Ray Conniff 6Th November 1916 - 12Th October 2002
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‘s Always Conniff Ray Conniff 6th November 1916 - 12th October 2002 His music will live forever! ‘s Always Conniff: In Memoriam Ray Conniff (Nov. 6, 1916 - Oct. 12, 2002) Page 2: Editorial On August 29 I had a long conversation with sibility to host a couple of radio shows featur- Ray over the phone. It was to be the last time I ing Ray's music. I remember a call from Brazil spoke to him. He had just read the latest fan during which I told the guy what I knew. Still club magazine and told me he had really en- under shock I also told him that while I was joyed each and every column - especially talking to him, Ray’s daughter Tamara was on Serge’s part of the Ray Conniff Story, which her way to Europe and that she did not know brought back many wonderful memories. the sad news yet, because she still was on a plane. Well, see for yourselves in this special Ray sounded very much as usual. You could edition what became of this message. I was not notice that he had had a tough time trying most puzzled to see that the newspaper wrote to recover from the stroke he suffered in the his wife Vera was on a flight to Switzerland. Spring. Meanwhile, he had spent a month at a Stroke Center in Palm Springs, where he made Well, the message is clear: Do not believe great progress. Ray said he was feeling so everything you read. In this collection of ar- much better and was full of hope. He had re- ticles from around the globe you can also read gained some feeling in his left hand and could that Ray was the composer of the love theme already move toes on his left foot. Also, he from “Dr. Zhivago”, that he was a trumpet was able to walk a few steps again. In Sep- player, that he was born in 1912, that he colla- tember, Ray and Vera moved back to Palm borated with The Fifth Dimension and Simon Springs for another month of treatment. On and Garfunkel and that he joined Columbia 7th September Ray gave a long interview over Records in 1951. Of course, none of this is the phone to radio presenter Jim Stone, which true. was used for a three hour radio show about his However, I decided to leave the articles I have music and career. This must have been Ray’s collected, unchanged for reasons of authentici- very last interview. It was broadcast in No- ty. What counts is that he was remembered in vember. all corners of the world, mostly in a fond way Allegedly the last picture taken of Ray and and that all writers and their articles reveal published in “The Desert Sun” shows him what a great musician he was and how much during a sing-along at the Palm Springs Stroke he influenced the history of music. For tech- Center. Johnny Mann was at the piano. Ray nical reasons it was impossible to reproduce directed about 3 or 4 songs, one of them was articles from Japan, and some from Argentina, “It’s The Talk Of The Town”. (Photo repro- Germany and the States had to be omitted, too. duced here by kind permission of the photo- Anyway, the ones included here are to give grapher.) Vera told me later that he was able the fans an idea of what was published. I want to walk again with the help of a stick, and that to express my sincerest thanks to everybody he had made plans for a new record and even a who contributed to this collection. Special tour. thanks go to Tamara Conniff and David The- riault who let me have the manuscripts of their Vera called me in the early evening of October speeches they gave at the funeral. 12. She was phoning from their cottage in San Diego, where Ray had had his fall and passed Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the cer- away. I was terribly shocked and devastated to emony on October 17, which was held at 2 learn the sad news, and so were all the fans p.m. at Pierce Bros. Westwood Village Me- who were informed immediately by email or morial Park and Mortuary in Los Angeles. phone. The club’s representatives received (Ray is buried near Walter Matthau’s grave.) calls from journalists worldwide and asked for However, a videotape kindly made for and confirmation of the news. Elias’ interview sent to me at Vera’s request, gave me an idea became available as an audio file on the Inter- of the atmosphere. I was very touched by Ta- net, and many of Warren’s statements were mara’s eulogy, and when Dave spoke, the used for the articles published by the Asso- chapel was filled with laughter. (You’ll find ciated Press. I put an Italian journalist onto out why when you read his speech.) Then a Luciano in Rome, who spoke about Ray and neighbour spoke fondly of Ray. This was fol- his music on the air. Also Doug gave an inter- lowed by a few words from John Crean, Ray’s view or two, and Igor in Moscow had the pos- long-time friend. The club was represented by ‘s Always Conniff: In Memoriam Ray Conniff (Nov. 6, 1916 - Oct. 12, 2002) Page 3: Editorial Warren Pischke. Also attending were two fans As for Manoel Poladian, Ray’s Brazil tour who kindly sent reports of the ceremony, fea- promoter and friend, he put the following note tured in this memorial magazine. After the on his website: burial, everyone was invited to a reception at the “Olympic Collection”, the venue where As festas no Céu ficarão mais alegras ainda! th Na terra, suas músicas serão eternas! Ray’s 80 birthday was celebrated. Ray Conniff - Ele Cumpriu Sua Missão… On November 6, which would have been Ray’s 86th birthday, a memorial service was meaning: “Now the parties in Heaven will be held at Nossa Senhora do Brasil Church, lo- happier. On Earth, his music will last forever. cated in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. This was Ray Conniff - He is sadly missed…” to pay tribute to Ray and his music. Tamara As for me, I am grateful for the fact that Ray Conniff was present. Please read the original and his music has had a great influence on my press release by Poladian Productions Ltd. life. For example, I would not have made so featured in this publication. There you can many great friends (including him), I probably read the schedule handed out to people who would not have shown too much interest in the attended the service. Please also find an article English language - and thus I might have cho- about this event which features a small picture sen a different career. He brought so much of Tamara Conniff and Manoel Poladian. happiness into my life and all our lives. There- I also included condolence messages from fore I would like to close this editorial with quite a few fans from all over the world. I Thankfully, even received some from people who are not members of the fan club. A selection of these P.S.: I must not forget to express my sincerest is featured on the last pages of this publica- thanks to John Gay who made this project tion. Doug, Michael, Warren, Elias, Chris and possible. Claudine received many more. It would have Below: The above mentioned photograph taken by Allison been impossible to include them all here. McBee, who gave her permission to reproduce it here. Ray Conniff Eulogy by Tamara Conniff Page 4 A few years ago, I was sitting in an empty who is here from Brazil. “Your father, he concert hall in Sao Paulo watching my dad is the Maestro,” said Manoel. “He is our rehearse his big band and eight singers. He Maestro.” had assembled the best musicians from Manoel and Dad simply understood each New York to Los Angeles, many of whom other. They respected and loved each other I see here today. I watched him run back so much so that they could fight and then and forth between the saxophones and the hug and make up within the hour. Their trombones. friendship has held strong for more than 30 “Come on, make it pop,” he said. “Yea, get years. Thanks to Manoel, Brazil became a it swinging.” home for my father and his music. My dad heard the music all perfectly in his I also spent a lot of time during that tour head. He heard it all – every note and standing at the soundboard during the con- every nuance, for every instrument. He certs with one of my dad’s closest friends, knew exactly how it was supposed to sound engineer Dick Bogert. No one knew sound. And he knew how to communicate my dad’s sound better than Dick, who has it to musicians. He could actually make the worked with my dad on tours and albums best players, even better. And I think every for over 30 years. One night we both got musician who ever played with him loved choked up watching Dad perform “My him and hated him at the same time. They Way.” “You’re dad is one of a kind,” said loved him because he was a perfectionist Dick. “He’s a force of nature.” and because his music could make the He wasn’t a Hollywood dad who left his earth bounce.