finetune artist: Johnny Mandel

b. 23 November 1925, New York, USA. After playing trumpet and trombone while still in his pre-teenage years (a period in which he began to write music), Mandel played with various bands in and around New York, including those led by Boyd Raeburn and Jimmy Dorsey. In the mid- to late 40s Mandel played in the bands of Buddy Rich, Alvino Rey and others, and in the early 50s, he worked with Elliot Lawrence and Count Basie. He began to establish himself both as an arranger, contributing charts to the Basie and Artie Shaw bands, and also as a songwriter. By the mid-50s he was writing music for films and was working less in the jazz field, although his film music often contained echoes of his background. Much respected by singers and jazz instrumentalists, Mandel has a particular facility for ballads. He also orchestrated scores for Broadway and for television specials. His film work, from the 50s through to the 80s, includes music for I Want To Live, The Third Voice, The Americanization Of Emily, The Sandpiper, The Russians Are Coming, Point Blank, MASH, The Last Detail, Escape To Witch Mountain, Freaky Friday, Agatha, Being There, The Baltimore Bullet, Caddyshack, Deathtrap, The Verdict, Staying Alive, and Brenda Starr (1987). He also scored for television movies such as The Trackers, The Turning Point Of Jim Molloy, A Letter To Three Wives, Christmas Eve, LBJ - The Early Years, Assault And Matrimony, Foxfire, Agatha, The Great Escape II - The Untold Story, and Single Men - Married Women (1989). Among his songs are "Emily", "A Time For Love" and, perhaps his best-known, "The Shadow Of Your Smile" (lyrics by Paul Francis Webster), written for The Sandpiper (1965). The latter won a Grammy for Song Of The Year, and the Oscar for Best Song.

Listen to Johnny Mandel at Finetune.

(1995) M*A*S*H (Soundtrack)

Suicide Is Painless
M.A.S.H. Theme
Painless Suicide, Funeral and Resurrection
"Hot Lips" Shows Her True Colors/Chattangooga Choo Choo
Moments To Remember/Happy Days Are Here Again