Mike Batt - By Arrangement

Episodes

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20190512Veteran arranger, conductor and singer-songwriter Mike Batt presents an hour of music from the unsung heroes of popular music, - his fellow arrangers and orchestrators. This week he explores the work and careers of the two arrangers, - apart from George Martin, who arranged for the Beatles: Mike Leander and Richard Hewson. Looking further back - to the forties, we are introduced to the American bandleader Vic Schoen – who discovered and launched The Andrews Sisters, arranging all their hits and supervising their spectacular career. John Cameron is seen progressing from his early arrangements for Donovan, via Hot Chocolate to a stellar career arranging for theatre, winning an American Drama Desk Award for his orchestrations for “Les Miserables'. Finally Mike revisits the Beatles by way of a brief exploration of Sir George Martin's own massive contribution to their output.

Composer and record producer Mike Batt explores the art and craft of musical arranging.

Veteran arranger, conductor and singer-songwriter Mike Batt presents an hour of music from the unsung heroes of popular music, - his fellow arrangers and orchestrators. This week he explores the work and careers of the two arrangers, - apart from George Martin, who arranged for the Beatles: Mike Leander and Richard Hewson. Looking further back - to the forties, we are introduced to the American bandleader Vic Schoen - who discovered and launched The Andrews Sisters, arranging all their hits and supervising their spectacular career. John Cameron is seen progressing from his early arrangements for Donovan, via Hot Chocolate to a stellar career arranging for theatre, winning an American Drama Desk Award for his orchestrations for `Les Miserables'. Finally Mike revisits the Beatles by way of a brief exploration of Sir George Martin's own massive contribution to their output.

Composer and record producer Mike Batt explores the art and craft of musical arranging.

Mike Batt -, By Arrangement20190519In Episode 4 top producer-arranger and singer-songwriter Mike Batt presents another hour of music and comment about the careers and techniques of the unsung heroes of popular music - the arrangers and orchestrators. Mike begins this week with a visit to 1968 where he explores the phenomenon of heavily orchestrated pop hits from Love Affair, Barry Ryan and Gary Pucket and the Union Gap, commenting on the arrangers and their methods. Turning to the epic song “McArthur Park ? by Jimmy Webb, Batt combines and explores the arrangements of three different treatments of the song, by Richard Harris, Donna Summer and Justin Hayward.

Tracing the “orchestral ? hits back to Phil Spector's wall of sound, (created using the arrangements of Jack Nitzsche), Mike moves on to explore the work of British arranger Arthur Greenslade and his work with Chris Farlowe and Serge Gainsbourg. After a study of the brass arrangements by the Memphis Horns, The Muscle Shoals horns and the Phenix horns of Earth Wind And Fire, Mike concludes the show by comparing the work of British composer- arranger Les Reed and American composer-arranger Burt Bacharach.

Composer and record producer Mike Batt explores the art and craft of musical arranging.

In Episode 4 top producer-arranger and singer-songwriter Mike Batt presents another hour of music and comment about the careers and techniques of the unsung heroes of popular music - the arrangers and orchestrators. Mike begins this week with a visit to 1968 where he explores the phenomenon of heavily orchestrated pop hits from Love Affair, Barry Ryan and Gary Pucket and the Union Gap, commenting on the arrangers and their methods. Turning to the epic song `McArthur Park` by Jimmy Webb, Batt combines and explores the arrangements of three different treatments of the song, by Richard Harris, Donna Summer and Justin Hayward.

Tracing the `orchestral` hits back to Phil Spector's wall of sound, (created using the arrangements of Jack Nitzsche), Mike moves on to explore the work of British arranger Arthur Greenslade and his work with Chris Farlowe and Serge Gainsbourg. After a study of the brass arrangements by the Memphis Horns, The Muscle Shoals horns and the Phenix horns of Earth Wind And Fire, Mike concludes the show by comparing the work of British composer- arranger Les Reed and American composer-arranger Burt Bacharach.

Composer and record producer Mike Batt explores the art and craft of musical arranging.

0120180409Composer and record producer Mike Batt explores the art and craft of musical arranging. Mike shows how the orchestrators and arrangers are the great unsung heroes of the music industry.

In the first programme Mike describes how Glenn Miller, in 1938, discovered a unique and totally distinctive sound with use of a clarinet, alto and tenor saxophone, particularly noticeable in 'Moonlight Serenade'. Plus Mike delves into the vast catalogue of Nelson Riddle arrangements featuring examples of his work with Frank Sinatra. Mike also takes a look at the very original sound of Quincy Jones and in particular his notable hit records with Michael Jackson.

0220180416Composer and record producer Mike Batt explores the art and craft of musical arranging. Mike shows how the orchestrators and arrangers use their craft to shape the tone, style and sound of some spectacular recordings.

In this second episode Mike describes how the Philly Sound was crafted leading to arrangers such as Bobby Martin to create the seminal sound on records such as Billy Paul's 'Me and Mrs Jones'. We hear how the falsetto lead vocal came to prominence and investigate the arranging work of composer/arranger Jimmy Webb and his collaboration with Glen Campbell. Mike also reveals how Fred Astaire himself heard one of Mike's own arrangements and demanded it be sent immediately to his hotel so he could hear it again.