MARTY PAICH

Candid Recording(s):

The Picasso of Big Band Jazz (CCD 79031)

Biography:

From the early fifties until his death in 1995, Marty Paich was one of the top arrangers for jazz and pop singers. While Paich's talents also encompassed instrumental jazz and orchestral film scores, he was especially adept at creating settings that showcased the best qualities of a featured vocalist. Like many arrangers, Paich could work independently, developing charts from what he knew of the singer's range and abilities. But Paich enjoyed collaborating with his featured artists, incorporating ideas that the vocalist had been willing to try, but had not successfully implemented. There is no better example of such collaboration than Paich's teaming with Mel Tormé in their series of albums featuring the dek-tette.