[78-L] fwd: Russ Garcia obit

[David Lennick]

>
> *Russell Garcia, Renowned Composer/Arranger/Conductor,*
>
> *Dies in Kerikeri, New Zealand at 95*
>
> **
>
> *April 12, 1916 - November 20, 2011*
>
> *NEW YORK, November 21, 2011 - *Russell Garcia, the composer, conductor and
>
> RUSSELL_GARCIA
> Russell Garcia
>
> arranger renowned for his stellar collaborations with Duke Ellington, Stan
> Kenton, Anita O'Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Judy Garland, Frances
> Faye, Mel Tormé, Frank Sinatra and numerous others as well as film scores for
> George Pal's "The Time Machine" and
> "Atlantis: The Lost Continent"
> and his orchestrations for Charlie Chaplin's "Limelight," died Sunday, November
> 20, 2011. He passed away peacefully at his home in Kerikeri, New Zealand, with
> Gina Mauriello Garcia, his lyricist and wife of 59 years, by his side. He was 95.
>
> In April, Mr. Garcia performed three 95^th birthday concerts throughout New
> Zealand with New York vocalists Shaynee Rainbolt and Terese Genecco and New
> Zealand singer Tim Beveridge.
>
> Mr. Garcia, who was fondly known as "Uncle Russell" by his much-younger musical
> collaborators around the world, was scheduled to continue his 95^th birthday
> celebration during a three-city U. S. tour at jazz clubs in Los Angeles
> (Catalina's), Oakland (Yoshi's) and New York City (Iridium), but he suffered
> collapsed vertebrae the week before he was set to travel. Instead, the Los
> Angeles concert was cancelled and his tour partners, Ms. Rainbolt and Ms.
> Genecco, paid tribute to Mr. Garcia and his music at Yoshi's on November 1 and
> at Iridium on November 6. The Garcias enjoyed the Oakland concert via Skype
> while the New York celebration was streamed live, with Mr. Garcia and his wife
> commenting on the music and musicianship throughout both evenings. "It's hard
> to believe that we're sitting here in New Zealand on Monday afternoon taking
> part in a live concert in New York on Sunday evening," Mr. Garcia said about
> the technology of live stream.
>
> Russell Garcia was born April 12, 1916,in Oakland, CA. Throughout his career, he
> provided arrangements for many singers and instrumentalists and recorded more
> than 60 albums under his own name. In addition, his book, The Professional
> Arranger-Composer, has been a valued tool for both beginners and veterans since
> it was written in the mid-'40's. When describing the orchestral sounds that
> emerged from the West Coast jazz scene during the 1950's, the name Russell
> Garcia always comes to mind. In 2007, Mr. Garcia entrusted Ms. Rainbolt to
> record the first-ever album of all Garcia originals entitled /Charmed Life/.
> Arranged by Mr. Garcia for his signature four-trombone band, this collaboration
> included a U.S. tour and garnered two MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets
> and Clubs) Awards for Best Jazz Recording (/Charmed Life/) and Best Song (/I
> Remember,/ Music by Garcia and Lyrics by Rainbolt & Garcia.) A top seller on
> CDBaby, the album also was chosen by TalkinBroadway.com as one of their Top 10
> CDs of 2008.
>
> In 2009, Mr. and Mrs. Garcia were awarded The New Zealand Order of Merit from
>
> Russ and Gina Garcia, Shaynee Rainbolt and Terese Genecco and New Zealand
> singer Tim Beveridge
> Front (from left): Terese Genecco, Gina Garcia and Russ Garcia
> Back: Tim Beveridge and Shaynee Rainbolt
>
> the Queen of England for their Service to Music. They have been residents of
> Kerikeri, New Zealand since 1971, but continued to work and make music around
> the world.
>
> In an article for /The New York City Jazz Record/ (November 2011), Andy Velez
> wrote: /Asked what he wants people to know about him, Garcia smiles at Gina,
> his wife of 59 years. A World War II veteran of the Battle of the Bulge, Garcia
> vowed if he ever got out of it alive, he was going to search for answers
> because "this is absolute insanity, people shooting at strangers." It was that
> search which led him and Gina to the Baha'i faith and then ultimately to living
> in New Zealand since 1971. "...Every action, every motive has got to be a
> buildup for a better, beautiful, happy, peaceful world for all mankind. We see
> mankind as one. So any goal that is not to help everybody is not a good goal."/
>
> //
>
> In addition to his wife Gina, whom he married 60 years ago on December 24; Mr.
> Garcia is survived by his daughter and son-in-law Judy and Henry Kulp of
> California; four grandchildren, Kristy Corwin-Dupont, Sean Lurie and Melody
> Kulp-Reinstein of California and Donny Kulp of Hawaii; and seven great
> grandchildren, Curtis Corwin, Capri Corwin, Kaden Lurie, Collis Lurie, James
> Reinstein, Lila Reinstein and Ginger Mancia-Kulp, all of California. Mr. Garcia
> was preceded in death by his son, David Garcia, in 2007.
>
> * * *
>
> For an interview with Russell Garcia during the /Charmed Life/ recording, click
> on the link: http://youtu.be/ZW_oILbInUc
> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=zmvl58bab&et=1108722092083&s=23&e=001A0IXsx69VvAC-5mhj72UeLryweQit1NM_6wWjXLtse51jLYkmby74LdFtRlfFMkGz8Lwl-hLW3chCTDGAHxDCru10gLkDTWlatnAGSNMC5VEU5RxEMLx8A==>.
> For more information, read an in-depth interview with Russell and journalist
> Marc Meyers on JazzWax at http://www.jazzwax.com/2008/09/interview-russ.html
> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=zmvl58bab&et=1108722092083&s=23&e=001A0IXsx69VvABiv0s3u3jWI3ZGWe-RvrKv0ozesb59-H3FnVPjwLqOnNpRMLhFkukowcFGfAxPJoOHUcZUYmCGX6ygcR73bDTFX9gDUKAO9kVaxH1wdt7q4Vy20lyU2wj9j1rM5OqQB5OkbkCIKDJDQ==>.
>
> # # #
>
>
>
> Contact: Carolyn McClair /CMPR
>
> (917) 686-0854 / Info at CarolynMcClairPR.com <mailto:Info at CarolynMcClairPR.com?>
>
> 	
>