The Collector’s Guide to the Works of Ray Conniff (by Manfred Thönicke), page 41 The Ray Conniff Recordings: The Columbia Years, Part 1: The Backings and New York* Recordings *unless stated otherwise / Label: Columbia unless stated otherwise Month Day Year Artist Title / Engagement Matrix No. Released on… Notes Entry in diary: “Didn’t feel good when I got up today. Have appointment with January 20 1955 Dinah Shore rehearsal Bill Stewart at noon. He didn’t make it.” Entry in diary: “Am surprised I feel as well as I do. Grateful that terrible January 21 1955 record date for Decca headache is gone.” / Evening: Walter ???, Waldorf (bill for services rendered to) April 21 1955 NIGHT WIND Ray was paid $ 35.00 for each quintet arrangement. EDDIE SAFRANSKI (bill for services rendered to) April 21 1955 POLKA DOT POLKA Ray was paid $ 35.00 for each quintet arrangement. EDDIE SAFRANSKI (bill for services rendered to) April 21 1955 BOLERO Ray was paid $ 35.00 for each quintet arrangement. EDDIE SAFRANSKI (bill for services rendered to) April 21 1955 I’M LIVIN’ ON LOVE Ray was paid $ 35.00 for each quintet arrangement. EDDIE SAFRANSKI (bill for services rendered to) April 21 1955 TANOC or TANOE (?) Ray was paid $ 35.00 for each quintet arrangement. EDDIE SAFRANSKI (bill for services rendered to) April 21 1955 SHIRLEY Ray was paid $ 35.00 for each quintet arrangement. EDDIE SAFRANSKI (bill for services rendered to) April 21 1955 POLONEZ HARCERSKI (?) Ray was paid $ 35.00 for each quintet arrangement. EDDIE SAFRANSKI (bill for services rendered to) May 17 1955 I’M SWINGIN’ ON A RAINBOW Ray was paid $ 65.00 for this arrangement for a small band (9 men). EDDIE SAFRANSKI (bill for services rendered to) May 17 1955 IN THE MOONLIGHT Ray was paid $ 65.00 for this arrangement for a small band (9 men). EDDIE SAFRANSKI (bill for services rendered to) May 17 1955 NEVADA, I’M A-COMIN’ Ray was paid $ 65.00 for this arrangement for a small band (9 men). EDDIE SAFRANSKI (bill for services rendered to) May 17 1955 YOU TELL ME Ray was paid $ 65.00 for this arrangement for a small band (9 men). EDDIE SAFRANSKI (bill for services rendered to) May 17 1955 OH ME OH MY Ray was paid $ 65.00 for this arrangement for a small band (9 men). EDDIE SAFRANSKI (bill for services rendered to) May 17 1955 I WONDER (WANDER?) WHY Ray was paid $ 65.00 for this arrangement for a small band (9 men). EDDIE SAFRANSKI (bill for services rendered to) May 17 1955 GERALDINE Ray was paid $ 65.00 for this arrangement for a small band (9 men). EDDIE SAFRANSKI (bill for services rendered to) Ray was paid $ 50.00 for this original composition with arrangement on May 25 1955 THE DUCK WALK (Conniff) DAN TERRY same. (bill for services rendered to) Ray was paid $ 50.00 for this original composition with arrangement on May 25 1955 WAIL (Conniff) DAN TERRY same. (bill for services rendered to) June 17 1955 PARKER GIBBS NBC THEME Ray was paid $ 45.00 for this arrangement. (for National Radio Fan Club) (bill for services rendered to) June 17 1955 PARKER GIBBS NBC SING TO YOU INTRO Ray was paid $ 7.50 for this arrangement. (for National Radio Fan Club) June 29 1955 Diary entry: Got Mitch Miller call to write and conduct 2 tunes on split date. Entry in diary: Finished first Miller arrangement at about midnite ”Just A June 30 1955 Little Bit More” Entry in diary: Finished 2nd Mitch Miller arrangement at 10:00 (”Now Is The July 1 1955 Time”); Mitch Miller record date 6-9 pm Eileen Rodgers rec. We didn’t get to my stuff. Updated September 2, 2013 The Collector’s Guide to the Works of Ray Conniff (by Manfred Thönicke), page 42 The Ray Conniff Recordings: The Columbia Years, Part 1: The Backings and New York* Recordings *unless stated otherwise / Label: Columbia unless stated otherwise Month Day Year Artist Title / Engagement Matrix No. Released on… Notes Ray's first recording for Columbia with his own band (single c/w Single 4-40549, 'Now Is The Time'); entry in diary: "First date of conducting" / CD July 7 1955 EILEEN RODGERS JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE 53613 rel’d Aug. 8, 1955 info: released on “The Best of Eileen Rodgers” (Collector’s Choice CCM03792) in 2003. Single 4-40549, CD info: Rel’d on “The Best of Eileen Rodgers” (Collector’s July 7 1955 EILEEN RODGERS NOW IS THE TIME 53614 rel’d Aug. 8, 1955 Choice CCM03792) in 2003. Single 4-40566, Arrangement finished on July 7,1955 / single c/w 'Ching-Ching-A-Ling', July 7 1955 JILL COREY LOOK! LOOK! 53615 rel’d Sept. 19, backed by Percy Faith 1955 Entry in Ray's diary: Did my first date conducting and all my arrangements went off beautifully. / Note: In a 1986 interview with Manfred Ray mentioned that during this first recording session two more songs were recorded with the same musicians. Vocal by Don Cherry, conductor: Norman Leyden. No Ray Conniff arrangement. (Ray probably meant a different session.) / Ann, Dick and Jim painting kitchen. Musicians on the July 7, 1955 session were as follows: Carl Severinsen, Steve Lipkins, Louis Oles, Larry Altpeter, Jack Satterfield, Wolfie Taninbaum, Harold Feldman, Romeo Penque, Paul Ricci, Cozy Cole, Harry Brauer, Dick Hyman, Barry Gailbreath, Frank Carroll and producer Mitch Miller. Ray received $ 150 for arranging the first sides for Columbia; extra charge for conducting: $ 40.00. July 22 1955 Diary entry: Got together with Guy Mitchell. July 23 1955 Diary entry: Worked on Guy Mitchell arrangements for Tuesday date. July 24 1955 Diary entry: Finished first arrangement (”Old-Fashioned Sweethearts”). Entries in Ray's diary: "Sessions from 9:30 to 12:30, Guy Mitchell out of July 26 1955 GUY MITCHELL OLD FASHIONED SWEETHEART 53646 unreleased voice, made tracks / paid"; title might also be “Old Fashioned Sweethearts” Arrangement finished on July 25, 1955 / Entries in Ray's diary: "Sessions July 26 1955 GUY MITCHELL HOME TOWN RAG 53647 unreleased from 9:30 to 12:30, Guy Mitchell out of voice, made tracks / paid" Entry in Ray's diary: "Arrangement finished on July 26, 1955" / Single 4-40557, (I Couldn't Get The Hang Of) Single c/w 'Five Cups Of Coffee' backed by Jimmy Carroll; Ray July 26 1955 MERV GRIFFIN 53648 rel’d August 29, THE MERENGUE received $ 450.00 for the arrangements (Guy Mitchell and Merv 1955 / CD Griffin session on July 26, 1955); CD: Collectables 2003 Radio show "NRFC" = National Radio Fan Club (Radio show with "Sam the Man" Taylor); Ray played trom- July 1955 ("NRFC program") bone in the band August 1 1955 Diary entry; Meeting with Frankie Laine, talked about tunes he wants to do. August 2 1955 Another Murray Show (radio) Information from Ray's diary Diary entry: Saw Mitch Miller, got two more arrangements to do, one for August 5 1955 Doris Day, and one for Barbara Ruick. Got copy of Eileen Rodgers date and was gassed to see ‘Ray Conniff & his Orchestra’ on the label. Garry Moore Show August 8 1955 Ray played trombone in the band (morning show, radio) August 8 1955 Diary entry: Appointment with Mitch Miller, got a tune to do for Peggy King August 12 1955 Diary entry: Turned in Columbia arrangement ”No-Love-Kaboodle” Single 4-40558, Single c/w 'Your Love', w. Paul Weston (CD: Pickwick PWKS 4167, P: August 13 1955 FRANKIE LAINE HAWK-EYE 53667 rel’d Aug. 22, 1955 1993) / Date on arranging bill: September 6, 1955 August 14 1955 Diary entry: Wrote Eileen Rodgers tunes for small band. Diary entry: Record date for tonight was cancelled till tomorrow night; Bar- August 18 1955 th bara Ruick was working so hard at 20 Century Fox on ”Carasol”. Single 4-40563 Single c/w 'Br-Rrr-Rr-M' (Date on arranging bill: September 6, 1955), re- August 19 1955 BARBARA RUICK THE NO-LOVE-KABOODLE 33504 rel’d October 24, corded at Radio Recorders in Hollywood 1955 Single 4-40563 Single c/w 'The No-Love-Kaboodle' (Date on arranging bill: September 6, August 19 1955 BARBARA RUICK BR-RRR-RR-M! (NEURASTENICO) 33505 rel’d Oct. 24, 1955 1955) Single 4-40596 Single c/w 'Cry Me A River', w. Percy Faith and his Orchestra August 19 1955 JILL COREY NOBODY'S HEART 33506 rel’d Oct. 31, 1955 Diary entry: Got together with Jill Corey in the afternoon for her tune. Updated September 2, 2013 The Collector’s Guide to the Works of Ray Conniff (by Manfred Thönicke), page 43 The Ray Conniff Recordings: The Columbia Years, Part 1: The Backings and New York* Recordings *unless stated otherwise / Label: Columbia unless stated otherwise Month Day Year Artist Title / Engagement Matrix No. Released on… Notes Song written for DORIS DAY, but never Diary entry: Wrote a tune (”I Need A Man”) for Doris (Day); wasn’t satisfied August 22 1955 I NEED A MAN recorded when I finished and never showed it to Mitch (Miller). Diary entry: Picked up ”Hawk-Eye” and ”Now Is The Time” 45’s. Mitch says August 23 1955 he would like me to do standards with patterns. Still no word about Doris. Record date Recording session from 2:00 to 10:00 (Diary entry); Ray probably played in August 26 1955 (RCA, Victor Webster Hall) a band. August 29 1955 Record date Liza (As the entry in Ray’s diary says.) August 30 1955 Vaughn Monroe Show Ray probably played in the band (radio / TV?) (information from diary) Diary entry: Worked on Safranski stuff ”From This Moment On” and ”Over Sept.