Phil Bodner, RIP

[Teasing the Korean]

If Phil Bodner, the versatile woodwind / saxophonist who passed away

on Sunday, Feb. 24, had only been a session musician, he still would

have secured a space for himself in the jazz text books.

One of the busiest reed men in the 1950s-'70s, he recorded with the

top names in the music business. Sinatra, Ella, Torme, among many

others. He was part of Enoch Light's Cammand label, where he recorded

with such musicians as Dick Hyman, Doc Severinson and Urbie Green. And

he recorded for film music sessions as well.

But likely his greatest notoriety came from his work as conductor,

musician and arranger for a '60s instrumental pop group inspired by

another musician.

Herb Alpert's "Tijuana Brass" had rose to the top ten on the Billboard

charts very consistently by the mid 1960s. His twin trumpet sound

featuring trombones and marimba created a sensation and scored more

than a dozen gold albums.

Bodner began recording as the head of his own instrumentalists group,

"The Brass Ring". He higlighted a twin saxophone sound, punctuated by

brass and a hip rhythm section. Two equally prolific New Jersey born

musicians were featured prominently in this band: saxophonist Stan

Webb and guitarist Tony Mottola. While the band didn't quite achieve

the major success Alpert did, "The Brass Ring" did have a few chart

hits of its' own. The "Love Theme from 'The Flight of The Phoenix" in

1965 was followed by what was arguably the group's most memorable hit:

a song called "The Dis-Advantages of You". Written by 'Man of La

Mancha' composer Mitch Leigh, the track, featuring the twin saxes and

a wordless womens chorus, became nationally known after it was used as

the background theme for a series of 'Benson and Hedges' cigarette TV

commercials in the late '60s. "The Brass Ring" covered many diverse

hits of the day, such as "Al-Di-La", "Samba De Orfeau" and Quincy

Jones' theme from the movie "For Love of Ivy". Because of the

popularity of the 'easy listening' format on FM radio stations of

those days, "The Brass Ring" enjoyed much exposure throghout the late

'60s and '70s. Bodner, a composer as well as musician, wrote a number

of compositions for the group, as did Mottola.

After the group disbanded in the early '70s, Bodner continued to keep

active as a studio musician, in demand not only as a saxophonist but

on numerous woodwind instruments. He also worked in New York clubs,

forming a jazz combo with bassist George Duvivier and drummer Mel

Lewis in the early '80s. Phil Bodner remained spradically active even

into his 80s.

He is survived by his wife, four children and eight

grandchildren.

[alocispepraluger102]

phil played a gorgeous clarinet solo on a petula clark(warm and tender) cover of joni's 'he played real good' which is one of the most moving and beautiful pieces i own, not to speak of the hundreds of recordings we all own of phil in an orchestra or small group.

Edited March 1, 2008 by alocispepraluger102