Quotations

«One of the remarkable things about Dad is the way he could mingle different, seemingly disparate musical worlds -- classical, American pop and jazz. He just heard things, I guess, that other people didn't hear. He made it his life's work to study the various instruments and the best ranges to write for them, and then how to double them and layer them.»

«My father and Frank Sinatra respected each other's abilities enormously. My father always said Frank brought out the best in him. And his arrangements gave Frank a new musical playground to wander in. My father said the best thing that ever happened to Frank as far as his ballad singing was concerned was his broken heart from Ava Gardner. Frank browbeat my father from time to time about an arrangement, but it produced good results. Sinatra would go in to make the recording and make a little change here and there. He'd say, 'Do a little Puccini thing there.' Or a little Gershwin or Ellington or whatever. My father would make a cryptic note. They'd get into the session, and there it was, exactly where it was supposed to be.»

«My father understood the orchestra so well that he never overwrote anything. He always got the most he could from the least amount of writing.»