Van Alexander (1915-2015) was a composer, conductor, and arranger, based initially in New York, before heading to Hollywood and continuing his varied career there. His initial success was by selling arrangments to Swing band leader Chick Webb, where he was introduced to jazz vocalist, Ella Fitzgerald - with whom he made their first hit record, \"A-Tis-ket, A Tas-ket\". He's worked on numerous labels and albums, but his specialty was music for TV shows.
His been on numerous credited shows, and uncredited productions, and also scored a few movies during the 1950s-60s, however he was best known to work for shows like Hazel, Bewitched, I Dream Of Jeannie, Dean Martin Shows and Roasts, and even into the 1970's, the kitschy Brady Bunch Variety Hour.
He was one of the first musical arrangers to write a book specifically about music arranging, \"First Chart\" - which is a staple to any musician. Likewise, his music always swings, and staffed by the finest studio musicians in Hollywood, many from his big band earlier history.
Of note is Van's use of 1970's musical effects in these arrangments, namely a good deal of the use of the electronic Moog synthesizer (with that portamento effects \"slide\" so typical) in solos and effects, not the mention of the over-use of the wah-wah pedal on the guitar! Boom-Chick-A-Wah-Wah.
Boom
The album cuts are vintage 1973-1976. The studio where this album was recorded was the famous TTG Studios (defunct) Hollywood on N. McCadden Pl.
As per the liner notes by Lee Hale (another Dean Martin rep):
\"Music for television is perhaps the most diversified of all medium, because it includes almost every kind of tune imaginable. Since TV covers all sorts of moods - children's shows, police shows, game shows, variety shows, sports shows, movie shows, the themes for these shows have to \"set it all up\" at the beginning, to get the viewers \"in the mood\" for what follows. Most of the themes in this album are original, conceived for shows yet to be televised.
We hope you enjoy the variety of music in this album and listen for the themes on upcoming shows - and you can say \"you heard it here first!\".
Produced by: Lee Hale
Conducted by: Van Alexander
Arranged by: Van Alexander and Geoff Clarkson
Recording Engineer: Ami Hadani
Recorded at: TTG Recording Studios, Hollywood CA
BBP Records / Bahrrump-Bump Publishing / ASCAP
Video Productions: Conrad J. deVroeg
FOR HISTORICAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. NOT LICENSED FOR BROADCAST/
