MITCH MILLER 1911-2010

8/2/2010: on July 31, we have lost Mitch Miller - performing musician, arranger, conductor, oboist, and the man who hired Percy Faith into Columbia Records in 1950. Mitch Miller was 99 years old. Mitch hired the famous vocalists, and assigned various arrangers who worked for him (and he arranged music as well) to launch their careers. Such "youngsters" as Rosemary Clooney, Tony Bennett, and many others saw huge careers that were launched by contracts with Columbia and Mitch; and often through the orchestral magic of Percy Faith! This was a good deal for Percy, as he really wanted to record instrumentally and not be involved with vocalists; so for the duration of the 1950's Faith had a deal with Columbia and Mitch, that he'd record for the "youngsters" - and in turn he could record orchestral albums under his own name... and he did just that! I don't have a link but the New York Times website has an excellent article about Mr. Miller - wow - he used to work with George Gershwin!!!

I was honored to talk to Mitch on the phone a few times in the 1990's and again for the BBC Radio 2 program "The Arrangers" where he gladly agreed to participate in the show (they sent interviewers with recording equipment to his home). He was rather sad that his music had been forgotten but I think I encouraged him a bit when I started listing some of his Lp's that had been digitally remastered for CD reissue. I know that he was very pleased when two of his own albums, along with the two albums he recorded with Percy Faith, were reissued intact.

On a mid- 50's Lp "Columbia House Party" Mitch on the oboe, and Percy at the piano, perform the Faith original "Manon" - quite a treat. This was a different, but great era from which we continue to enjoy the performances. These were the days when "management" at Columbia were musicians as well. Here it is, uncompressed .wav format from the "Columbia House Party" album circa 1955; you'll hear a young Percy Faith as well as a young Mitch Miller as well as the party in the background. This is an opportunity to hear Faith on the piano, his own composition, and Mitch on the oboe for what was almost a bonus track for Music Until Midnight. Right click to save to your computer, I doubt if it will stream, then enjoy.
http://www.percyfaithpages.org/music_and_video/MANON%20Percy%20Faith%20and%20Mitch%20Miller.wav