HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Billy May

Birth of Swing Jazz: Billy May

Billy May

Source: Jango

Born on 10 November 1916 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, arranger, trumpeter, bandleader and composer, Billy May, began his career with swing and would come to compose for film and television. He worked largely as an arranger for a host of band leaders including Glenn Miller, Tex Beneke, Ray Anthony, Harry James, Georgie Auld and Glen Gray. He also arranged for pianist, George Shearing, who he also supported with the Billy May Orchestra. May also backed and arranged for numerous vocalists as well, including in no particular order, Peggy Lee, Mel Tormé, Ella Mae Morse, Frank Sinatra, Keely Smith, Bing Crosby, Jeri Southern, Anita O'Day, Nancy Wilson, Ella Fitzgerald and Bobby Darin. Thus what follows below is a very abbreviated tour through swing and big band from the perspective of one of their major arrangers.

Initially playing tuba in high school, May's first notable employment was in 1938, arranging for the Charlie Barnet Orchestra. His first titles to be issued as an arranger with Barnet were RCA Thesaurus radio transcriptions on May 16 in New York City. Among titles arranged for Barnet in 1939 was Ray Noble's 'Cherokee'. He doesn't appear to have played trumpet with Barnet until August that year at the Palomar Ballroom in Hollywood, those radio transcriptions. His first session leading to a commercial issue arrived on 11 December 1939 with Barnet toward such as 'Now I Know' and 'Clap Hands! Here Come Charlie' issued on Bluebird. May would record frequently with Barnet into the sixties. Composing numerously with Barnet, a few of his titles were 'The Wrong Idea', 'Lumby' and 'Wings Over Manhattan'.

'Cherokee (Indian Love Song)' Billy May arrangement for the Charlie Barnet Orchestra

Recorded 17 July 1939 in NYC Matrix 38276-1 Bluebird B-10373 / Victor 20-1756

Composition: Ray Noble 1938

'What's New' Billy May arrangement for the Charlie Barnet Orchestra

Recorded 17 July 1939 in NYC Matrix 38278-1 Bluebird B-10361

Vocal: Larry Taylor

Music: Bob Haggart Lyrics: Johnny Burke

'Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie' Billy May w the Charlie Barnet Orchestra

Recorded 11 Dec 1939 in NYC 1 of 2 takes Matrix 43994-1 or 43994-2

Trumpet: Bob Burnet / May / John Owens / Lyman Vunk

Trombone: Spud Murphy / Don Ruppersberg / Bill Robertson

Sax: Barnet / Gene Kinsey / Skip Martin / Kurt Bloom / James Lamare

Piano: Bill Miller Guitar: Bus Etri

Bass: Phil Stephens Drums: Cliff Leeman

Composition: Billy Rose / Ballard MacDonald / Joseph Meyer 1928 Arrangement: Martin

'Lumby' Billy May arrangement for the Charlie Barnet Orchestra

Recorded 14 Oct 1940 in NYC Matrix 356488-1 Bluebird B-11014

Composition: May

While yet with Barnet, May arranged and played trumpet for Glenn Miler on numerous titles in various venues from 1940 to 1942. He was featured on trumpet in 'Anvil Chorus' in 1941, as well as on muted trumpet on 'Song of the Volga Boatmen'. He and Miller composed 'Boom Shot' for the 1942 film, 'Orchestra Wives'. It was yet 1942 when Miller wrapped up his band to join the Army per World War II, being killed when his plane went down of mechanical failure over the English Channel in 1944. After Miller's death May arranged for various including NBC radio, then Capitol Records. His initial issues as a band director may have been with the Billy May Orchestra backing Ella Mae Morris on 14 February 1945 toward 'Ya Betcha', 'Captain Kidd' and 'Jumpin' Jack'. That is, anyway, the first mention of the Billy May Orchestra in Tom Lord's sessionography.

'I Got Rhythm' Billy May arrangement for the Glenn Miller Orchestra

Recorded 1 Jan 1942 in NYC CBS radio 'Chesterfield Show' Victor 27/42-0154

Tenor sax: Al Klink Alto sax: Skip Martin

Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin 1928

'You Was Right Baby' Billy May w Peggy Lee

Recorded 27 Dec 1944 in Los Angeles Matrix 543-2A Capitol 197

Dave Barbour and His Orchestra:

Trumpet: May / Harold Lawson

Clarinet: Heinie Beau Tenor sax: Maurice Stein

Piano: Milt Raskin Guitar: Barbour

Bass: Artie Shapiro Drums: Nick Fatool

Composition: Barbour / Peggy Lee

'Carnival' Billy May arrangement for Harry James and His Orchestra

Recorded 14 Feb 1945 in Hollywood Matrix HCO 1272-1 Columbia 36827l

Composition: Harry Warren / Bob Russell

'Ya' Betcha' Billy May Orchestra backing Ella Mae Morse

Recorded 14 Feb 1945 in Los Angeles Matrix 568-3 Capitol 193

Composition: John Lange / Ralph Wolf

May composed 'Sparky's Magic Piano' in 1948 with pianist, Ray Turner. He arranged for the Glenn Miller ghost band led by Tex Beneke in 1951. In 1952 May issued his LP, 'A Band Is Born', containing the track, 'Charmaine'. 'A Big Band Bash' followed the same year.

'Charmaine' Billy May Orchestra 1952

From the album 'A Band Is Born' on Capitol H349

Composition: Erno Rapee / Lew Pollack Arrangement: May

Discogs Wikipedia

'You're Driving Me Crazy' Billy May Orchestra 1952

From the album 'Big Band Bash' on Capitol KCF 329 / T329

Album personnel:

Trumpet: Conrad Gozzo / John Best / Manny Klein / Uan Rasey

Trombone: Ed Kusby / Jimmy Priddy / Joe Howard / Murray McEachern / Si Zentner

Alto Sax: Les Robinson / Skeets Herfurt / Wilbur Schwartz

Tenor sax: Fred Fallensby / Ted Nash

Baritone sax: Bob Dawes / Chuck Gentry

Guitar: Barney Kessel

Bass: Don Whitaker / Phil Stephens

Drums: Alvin Stoller / Remo Belli

Arrangements: May

Composition: Walter Donaldson

Discogs

In 1956 May and his orchestra appeared in the film, 'Nightmare'. Among May's compositions for television was 'Somewhere in the Night' in 1960 for the 'Naked City' series. He would work with Nelson Riddle for that show.

'Nightmare' Billy May Orchestra

31 Jan 1956 in Hollywood Matrix 14937 Capitol 3486

Trumpet: Conrad Gozzo / Dick Cathcart / Vito "Mickey" Mangano / Manny Klein

Trombone: Murray McEachern / Ed Kusby / Si Zentner / Tommy Pederson / Skeets Herfurt

Alto Sax: Wilbur Schwartz (clarinet)

Clarinet / tenor sax: Ted Nash / Jules Jacobs

Baritone sax: Bob Dawes

Piano: Paul Smith Guitar: Al Hendrickson

Bass: Joe Comfort Drums: Tommy Romersa

Composition: Herschel Burke Gilbert Arrangement: May

'Mine' Billy May Orchestra backing George Shearing (piano)

March 1958 in Los Angeles From the album 'Burnished Brass' on Capitol T1038

Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Arrangement: May

Discogs

'Why Shouldn't I?' Billy May Orchestra backing Jeri Southern

24 Nov 1958 in Los Angeles From the album 'Jeri Southern Meets Cole Porter' on Capitol T-1173

Composition: Cole Porter Arrangement: May

Discogs

'Just One of Those Things' Billy May Orchestra backing Anita O'Day

2 April 1959 in Los Angeles From the album 'Anita O'Day Swings Cole Porter' on Verve MG VS-6059

Album personnel:

Trumpet: Manny Klein / Conrad Gozzo / Uan Rasey / Frank Beach

Trombone: Dave Wells / Si Zentner / Lloyd Ulyate / Ed Kusby

Alto Sax: Ronnie Lang / Wilbur Schwartz

Tenor sax: Justin Gordon / Gene Cipriano Baritone sax: Chuck Gentry

Piano: Al Pellegrini Guitar: Bobby Gibbons

Bass: George Morrow Drums: Irv Cottler

Composition: Cole Porter Arrangement: May

Discogs

'You Leave Me Breathless' Billy May Orchestra backing Nancy Wilson

From the album 'Like In Love' on Capitol ST-1319 recorded 7/8 Dec 1959

Composition: Friedrick Hollaender / Ralph Freed Arrangement: May

Discogs

'Get Happy' Billy May Orchestra backing Ella Fitzgerald

From the album 'Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Song Book' recorded 1/2 Aug 1960

Verve V6-4046-2

Album personnel:

Trumpet: Don Fagerquist Trombone: Milt Bernhart / Dick Nash

Alto sax: Ted Nash / Benny Carter Tenor sax: Plas Johnson

Vibes: Larry Bunker Piano: Paul Smith Guitar: John Collins

Bass: Joe Mondragon Drums: Irv Cottler

Music: Harold Arlen Lyrics: Ted Koehler Arrangement: May

Discogs Wikipedia

'Indiana' Billy May Orchestra backing Bobby Darin w Johnny Mercer

From the album 'Two of a Kind' recorded 13/14/17/22 Aug 1960 on ATCO SD 33-126

Composition: Ballard MacDonald / James F. Hanley

Discogs

'Naked City Theme' Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra Television

1962 See Capitol 4843

Composition: Billy May Arrangement: Riddle

Among films for which May composed were 'Sergeants 3' in 1962 and 'Johnny Cool' in 1963. He released nearly thirty albums as a leader or co-leader into the latter seventies. Tom Lord traces the Billy May Orchestra to as late as 1990 backing Frank Stallone on the album 'Close Your Eyes'.