Bruce Chase
Encyclopedia
Bruce Chase was an American composer
and music arranger.
ist and his mother a piano teacher, and he began to play violin at a young age. By his early teens he was performing concerts locally. After his graduation from high school, Chase found that concert work for violinists was scarce and he began to play with dance bands, mostly as a pianist. He gradually began to make music arrangements for the dance bands - which needed music arranged to suit their instrumentation - and proved not only adept but also able to create them quickly.
" (from the Gershwin musical
Girl Crazy
) for a Pops concert played by the Kansas Philharmonic (now the Kansas City Symphony
) while he was a member of the violin section. The arrangement was enormously successful and he took it as an example of his work to NBC Radio in Chicago
, where he was initially hired as a part-time violinist and music arranger. Within a short time, he was employed full-time as a staff musician, arranger and conductor. Among the popular shows for which he worked were The Red Skelton Show
, Fibber McGee and Molly
, and The Carnation Contented Hour
. For two years during World War II
Chase was stationed in the Great Lakes Naval Training Station where he was chief arranger, writing music arrangements and conducting.
At the conclusion of his service, Chase worked for ABC
(formerly the "Blue" or radio division of NBC
), where he found success as the staff arranger and conductor of the award-winning children's television show Super Circus
(1949-1955). Subsequently he worked for other ABC children's shows that included The Land of Ziggy Zoggo. From 1965 until it went off the air in 1968, Chase was the staff arranger and conductor for the nationally broadcast radio show Don McNeill's Breakfast Club.
Unfortunately, live television shows were then declining - taping in advance had become the norm - and having an inhouse band or orchestra was close to obsolete. Facing a shift in his career, Chase relocated with his family to Connecticut and turned to making educational music albums, first published by Chappell Music, for use in primary and secondary schools. These included original music as well as arrangements of other tunes, and many are still available through the Hal Leonard catalog.
Recognizing a need for a more reliable income, Chase resumed playing the violin and in 1972 auditioned for the second violin section of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
, which additionally recognized his talents for music arrangements and hired him. He remained as a member of the orchestra until he was well into his seventies, and frequently conducted the orchestra in its performances of his arrangements on its Pops concerts. In 1999 - several years after Chase had retired and moved back to Connecticut
- the Milwaukee Symphony played his "St. Louis Samba" on an historic concert in Cuba
, as an encore that brought down the house. Chase then became ill with cancer in his colon and died June 29th 2001 st Hospice in Branford Connecticut.
Chase was active making symphonic music arrangements until about 1992.
. He had two additional children from a previous marriage; among his grandchildren are the actors Becki Newton
- currently featured on ABC's Ugly Betty
- and Matt Newton
.
, Connecticut
.
Chase was a direct descendant of Aquila Chase, a Massachusetts Bay
colonist and cofounder of Newbury
, Massachusetts. Among his relatives were Salmon Portland Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury under Abraham Lincoln
and, later, Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court
, and for whom Chase Bank is named.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and music arranger.
Early life and education
Robert Bruce Chase was born on March 22, 1912 in Muscatine, Iowa. His parents were locally prominent musicians; his father a violinViolin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist and his mother a piano teacher, and he began to play violin at a young age. By his early teens he was performing concerts locally. After his graduation from high school, Chase found that concert work for violinists was scarce and he began to play with dance bands, mostly as a pianist. He gradually began to make music arrangements for the dance bands - which needed music arranged to suit their instrumentation - and proved not only adept but also able to create them quickly.
Career
In 1939 Chase created an arrangement of "I Got RhythmI Got Rhythm
"I Got Rhythm" is a song composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin and published in 1930, which became a jazz standard. Its chord progression, known as the "rhythm changes", is the foundation for many other popular jazz tunes such as Charlie Parker's and Dizzy Gillespie's Bebop...
" (from the Gershwin musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
Girl Crazy
Girl Crazy
Girl Crazy is a 1930 musical with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and book by Guy Bolton and John McGowan. Ethel Merman made her stage debut in this musical production....
) for a Pops concert played by the Kansas Philharmonic (now the Kansas City Symphony
Kansas City Symphony
The Kansas City Symphony is a United States symphony orchestra based in Kansas City, Missouri. The current music director is conductor Michael Stern. The current home of the Symphony is the Lyric Theatre, located in Downtown Kansas City on 11th Street between Wyandotte and Central Streets...
) while he was a member of the violin section. The arrangement was enormously successful and he took it as an example of his work to NBC Radio in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, where he was initially hired as a part-time violinist and music arranger. Within a short time, he was employed full-time as a staff musician, arranger and conductor. Among the popular shows for which he worked were The Red Skelton Show
The Red Skelton Show
The Red Skelton Show is an American variety show that was a television staple for two decades, from 1951 to 1971. It was second to Gunsmoke and third to The Ed Sullivan Show in the ratings during that time. Skelton, who had previously been a radio star, had appeared in several motion pictures as...
, Fibber McGee and Molly
Fibber McGee and Molly
Fibber McGee and Molly was an American radio comedy series which maintained its popularity over decades. It premiered on NBC in 1935 and continued until its demise in 1959, long after radio had ceased to be the dominant form of entertainment in American popular culture.-Husband and wife in real...
, and The Carnation Contented Hour
The Carnation Contented Hour
The Carnation Contented Hour was a long-running radio music series, sponsored by the Carnation Milk Company, which premiered April 26, 1931 on the regional NBC West Coast network...
. For two years during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Chase was stationed in the Great Lakes Naval Training Station where he was chief arranger, writing music arrangements and conducting.
At the conclusion of his service, Chase worked for ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
(formerly the "Blue" or radio division of NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
), where he found success as the staff arranger and conductor of the award-winning children's television show Super Circus
Super Circus
Super Circus was an American television program which aired live on Sunday afternoons from 5 to 6pm Eastern Time from 1949-1956 on ABC. The show originally was produced in Chicago, but production later moved to New York City. The award-winning show featured circus and clown acts performing in front...
(1949-1955). Subsequently he worked for other ABC children's shows that included The Land of Ziggy Zoggo. From 1965 until it went off the air in 1968, Chase was the staff arranger and conductor for the nationally broadcast radio show Don McNeill's Breakfast Club.
Unfortunately, live television shows were then declining - taping in advance had become the norm - and having an inhouse band or orchestra was close to obsolete. Facing a shift in his career, Chase relocated with his family to Connecticut and turned to making educational music albums, first published by Chappell Music, for use in primary and secondary schools. These included original music as well as arrangements of other tunes, and many are still available through the Hal Leonard catalog.
Recognizing a need for a more reliable income, Chase resumed playing the violin and in 1972 auditioned for the second violin section of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its primary performing venue is the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts...
, which additionally recognized his talents for music arrangements and hired him. He remained as a member of the orchestra until he was well into his seventies, and frequently conducted the orchestra in its performances of his arrangements on its Pops concerts. In 1999 - several years after Chase had retired and moved back to Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
- the Milwaukee Symphony played his "St. Louis Samba" on an historic concert in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, as an encore that brought down the house. Chase then became ill with cancer in his colon and died June 29th 2001 st Hospice in Branford Connecticut.
Chase was active making symphonic music arrangements until about 1992.
Marriage and children
From 1952 Bruce Chase was married to violinist and teacher Fannie (Paschell) Chase (1919-2000) and the father of four daughters with her, including violinist Stephanie ChaseStephanie Chase
"One of the most respected classical violinists in the world," Stephanie Chase is an American concert violinist and educator.- Biography :...
. He had two additional children from a previous marriage; among his grandchildren are the actors Becki Newton
Becki Newton
Rebecca Sara "Becki" Newton is an American actress known for her role as Amanda Tanen on the television series Ugly Betty.-Early life:...
- currently featured on ABC's Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which premiered on ABC on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series revolves around the character Betty Suarez and is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombian telenovela soap opera Yo soy Betty, la fea...
- and Matt Newton
Matt Newton
Matthew Collins "Matt" Newton is an American actor.-Early life:Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Matt Newton was raised in Guilford, Connecticut. He is of English descent and began performing musicals and plays at local theaters while in high school...
.
Death and afterward
Bruce Chase died of colon cancer on June 29, 2001 at a hospice in BranfordBranford
Branford can refer to:Places*Branford, Connecticut, a town in the United States*Branford, Florida, a town in the United States*Branford College, a residential college at Yale UniversityPeople*Branford Marsalis, jazz musician*Branford, Henrietta, author...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
.
Chase was a direct descendant of Aquila Chase, a Massachusetts Bay
Massachusetts Bay
The Massachusetts Bay, also called Mass Bay, is one of the largest bays of the Atlantic Ocean which forms the distinctive shape of the coastline of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Its waters extend 65 miles into the Atlantic Ocean. Massachusetts Bay includes the Boston Harbor, Dorchester Bay,...
colonist and cofounder of Newbury
Newbury, Massachusetts
Newbury is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,666 at the 2010 census. Newbury includes the villages of Old Town , Plum Island and Byfield, home of The Governor's Academy , a private preparatory school.- History :Newbury Plantation was settled and incorporated...
, Massachusetts. Among his relatives were Salmon Portland Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury under Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
and, later, Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
, and for whom Chase Bank is named.