Pete Petersen's "Playin' in the Park"

[DIS]

Has anyone been able to track down the arrangers for the tunes played on Pete Petersen's big band recording, "Playin' in the Park"? No arranging credits are given on the CD. Might they be given on the vinyl edition?

[JSngry]

Here's a photo of the back of the LP: http://www.ebay.com/itm/PETE-PETERSEN-Playing-Park-PAUSA-LP-VG-NM-/310300828477

And another one here:

I can make out Frank Mantooth, Shorty Rogers, and Rick Stitzel. Not sure about the other guy, Don..Schamber?

[John Tapscott]

I'm of very little help because I too have the CD (and it's pretty good), and you're right - no arrangers are listed. Track 8 "Down Home" is probably a Shorty Rogers chart since it's a Shorty original.

Is Pete Peterson still around? Why not do a google search, email him and ask him.

P.S. Well, there you go. Jim nails it, as usual. Yes, Don Schamber, recognize his name from somewhere - a Chicago based arranger, IIRC.

Edited October 31, 2012 by John Tapscott

[Free For All]

Not sure about the other guy, Don..Schamber?

Yes. He's a very good writer IMHO.

[DIS]

Many thanks. I'm sort of a collector of big-band arrangements, so this is exactly what I was looking for.

Here's the lineup for Pete Petersen's Playin' in the Park:

1. A Beautiful Friendship, arr. Rick Stitzel (3:11)

2. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You, arr. Don Schamber (4:29)

3. Speak Low, arr. Don Schamber (3:54)

4. I'll Close My Eyes, arr. Don Schamber (4:35)

5. Seems Like Old Times, arr. Frank Mantooth (2:56)

6. Take the "A" Train, arr. Don Schamber (4:45)

7. How Long Has This Been Going On, arr. Don Schamber (6:16)

8. Down Home, arr. Shorty Rogers (5:39)

9. After You've Gone, arr. Don Schamber (4:04)

[JSngry]

Do you collect recordings of the arrangements, or, perhaps, the arrangements themselves?

[DIS]

I have a fair-sized library of big-band LPs and CDs and a rather large collection of big-band arrangements. I know people who try to collect an mp3 (or whatever) of every chart they own. That I don't do!

[Kristine Boyle-Topete]

Don Schamber spent most of the latter part (30 years or so) of his career as the head of the music department at a Coastal California community college (Monterey Peninsula College, Monterey, CA) where many of these charts were written and first performed by his auditioned student and community big band. I know this because he was my band director there both while I was a student and after I returned from university. I was in the band at the time that several of the above charts were created and was honored to be a part of his fine organization. He was a fabulous musician, as well as a wonderful man and mentor. He passed a few years ago, but thanks to Mr. Petersen his music lives on.

[DIS]

Thanks for the mini biography. I don't know that Don Schamber's arrangements were ever recorded by the really big name bands, but he was certainly a very deserving writer. You can hear several more of his charts recorded by Rob Parton's big band. I've taken a real liking to his charts. Another unheralded composer-arranger whom I compare Schamber to is Carroll DeCamp.

[Kristine Boyle-Topete]

Thanks for the reminder about Rob Parton - I had forgotten his band did some too. I have those recordings on vinyl - boxed up for the moment until I get a new turntable. I repurchased all of the albums in digital form from

Amazon and am enjoying refamiliarizing myself with the charts and reliving some good times. ?