Bob Florence (May 20, 1932 – May 15, 2008) was an American pianist, composer, arranger, and big band leader.
Career A child prodigy, Florence began piano lessons before he was five years old and at seven gave his first recital. Although his early education was in classical music, he was drawn to jazz and big band. He went to Los Angeles City College and studied arranging and orchestration with Bob McDonald. He joined the college big band, and his classmates included Herb Geller and Tommy Tedesco.
Florence spent most of his career with big bands, as a leader, performer, composer, and arranger. After graduating from college, he was a member of bands led by Les Brown, Louis Bellson, and Harry James. His arrangement of "(Up A) Lazy River" for Si Zentner was a hit in 1960, and won a Grammy Award. Dave Pell hired him to work full-time as an arranger for Liberty Records. The job gave him the opportunity to write in several genres: bossa nova with Sérgio Mendes, jazz with Bud Shank, and pop vocal with Vic Dana. Florence was the piano player on Bobby Vee's number one hit "Take Good Care of My Baby" (1961).American Federation Of Musicians contract 51747 - June 14, 1961
He worked often in Hollywood as a bandleader, composer, and arranger for TV variety shows, hosted by Dean Martin, Red Skelton, and Andy Williams, and he wrote arrangements for the Tonight Show band led by Doc Severinsen. He won an Emmy Award for a program by Linda Lavin (1981) and another for a concert by Julie Andrews (1990).
In 1979 he returned to a recording career that had been sidetracked by other work. Twelve years separated Pet Project (World Pacific, 1967) from Live at Concerts By The Sea (Trend, 1979). His album Magic Time (1984) was the first to be credited to his eighteen-piece big band, the Bob Florence Limited Edition. The band released albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s. In 2000, Serendipity 18 won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Large Ensemble. He received fifteen Grammy nominations during his career.
Florence died of pneumonia at the age of 75 on May 15, 2008, in Los Angeles.
Discography As leader Year recordedTitleLabelPersonnel/Notes1958Meet the Bob Florence TrioEra Records EL-20003; CD reissue: Fresh Sound FSRCD-3031959Name Band: 1959Carlton LP12/115; reissue: Carlton LP12/139 (1962); CD reissue: Fresh Sound FSCD-2008With big band1960Bongos/Reeds/BrassHiFi Records L-1001; CD reissue: Essential Media GroupWith big band1964Here and Now! (Bold, Swinging Big Band Ideas)Liberty LRP-3380/LST-7380With big band1967Pet Project: The Bob Florence Big Band Plays Pet Clark HitsWorld Pacific WP-1860/WPS-21860With big band1979Live at Concerts By The SeaTrend 523With big band1981WestlakeDiscovery 832With big band1982SoaringBosco 3; CD reissue: Sea Breeze SB-2082With big band1984Magic TimeTrend 536With big band1986The Norwegian Radio Big Band Meets Bob FlorenceOdin 181987Trash Can CityTrend 545With big band1988State of the ArtUSA Music Group 589With big band1990Treasure ChestUSA Music Group 680With big band1993Funupsmanship [live]MAMA 1006With big band1995With All the Bells and WhistlesMAMA 1011With big band1997EarthMAMA 1016With big band1999Serendipity 18MAMA 1025With big band2001Another SideMAMA 1029Solo piano2003Whatever Bubbles UpSummit 360With big band2005Friends, Treasures, HeroesSummit 430Solo piano2006Eternal Licks & GroovesMAMA 1030With big band2007You Will Be My MusicMAMA 1031Florence (piano) with Annette Sanders (vocals)2009LegendaryMAMA 1037With big band
As arranger/conductor With Count Basie Basie on the Beatles (Happy Tiger, 1969) With Louie Bellson The Brilliant Bellson Sound (Verve, 1959) Big Band Jazz from the Summit (Verve, 1962) With Harry James Harry James...Today! (MGM E/SE-3848, 1960) The Solid Gold Trumpet of Harry James (MGM E/SE-4058, 1962) With Lainie Kazan on the songs "Sunny", "An Angel Died", "How Can I Be Sure", and "Flower Child", from the album Love Is Lainie (MGM SE-4496, 1968) With Sérgio Mendes The Great Arrival (Atlantic, 1966) With Joe Pass A Sign of the Times (World Pacific, 1965) With Bud Shank California Dreamin' (World Pacific, 1966) Michelle (World Pacific, 1966) Bud Shank & the Sax Section (Pacific Jazz, 1966) Bud Shank Plays Music from Today's Movies (World Pacific, 1967) With Si Zentner Up A Lazy River (Liberty 1961) Mr. Nashville (RCA Victor 1966)
As sideman With Julie Andrews Love Julie (USA Music Group, 1987) With Sue Raney Sings the Music of Johnny Mandel (Discovery, 1982) Ridin' High (Discovery, 1984) Flight of Fancy: A Journey of Alan & Marilyn Bergman (Discovery, 1986) With Brian Swartz Quartet Live at the Jazz Bakery (Summit, 2005) With Bud Shank Girl in Love (World Pacific, 1966) Taking the Long Way Home (Jazzed Media, 2006) With Joanie Sommers Dream (Discovery, 1980 [rel. 1983]) Here, There and Everywhere! (Absord [Japan], 2000 [rel. 2004])
See also List of jazz arrangers
References