born William Lorenzo Bunt on May 11, 1917 in Sioux City, Iowa to George Leroy Bunt ...
, ''College Confidential'' (Chancellor, 1960)
* The Four Freshmen, ''Four Freshmen and 5 Trombones'' (Capitol, 1955)
* Gilbert & Sullivan, ''The Coolest Mikado'' (Andex, 1961)
*
Astrud Gilberto
Astrud Gilberto (; born Astrud Evangelina Weinert, March 29, 1940) is a Brazilian samba and bossa nova singer. She gained international attention in the 1960s following her recording of the song " The Girl from Ipanema".
Biography
Astrud Gilber ...
Carolyn Hester
Carolyn Sue Hester (born January 28, 1937) is an American folk singer and songwriter. She was a figure in the early 1960s folk music revival.
Biography
Hester's first album was produced by Norman Petty in 1957. She made her second album for Tr ...
, ''Carolyn Hester'' (RCA, 1973)
*
Al Hirt
Alois Maxwell "Al" Hirt (November 7, 1922 – April 27, 1999) was an American trumpeter and bandleader. He is best remembered for his million-selling recordings of "Java" and the accompanying album ''Honey in the Horn'' (1963), and for the theme ...
, ''Horn a-Plenty'' (RCA Victor, 1962)
* Jonah Jones/Glen Gray, ''Jonah Jones Quartet/Glen Gray Casa Loma Orchestra'' (Capitol, 1962)
*
Bob Keene
Robert Keene (August 26, 1919 – March 20, 2010) was an American football player.
A native of Detroit, Keene attended McKenzie High School and played college football at the University of Detroit.
He played professional football in the Natio ...
, ''Bob Keene & His Orchestra'' (GNP, 1954)
* Bob Keene, ''Solo for Seven'' (Andex, 1958)
* Carol Lawrence, ''This Heart of Mine'' (Choreo, 1962)
*
Peggy Lee
Norma Deloris Egstrom (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002), known professionally as Peggy Lee, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress, over a career spanning seven decades. From her beginning as a vocalis ...
Johnny Mandel
John Alfred Mandel (November 23, 1925June 29, 2020) was an American composer and arranger of popular songs, film music and jazz. The musicians he worked with include Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Anita O'Day, Barbra Streisand, Tony Benn ...
Skip Martin
Lloyd Vernon "Skip" Martin (May 14, 1916, in Robinson, Illinois – February 12, 1976, in Los Angeles, California) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and music arranger.
Background
Martin was active principally as an arranger for so ...
Billy May
Edward William May Jr. (November 10, 1916 – January 22, 2004) was an American composer, arranger and trumpeter. He composed film and television music for ''The Green Hornet'' (1966), ''The Mod Squad'' (1968), '' Batman'' (with ''Batgirl'' them ...
, ''Bill's Bag'' (Capitol, 1963)
* Billy May, ''Today!'' (Capitol, 1966)
*
Lyle Murphy
Miko Stefanovic (August 19, 1908 – August 5, 2005), better known as Lyle 'Spud' Murphy, was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, and arranger.
Early life
Born Miko Stefanovic to Serbian émigré parents in Berlin, Germany, Murp ...
Ruth Olay
Ruth Olay (July 1, 1924 – September 3, 2021) was an American jazz singer with Hungarian ancestry who was born in San Francisco, the daughter of a Rabbi and a professional chorister mother. Moving to Los Angeles while still an infant, Olay becam ...
, ''Olay! The New Sound of Ruth Olay'' (Mercury, 1959)
* Perez Prado, ''Havana, 3 A.M.'' (RCA/BMG 1990)
*
Frankie Randall
Frankie Billy Randall (September 25, 1961 – December 23, 2020) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1983 to 2005. He was a three-time light welterweight world champion, having held the WBA and WBC titles between 1994 and 199 ...
, ''Sings & Swings'' (RCA Victor, 1965)
*
Buddy Rich
Bernard "Buddy" Rich (September 30, 1917 – April 2, 1987) was an American jazz drummer, songwriter, conductor, and bandleader. He is considered one of the most influential drummers of all time.
Rich was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, ...
, ''The Swinging Buddy Rich'' (Norgran, 1954)
* Johnny Richards, ''Something Else by Johnny Richards'' (Bethlehem, 1956)
*
Tony Scott
Anthony David Leighton Scott (21 June 1944 – 19 August 2012) was an English film director and producer. He was known for directing highly successful action and thriller films such as '' Top Gun'' (1986), '' Beverly Hills Cop II'' (1987), ''D ...
/Milt Bernhart, ''Untitled'' (RCA Victor, 1985)
* Tak Shindo, ''Brass and Bamboo'' (Capitol, 1960)
*
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...
Three Moods
''Three Moods'' is an album by The Three Sounds which was recorded in Los Angeles in 1965 and released on the Limelight label.
'' (Limelight, 1965)
* Bobby Troup, ''Bobby Troup and His Stars of Jazz'' (RCA Victor, 1959)
* Walter Wanderley, ''The Return of the Original'' (Ancora, 1972)
* Stanley Wilson, ''The Music from M Squad'' (RCA Victor, 1959)