Si Zentner
Encyclopedia
Simon H. "Si" Zentner was an American jazz
bandleader.
Zentner played piano from age four and picked up trombone a few years later. He attended college for music and had intended to pursue a career in classical music
, but became more interested in pop music after recording with Andre Kostelanetz
. Zentner played in the bands of Les Brown
, Harry James
, and Jimmy Dorsey
in the 1940s, then moved to Los Angeles
, where he worked as a studio musician. He also landed a job with MGM from 1949 to 1955, and was involved in the music for films such as Singin' in the Rain
and A Star Is Born
.
In 1959 Zentner put together his own big band
and signed to Liberty Records
, releasing a large number of successful pop albums in the early 1960s. Zentner's ensemble was voted "Best Big Band" for 13 straight years by Down Beat
, and Zentner himself was voted named Best Trombonist in a Playboy Reader's Poll. In 1962, his album Up a Lazy River (Big Band Plays the Big Hits, Vol. 2) won a Grammy Award
for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.
Zentner's success was thoroughly unusual; he had a thriving big band going at a time when big band music was, for the most part, on the wane. The general downturn in interest eventually caught up to him, and by 1965 the orchestra had folded. He then moved to Las Vegas and accompanied Mel Torme
at the Blue Room. In 1968 he became musical director of the long-running Vegas show Folies Bergere. It wasn't until the 1990s that Zentner returned to big band performance, assembling a new group and releasing several more albums. He suffered from leukemia
late in life, though he continued performing into 1999; he died of the disease in early 2000.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
bandleader.
Zentner played piano from age four and picked up trombone a few years later. He attended college for music and had intended to pursue a career in classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, but became more interested in pop music after recording with Andre Kostelanetz
Andre Kostelanetz
André Kostelanetz was a popular orchestral music conductor and arranger, one of the pioneers of easy listening music.-Biography:...
. Zentner played in the bands of Les Brown
Les Brown (bandleader)
Les Brown, Sr. and the Band of Renown are a big band that began in the late 1930s, initially as the group Les Brown and His Blue Devils that Brown led while a student at Duke University. He was the first president of the Los Angeles chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences...
, Harry James
Harry James
Henry Haag “Harry” James was a trumpeter who led a jazz swing band during the Big Band Era of the 1930s and 1940s. He was especially known among musicians for his astonishing technical proficiency as well as his superior tone.-Biography:He was born in Albany, Georgia, the son of a bandleader of a...
, and Jimmy Dorsey
Jimmy Dorsey
James "Jimmy" Dorsey was a prominent American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, trumpeter, composer, and big band leader. He was known as "JD"...
in the 1940s, then moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, where he worked as a studio musician. He also landed a job with MGM from 1949 to 1955, and was involved in the music for films such as Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 American comedy musical film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds and directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, with Kelly also providing the choreography...
and A Star Is Born
A Star Is Born (1954 film)
A Star Is Born is a 1954 American musical film directed by George Cukor. The screenplay written by Moss Hart was an adaptation of the original 1937 film, which was based on the original screenplay by Robert Carson, Dorothy Parker, and Alan Campbell...
.
In 1959 Zentner put together his own big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
and signed to Liberty Records
Liberty Records
Liberty Records was a United States-based record label. It was started by chairman Simon Waronker in 1955 with Al Bennett as president and Theodore Keep as chief engineer. It was reactivated in 2001 in the United Kingdom and had two previous revivals.-1950s:...
, releasing a large number of successful pop albums in the early 1960s. Zentner's ensemble was voted "Best Big Band" for 13 straight years by Down Beat
Down Beat
Down Beat is an American magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond" to indicate its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chicago, Illinois...
, and Zentner himself was voted named Best Trombonist in a Playboy Reader's Poll. In 1962, his album Up a Lazy River (Big Band Plays the Big Hits, Vol. 2) won a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.
Zentner's success was thoroughly unusual; he had a thriving big band going at a time when big band music was, for the most part, on the wane. The general downturn in interest eventually caught up to him, and by 1965 the orchestra had folded. He then moved to Las Vegas and accompanied Mel Torme
Mel Tormé
Melvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
at the Blue Room. In 1968 he became musical director of the long-running Vegas show Folies Bergere. It wasn't until the 1990s that Zentner returned to big band performance, assembling a new group and releasing several more albums. He suffered from leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
late in life, though he continued performing into 1999; he died of the disease in early 2000.
Discography
- Swing Fever (1959)
- A Thinking Man's Band (1959)
- Suddenly It's Swing (1960)
- The Swingin' Eye!!!!!!!!The Swingin' Eye!!!!!!!!The Swingin' Eye!!!!!!!! is a swing album released by Si Zentner & His Orchestra in 1960.-Track listing:#"Lonesome Road"#"Chaser"#"Little Jazz"#"Throwin' Stones at the Sun"#"The Swingin' Eye"#"There's No You" #"Melancholy Serenade"...
(1960) - Big Band Plays the Big Hits (1961) U.S. #65
- Up a Lazy River (Big Band Plays the Hits, Vol. 2) (1962) U.S. #107
- The Stripper and Other Big Band Hits (1962) U.S. #108
- Desafinado (1963) U.S. #139
- Waltz in Jazz Time (1963)
- From Russia with Love (1963)
- Put Your Head On My ShoulderPut Your Head On My Shoulder (Si Zenter album)Put Your Head On My Shoulder is a swing album released by Si Zentner & his orchestra in 1966 on RCA Victor LPM/LSP-3484.-Track listing:# "Fly Me to the Moon "# "You Were Meant for Me"# "Don't Blame Me"# "My Devotion"...
(1966) - Great Band with Great Voices
- Si Zentner & His Orchestra, Alive in Las Vegas (1992)
- Road Band (1996)
- Country Blues (1996)
- Blue Eyes Plays Ol' Blue Eyes (1998)