Scott Ellsworth's guest is composer & arranger Johnny Mandel.
Included and interspersed during the rare interview are cuts played from his orchestrations including personal anecdotes.
This was his first of two appearances with Scott Ellsworth, the second occurring almost a year later, October 16, 1971 (ATA#6931).
Joined in progress, Johnny Mandel is interviewed by host Scott Ellsworth. Mandel explains how he got to score the soundtrack of the movie The Americanization of Emil. "Vacation in Sussez" is played.
Johnny Mandel states that he just completed the score to the motion picture, A New Leaf starring Elaine Maye and Walter Matthau. Mandel relates to Ellsworth that he wrote approximately 40 minutes of music for this film, and that his approach to writing music for a movie is usually melodic. "Melody is primary" states Mandel, and not so much title songs like that used in "High Noon."
Mandel looks back on his career and mentions the following anecdotes:
-Worked for WMGM as a staff arranger.
-Worked on staff for Sid Caesar on The Show of Shows.
-Never a format writer which seeks not to be fun.
-Wrote the score for *M*A*S*H* which he takes great pride.
-How he writes music for a film, an abstract process visually, oriented and related to what he is seeing on the screen.
The song from *M*A*S*H* is played in its entirety.
Johnny states that he enjoys working early in the morning arising at 7am at which time he feels more creative. He loves to jog in the morning five days a week to become clear minded.
Mandel states to Scott Ellsworth:
-Love for backpacking, diving, swimming, horseback riding.
Mandel mentions that he recently bought a motor home and has not worked at all the past year...needed to rest after working on six motion pictures in quick succession.
First picture Mandel ever scored was "I Want to Live."
The main title score from the film is played which includes in the orchestra Vince DeRosa and Jack Sheldon.
The Keester Parade" score is played and discussed. Contributors to this fabulous piece were LeRoy Vinnegar, Conrad Touff, Harry Edison, Sy Touff, Richie Kamuca, Matt Utal, Russ Freeman and Chuck Flores.
From the movie Harper, "Quietly There" is played (Ruth Price sings).
Johnny Mandel's A Time For Love" from the motion picture An American Dream is played.
Mandel talks to Ellsworth about his love for scuba diving and taking color still photos of life undersea.
From the soon to be released "The Sandpaper" Johnny Mandel's arrangement "The Shadow of your Smile" is played.
Mandel explains that inspiration for writing music comes primarily from living on and off at Big Sur. He states he thinks he scored the scenery for this picture and not the picture itself.
Mandel talks about the first movie he scored, "I Want to Live" (1958).He reminisces about the past remembering working with Arti Shaw, Count Basie and soon after decided to not perform any longer but to just write movie scores such as "Just a Child" (Jack Sheldon, Bill Perkins, Larry Bunker, Red Mitchell).
Mandel remembers working with Elliot Lawrence and Buddy Rich bands. He states that at 12 years of age he know he would become a musician. His folks and relatives were jazz fans. Music always was around the house, and he started playing the trumpet when he was 13 years of age, having Van Alexander as his teacher. At such times Johnny started writing charts at 15 for Al Cohen Band with Boyd Rayburn(1945). His youth included traveling from New York to California and at one point latching on to drummer, Mel Rosinback who had a revolutionary band. Later working for Willis Conover a DJ in Washington D.C.
Played is "The Song of You." (Jack Nimitz) arranged by Mandel. Later Mandel remembers his 1949 orchestration of "Not Really The Blues" and later getting work from Count Basie with whom he travelled all over the country.
162 individual broadcast Audio Air Checks survive.
A goldmine of originally recorded live interviews with the greats from the Jazz and Big Band era, with integrated recorded samples of their work played throughout the broadcast.
Scott Ellsworth was the creator and on-air host of the popular radio program, "SCOTT'S PLACE." It aired live on KFI-AM in Los Angeles, six times a week, from midnight to 4:00 am (MARCH 30, 1970 - APRIL 1, 1972). Over 500 unique broadcasts featured jazz and big band music, interspersed with live interviews with musicians, singers, composers, conductors, arrangers, band leaders, writers, music producers, dealers & promoters.
These guest artists would drop by the studio after midnight, quite often following work or performing, and would bring some of their favorite records or personal recordings to the show to play for Scott and his audience. They would talk about their career, reminiscing with anecdotes...their love of jazz and big band music.
Interviews averaged in length from one hour to four hours.
Scott was exceptional in his ability to draw together some of the finest artists and musicians representing the history of jazz music...many who were not known by name to the general public, but well know to the jazz community dating back to the 1920's, 30's,40's, and 50's.
The SCOTT'S PLACE theme music, "Have A Nice Day," played by Count Basie & his band, was composed and arranged by Sammy Nestico specifically for Scott, in July 1971. It was used permanently as Scott's theme music beginning in November 1971.
Most of the lesser known legendary jazz artists who frequented the show did few, if any, talk shows in their life, making these candid conversations so valued since most of these individuals are now deceased.
Guests included:
Matty Matlock, Jess Stacey, Thelma Carpenter, Mercer Ellington, Lex Baxter, Nellie Lutcher, Billy May, George Van Eps, Shorty "Clarence " Sherock, Bobby Bryant, Dick Nash, Nick Fatool, Abraham Lincoln, Rollie Bondock, Ray Sherman, Irv Cottler, Lew McCleary, Kai Winding, Jack Coon, Pat Williams, Duke Ellington, Melba Liston, Conte Condoli, Benny Golson, Mariah McPartland, Johnny Mandel, Johnny Guarnieri, Vince Darosa, Stan Kenton, Fred Gerry, Gerry McKenzie, Pete Dailey, Robert Enevolsen, Jack Marshall, Clair Fisher, Howard Rumsey, John Klemmer, Maurice Harris, Johnny Best, Ted Curson, Dave Garroway, Jimmy Smith, Gus Bivona, Johnny Pate, Harold Land, Joe Marsala, Ralph Carmichael, Clair Fisher, Mundell Lowe, Dave Cavanaugh, Teddy Buckner, Al Rinker, Floyd Huddleston, George Auld, Sonny Burke, Bill Bacin, Paul Tanner, Lorenzo Flennoy, Bill Berry Dave Dexter, Blue Mitchelle, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Benny Powell, Lee Young, Joe Comfort, David Rose, Arnold Ross, Earl Palmer, Jimmy Witherspoon, Benjamin "Scatman" Crothers, Bill Evans, Cat Anderson (William Alonzo),
Al Aarons, Ronnie Lang, Frank Beach, Joe Pass, Jimmy Jones, Van Alexander, Peanuts Hucko, Panama "David" Francis, Marty Patche, Louis Bellson, Sam Most, Don Menza Billy Eckstine, Sam Donahue, Nellie Lutcher (second interview), Teddy Edwards, Alvin Stoller, Marshall Royal, Terry Gibbs, Louis Jordan, Ulysses Livingstone, Dr. Bill MacPherson, Al McKibbon, John E. Collins, Johnny Rotella, Allyn M. Ferguson, Frank Comstock, Meyer "Mike" Ruben, Bill Pitman, Irving Townsend, Mike Melvoin, Lou Levy, Lennie Niehaus, Preston Love,
Buddy Clark, Billy Byers, Nappy Lamare, Tony Ortega, Jesse Price, Dick Cary, Dee Barton, Nat Pierce, Ray Avery, Mel Torme, Don Trenner, Milt Jackson, Tommy Shephard, Dalton Smith, LeRoy Vinegar, Eddie Miller, Muzzy Marsalino, Kai Winding (two apparances), Greig Stewart "Chubby" Jackson, Donald Johnson Ellis, Matty Matlock (two appearances),Barney Bigard, Bill Miller, Johnny Sipple, Chlora Bryant, Jerry Goldsmith, Scott Ellsworth SPECIAL BROADCAST, recorded live at Disneyland with Earl "Father" Hines, Trummy Young, Yank Lawson, Bob Haggart, Bob Crosby, and Dizzy Gillepsie.
Sal Gubin, Joe Howard, Sonny Burke, Count Basie, Feddy Green, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, J.C. Williams, Robert McCracken, Frank D'Rone Jackie Mills, Scott Ellsworth SPECIAL BROADCASTS at the 14th annual Monteray Jazz Festival, Tommy Tedesco, Oscar Peterson, J.J. Johnson, Irving C. Ashby, Johnny Mandel (two appearances), Slim Giallard, George T. Simon, Irv Cottler (two appearances), Della Reese (two appearances), Wayne Songer, Harry Mills, Alton Purnell, Lalo Schifrin, June Christy, Ed Garland, Barney Bigard (two appearances), Leonard Feather, Collin Bailey, Paul Smith, Adele Girari, Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Shelly Manne, Sarah Vaughan, & Johnny Mercer.
*On the ARCHIVAL TELEVISION AUDIO, INC. website (www.atvaudio.com) click the ARSC link and one can listen to a live 45 minute retrospective as presented by Phil Gries with guest Scott Ellsworth, held May 14, 2011 in Los Angeles California at the Grand Wilshire Hotel, as part of the 45th ARSC National Conference. The history and genesis of SCOTT'S PLACE is discussed with many peerless audio examples of past programs played for the audience. Scott, reminisces with many anecdotes related to these broadcasts. Power point still photographs related to different SCOTT'S PLACE broadcasts supplemented the narrative
