Comments on: The Burbank Philharmonic http://davewells.us/2010/02/the-burbank-philharmonic.html Because .com Was Taken Wed, 11 Aug 2010 06:10:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Dave http://davewells.us/2010/02/the-burbank-philharmonic.html/comment-page-1#comment-1273 Dave Fri, 21 May 2010 05:15:22 +0000 http://davewells.us/?p=1315#comment-1273 Ha! How cool to hear from someone who actually played on the record and thus has inside knowledge. Thanks for the info, Jack! Ha! How cool to hear from someone who actually played on the record and thus has inside knowledge. Thanks for the info, Jack!

]]> By: Jack http://davewells.us/2010/02/the-burbank-philharmonic.html/comment-page-1#comment-1237 Jack Thu, 06 May 2010 16:43:23 +0000 http://davewells.us/?p=1315#comment-1237 The album was the brainchild of three brothers, Warner, George & Walt Wilder. All three were saxophonists who played with the old big bands, including Stan Kenton, Charlie Barnett, etc. The brothers were wonderful musicians and producers. They produced a duo in the 50's called Dick and Deedee, who had a hit called "The Mountain's High". Warner is the one who played the big mama sax on "Boots". Their real last name was "Weidler". George was actually Doris Day's first husband. We recorded the album in their studio on Santa Monica Blvd. in West Los Angeles. The idea was to do tongue-in-cheek dixieland versions of contemporary Top 40 hits of the time. The name came from the fact that Johnny Carson was always referring to "Beautiful Downtown Burbank". The brothers also had a Top 10 Adult Contemporary hit called "Love Means You Never Have To Say You're Sorry", off of the famous Erich Segal "Love Story" line. They had a terrific Letterman-style siblings group vocal sound, and called themselves The Sounds of Sunshine and came out on Ranwood Records. Not putting my name because Google seems to pick-up every darn thing I write. I was the keyboard player on the project. The album was the brainchild of three brothers, Warner, George & Walt Wilder. All three were saxophonists who played with the old big bands, including Stan Kenton, Charlie Barnett, etc.

The brothers were wonderful musicians and producers. They produced a duo in the 50’s called Dick and Deedee, who had a hit called “The Mountain’s High”. Warner is the one who played the big mama sax on “Boots”.

Their real last name was “Weidler”. George was actually Doris Day’s first husband. We recorded the album in their studio on Santa Monica Blvd. in West Los Angeles. The idea was to do tongue-in-cheek dixieland versions of contemporary Top 40 hits of the time. The name came from the fact that Johnny Carson was always referring to “Beautiful Downtown Burbank”.

The brothers also had a Top 10 Adult Contemporary hit called “Love Means You Never Have To Say You’re Sorry”, off of the famous Erich Segal “Love Story” line. They had a terrific Letterman-style siblings group vocal sound, and called themselves The Sounds of Sunshine and came out on Ranwood Records.

Not putting my name because Google seems to pick-up every darn thing I write. I was the keyboard player on the project.

]]> By: Craig http://davewells.us/2010/02/the-burbank-philharmonic.html/comment-page-1#comment-935 Craig Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:21:40 +0000 http://davewells.us/?p=1315#comment-935 Snuff Garrett was a very well known record exec and producer during the 60's. He produced many hit records. I would guess he put together a bunch of studio musicians (a number of whom have the contra sax) and recorded them in Burbank (home of many recording studios)... sort of a concept album of the time! The Wilder Bros have had a recording studio in West Los Angeles since the 70's... I believe it's still there. Snuff Garrett was a very well known record exec and producer during the 60’s. He produced many hit records. I would guess he put together a bunch of studio musicians (a number of whom have the contra sax) and recorded them in Burbank (home of many recording studios)… sort of a concept album of the time! The Wilder Bros have had a recording studio in West Los Angeles since the 70’s… I believe it’s still there.

]]> By: Dad http://davewells.us/2010/02/the-burbank-philharmonic.html/comment-page-1#comment-922 Dad Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:11:38 +0000 http://davewells.us/?p=1315#comment-922 The absence of a circle-P copyright notice places it prior to 1972. This, plus your research, and the look of the design, makes 1970 a decent estimate. Snuff Garrett was an LA/Hollywood producer who, in addition to doing a lot of pretty straight country and pop stuff, produced a lot of LPs that were, um, interesting, at least on some level. He had a series called something like "The 50 Guitars of Tommy Garrett" [his real name] on which he overdubbed himself multiple times [probably not 50!] doing covers of current hits. The absence of a circle-P copyright notice places it prior to 1972. This, plus your research, and the look of the design, makes 1970 a decent estimate. Snuff Garrett was an LA/Hollywood producer who, in addition to doing a lot of pretty straight country and pop stuff, produced a lot of LPs that were, um, interesting, at least on some level. He had a series called something like “The 50 Guitars of Tommy Garrett” [his real name] on which he overdubbed himself multiple times [probably not 50!] doing covers of current hits.

]]> By: And Now For Something Totally Quirky In The Realm Of Contrabass Saxophone Playing http://davewells.us/2010/02/the-burbank-philharmonic.html/comment-page-1#comment-920 And Now For Something Totally Quirky In The Realm Of Contrabass Saxophone Playing Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:33:37 +0000 http://davewells.us/?p=1315#comment-920 [...] Bassoonist, Dave Wells, happened across an old vinyl record by The Burbank Philharmonic, while in a thrift shop in Madison, Wisconsin. This recording, which Internet research indicates may have been released in 1970, appears to have been the band’s first, and perhaps last album. [...] […] Bassoonist, Dave Wells, happened across an old vinyl record by The Burbank Philharmonic, while in a thrift shop in Madison, Wisconsin. This recording, which Internet research indicates may have been released in 1970, appears to have been the band’s first, and perhaps last album. […]

]]> By: Dave http://davewells.us/2010/02/the-burbank-philharmonic.html/comment-page-1#comment-917 Dave Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:05:40 +0000 http://davewells.us/?p=1315#comment-917 Helen, Unfortunately, the LP cover is extremely short on real information. It doesn't list any of the personnel, only saying that the album is "the brainchild... of the Wilder brothers" (whoever they are) and that it's a Snuff Garrett production. There's also no date listed, but some web searching turns up 1970 as a possibility. Helen,

Unfortunately, the LP cover is extremely short on real information. It doesn’t list any of the personnel, only saying that the album is “the brainchild… of the Wilder brothers” (whoever they are) and that it’s a Snuff Garrett production. There’s also no date listed, but some web searching turns up 1970 as a possibility.

]]> By: Helen http://davewells.us/2010/02/the-burbank-philharmonic.html/comment-page-1#comment-915 Helen Sun, 14 Feb 2010 15:57:36 +0000 http://davewells.us/?p=1315#comment-915 Hi Dave. Thanks for this piece of strange saxophone music you provided. The contra doesn't get traditionally get used much, so this was a real treat to hear. Two questions if I might: 1. Is there a year of production or copyright on the album? 2. Is the name of the saxophonist listed on the album anywhere? Thanks again for providing this really interesting piece of saxophonic history. Regards, Helen Hi Dave.

Thanks for this piece of strange saxophone music you provided. The contra doesn’t get traditionally get used much, so this was a real treat to hear.

Two questions if I might: 1. Is there a year of production or copyright on the album? 2. Is the name of the saxophonist listed on the album anywhere?

Thanks again for providing this really interesting piece of saxophonic history.

Regards,

Helen

]]> By: Dave http://davewells.us/2010/02/the-burbank-philharmonic.html/comment-page-1#comment-913 Dave Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:51:48 +0000 http://davewells.us/?p=1315#comment-913 Many of my gems have come from St. Vincent de Paul on Willy. They have a larger and more frequently rotating stock of vinyl than some music stores. Many of my gems have come from St. Vincent de Paul on Willy. They have a larger and more frequently rotating stock of vinyl than some music stores.

]]> By: Becky http://davewells.us/2010/02/the-burbank-philharmonic.html/comment-page-1#comment-911 Becky Sat, 13 Feb 2010 06:44:29 +0000 http://davewells.us/?p=1315#comment-911 Holy Moses. What thrift store??? Holy Moses.

What thrift store???

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