Donald Phillips was born in Dalston, East London, in 1913.

He did not have a musical background; his father was a journeyman tailor. His mother paid for some music lessons, but although Donald had to leave school early, his love of music shone through.

The composer and pianist, Clive Richardson, died on 11 November 1998 aged 89. During a long and successful career he composed many pieces of light music which are still familiar by their melody, if not their name.

NEIL RICHARDSON
By GARETH BRAMLEY

Neil Grant Richardson (1930-2010), known as Neil Grant-Richardson from 1990 onwards, was one of the most prolific library music composers in the 1970s working mainly with KPM (Keith Prowse Music) but also other libraries such as Boosey & Hawkes-Cavendish (9 themes). Although most of his output was in this medium he also contributed to the world of TV & Film Music – in fact, some of his KPM themes were used in many TV / Film / Radio productions. Robert Farnon – regarded by most as the greatest producer of light music of all time - described Richardson as ‘the finest writer for strings in Europe’. He had a great working relationship with Richard Rodney Bennett, as we shall learn.

Roger Roger was a leading figure on the French music scene for many years, and his fine compositions and arrangements also won him many admirers internationally.

Enrique Renard remembers the Englishman who became one of the ‘Greats’ of American Light Music

A BUNCH OF HOLIDAYS – THE DAVID ROSE STORY

It was in 1942, the year the USA had just entered World War II, that a totally unknown young jazz pianist brought to RCA producers a few light pieces he had composed. He played them in the piano, but explained that his intention was to orchestrate and record them with a full ensemble, including strings.

DESTINED TO GO THROUGH LIFE FIRST CLASS THE LIFE AND TIMES OF EDMUNDO ROS

by BILL JOHNSON

Edmundo Ros was born on 7th December 1910 in Port of Spain Trinidad at the height of British colonial rule. The Windward Isles had been a Spanish, British, Dutch, and French possession until February 1797. However, during the French Revolution, Trinidad capitulated to British force, and in 1802, following the Treaty of Amiens, it was ceded to Great Britain. In 1814, following the Napoleonic Wars, France also ceded Tobago to Britain.

CONRAD SALINGER -
M-G-M ARRaNGER SUPREME 
by RICHARD HINDLEY

"What a glorious feeling, I’m happy again"

Think of a production number from one of the great MGM musicals. Whether it be Gene Kelly splashing along the sidewalk from ‘Singin’ in the Rain’, Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse ‘Dancing in the Dark’ from ‘The Bandwagon’, or Fred with Judy Garland as a ‘Couple of Swells’ in ‘Easter Parade’, the chances are you’ll be associating these famous performers with those equally well known arrangements by Conrad Salinger. What’s interesting is that even if he hadn’t been associated with the number of your choice, it was Salinger who eventually set the defining style of the studio’s musicals, something that took place soon after the start of his 23 year career there.

Raymond Scott By Arthur Jackson

Raymond Scott isn’t merely a name from the past, and may still be fondly remembered by pre-war listeners; but how many, I wonder, realise just how enormous his talent span was, apart from the novelties like Toy Trumpet and In An Eighteenth Century Drawing Room. He wrote for Hollywood, Broadway, and radio and had his own band that featured (naturally) his own compositions as well as standards; in all, dance music of the highest quality as well as an individual brand of swing music.

EDRICH SIEBERT : Man of Brass

 by PHILIP SCOWCROFT

Edrich Siebert is still, twenty years after his death, a much performed figure in the brass band world. Many of his prolific arrangements and compositions are suitable for, and are eagerly lapped up by, junior bands and their members, though others have been played and recorded by major bands.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Cyril Stapleton was a well-known orchestra leader in Britain and overseas, thanks to his regular BBC broadcasts and his many recordings. He was born on 31 December 1914 at Mapperley, Nottingham, in the east midlands of England. At the age of seven he began learning the violin, and when only 12 he made his first broadcast from 5NG, the local radio station in Nottingham. Thereafter he broadcast regularly from the BBC Studios in Birmingham, then went to Czechoslovakia to study under Sevcik, the famous teacher of the violin.