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Salvador Camarata

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Salvador "Tutti" Camarata(May 11, 1913 – April 13, 2005) was an American composer, arranger, trumpeter, and record producer. He was also known as "Toots" Camarata.

Early life and career

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Camarata was born inGlen Ridge,New Jersey,United States,[1]and studied music atJuilliard Schoolin New York[1]as a student ofBernard Wagenaar,Joseph Littau, Cesare Sodero, and Jan Meyerowitz. His early career was as a trumpet player for bands such asJimmyandTommy Dorsey,Benny Goodmanand others,[1]eventually becoming the lead trumpet and arranger for Jimmy Dorsey (arranging such hits asTangerine,Green EyesandYours).[2]He also did arranging forGlen Grayand theCasa Loma Orchestra,Benny Goodman,Louis Armstrong,Bing Crosby,Nancy Sinatra,Billie Holiday,Ella Fitzgerald,Duke Ellingtonand many others.[1]He conducted and orchestrated a recording ofJascha Heifetz.

DuringWorld War II,he served as a flight instructor in theArmy Air Forces.

London Records

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In 1944,J. Arthur Ranksummoned Camarata to London, England, to write a musical score for the filmLondon Town.He became good friends with SirEdward Lewis,CEO of BritishDecca,and often visited Bridge House inFelsted(this was Sir Edward and Lady Lewis's summer home) and the two foundedLondon Records,with the aim of distributing classical music from the U.K. in the U.S. market.[3]One of his assignments was to see that London Records maintained the best classical catalog in the industry. In addition to his "administrative" duties at London Records, he also served as a classical artist orchestrating and conducting a number of classical albums including the works ofPuccini,Verdi,Bach,Bizet,Tchaikovsky,andRachmaninoff.

He joined theAmerican Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers(ASCAP) in 1948. His popular songs and instrumentals included "Mutiny in the Brass Section", "Story of the Stars", "Hollywood Pastime", "Dixieland Detour", "Moonlight Masquerade", "Louis", and "No More". He also composedVerdiana Suite.Additional compositions include "Rumbalero," "Rhapsody for Saxophone," "Fingerbustin'," "Pizzicato Rhumba," "Tall Trees," "Evening Mist," and "Brasiliero."

Camarata also recorded other albums, including the popularTutti's Trumpets(1957) andTutti's Trombones,titles which featured his compositions and arrangements and are considered classics of the genre.

Sunset Sound Recorders

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In 1956,Walt Disneyhired him to formDisneyland Recordsand to be music director and producer for the label. Camarata had suggested Disney build his own recording studio, but Disney declined, and instead encouraged Camarata to build his own. In 1958, Camarata purchased the first building, an old auto repair shop onSunset BoulevardinHollywood,California, that would become the location ofSunset Sound Recorders.He produced over three hundred albums there during his 16-year association with Disney. He scored several albums at Disney to help children gain a knowledge of, and love for, Western classical music.

Radio television and cinema work

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During the 1940s, Camarata served as the musical arranger for theJean SablonShowon theCBSradio network, which included musical performances by the accordionistJohn Serry Sr.and an orchestra led by Paul Baron.[4]Camarata was the musical conductor for several TV series, includingStartime,The Vic Damone ShowandThe Alcoa Hour.He was also the vocal supervisor for the 1963 movieSummer Magic,which included musical performances byHayley MillsandBurl Ives.Many Disney movie sound tracks were also made at Sunset.

Sound Factory

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In November 1981, Camarata purchasedThe Sound Factory,previously owned byDavid Hassinger.Like the Sunset Sound studios, the Sound Factory is one of the top recording studios in Hollywood, and has been used by many top artists, includingJackson Browne,The Flying Burrito Brothers,Linda Ronstadt,Ringo Starr,T Bone Burnett,Belle and Sebastian,Bette Midler,Richie Furay,Warren Zevon,Dolly Parton,Elvis Costello,Sam Phillips,Tonio K.,Neil Diamond,Cher,Los Lobos,The Wallflowers,KISS,Van Halen,Kenny Rogers,Beck,Brian Wilson,Victoria Williams,Ben Folds Five,Red Hot Chili Peppers,Danny Elfman,among others.

Final work

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Camarata's last album wasThe Power and the Glory,on which he worked for four years. Once completing the arrangements, Camarata returned to England (St. John's, Smith Square) to conduct a large orchestra and choir for the recording of the album, which he had noted in one of his last interviews to be one of his most important works. It was released in 1996.[5]

In April 2005, he died inBurbank, California,aged 91.

References

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  1. ^abcdColin Larkin,ed. (1992).The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music(First ed.).Guinness Publishing.p. 397.ISBN0-85112-939-0.
  2. ^"Salvatore" Tutti "Camarata".Spaceagepop.RetrievedAugust 18,2021.
  3. ^Associated Press."Salvador Camarata, 91, Music Arranger, Is Dead",The New York Times,April 19, 2005. Accessed November 30, 2007.
  4. ^"Jean Sablon Show, the".Archived fromthe originalon March 8, 2017.RetrievedJune 11,2017.
  5. ^Metason,Tutti Camarata - The Power And The Glory, Volume 1,retrievedMay 30,2024

Further reading

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