Composer, Trumpeter Billy May dead at 87

[Hector J. Guzman 1]

I've known him by name for many, many years, since I can remember when John Williams conducted his arrangements and compositions with the Boston Pops Orchestra.

As in one of the Boston Pops CD booklets mentioned, Billy May embodies the entire swing era by himself. In the 30s and 40s, May played trumpet and arranged for Glenn Miller and Charlie Barnet; in the 50s and 60s he established himself as perhaps the most distinctive and imaginative arranger-conductor in Hollywood.

He was also an orchestrator for Hollywood film scores, his most recent I can think of is James Horner's The Rocketeer

LOS ANGELES - Billy May, a Grammy-winning composer and trumpeter who arranged such standards as "Cherokee," "Take the A Train" and "Serenade in Blue" and worked with such stars as Bing Crosby (news), Frank Sinatra (news) and Glenn Miller, died at age 87.  

   

May died Thursday of heart failure at his home in San Juan Capistrano, his wife, Doris May, told The Associated Press on Friday.  

The musician, who won a Grammy in 1958 for his album "Big Fat Brass," was noted for his brass-heavy, "slurping saxophone" arrangements, but his command of styles extended from swing to the mambo.

For more info go to Yahoo News

[Miguel Andrade 1,260]

I loved his Boston Pops arrangements...

:cry:

[Rogue_Leader 2]

Did he compose anything himself I might know of?

Doesn't seem like it.

[Hector J. Guzman 1]

He composed music for a season of the old Batman series, and The Green Hornet. He also arranged a couple of Horner's scores that featured big-band sound. Truly a genious.