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Sammy Nestico - An American Treasure Made From Music - This episode is our gift to all of you as we drop this episode on Christmas day. Sammy Nestico is a 95-year old composer. His home genre is swing and all you have to do is hear him talk about music to get it.
You have to watch Sammy's documentary. Sammy has written and arranged music for dozens of TV shows. He's worked with Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Barbara Streisand, Quincy Jones and dozens of other giants from the music industry. Get Sammy's book--it's PACKED with incredible stories and his documentary is absolutely 5-stars |
Pete A Turner got a chance to sit with Sammy to discuss life, music and how to set up a horn choir...BTW it's 11 folks blowing on trombones, trumpets and saxophones.
#podcast #music #composer #arranger #marineband #airforceband #horns #swingmusic #episode #worldwarII #tommydorsey #glennmiller #genekrupa #buddyrich
Join us in supporting Save the Brave by making a monthly donation.
Similar episodes:
Mic Gillette & Megan McCarthy
Felton Pilate
Stewart Copeland
Executive Producer/Intro/: Pete A. Turner
Producer: Damjan Gjorgjiev
Writer: Bojan Spasovski
#podcast #music #composer #arranger #marineband #airforceband #horns #swingmusic #episode #worldwarII #tommydorsey #glennmiller #genekrupa #buddyrich
Join us in supporting Save the Brave by making a monthly donation.
Similar episodes:
Mic Gillette & Megan McCarthy
Felton Pilate
Stewart Copeland
Executive Producer/Intro/: Pete A. Turner
Producer: Damjan Gjorgjiev
Writer: Bojan Spasovski
Transcription
Pete Turner 0:00
Merry Christmas everybody. This is Pete a Turner, executive producer and host of the breakdown show. Man we have got a fantastic gift for all of you today. I'm outside my backyard recording this intro so hopefully you'll enjoy the birds that are chirping in the background, how nice and wonderful The world is. We offer to you as our gift, incredible life of Sammy nestico Sammy is a 95 year old composer and arranger, whose home instrument is the trombone. He is the heart and soul of swing music.
Merry Christmas everybody. This is Pete a Turner, executive producer and host of the breakdown show. Man we have got a fantastic gift for all of you today. I'm outside my backyard recording this intro so hopefully you'll enjoy the birds that are chirping in the background, how nice and wonderful The world is. We offer to you as our gift, incredible life of Sammy nestico Sammy is a 95 year old composer and arranger, whose home instrument is the trombone. He is the heart and soul of swing music.
He wrote a book called The gift of music. But truly he is a gift to us from music. Sammy is a ball of energy. If you go on YouTube and you watch the trailer for his documentary, you'll get it. If you watch him talking to all the young kids about music you will get it. This guy is such a treasure. I'm so happy. We got him on the show. I'm so happy that it worked out and he had enough left in the tank to do a full hour because he just barely did. Sammy is such an incredible person. He's worked with Quincy Jones, Barbra Streisand, Michael boogly, Bing Crosby, Gene Krupa. Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Count Basie, I mean it. He goes all the way back to the 40s making music that we all love. And believe me, you've heard his stuff over 70 shows he's conducted music for He is such a fantastic fantastic guests. These these these folks that are in their 90s that have lived through this greatest generation are just so such incredible, incredible people and I'm so happy to have them on the show today. Hey, listen. Merry Christmas, everybody. I appreciate you here Sammy nestico lions rock productions
Unknown Speaker 1:54
this is this is Jordan. Dexter from the offspring naked me Sebastian youngsters, Rick, Marotta This
Unknown Speaker 2:00
is AndySummers Scott Baxter, Gabby Reese, Rob belly. T
Jon Leon Guerrero 2:04
his is Jon Leon Guerrero
Pete Turner 2:05
and this is Pete a Turner.
Sammy Nestico 2:10
This is Sammy nestico. I'm an arranger, arranger composer. You're gonna be listening to the Brigid down
Niko Leon Guerrero 2:19
and now the break it down show with john Leon Guerrero and Pete a Turner.
Pete Turner 2:25
That's right, Sammy. nestico is 95 years old, has worked with everybody in the industry to include Tommy Dorsey and Quincy Jones.
Sammy Nestico 2:37
has worked well I don't have to say that.
Pete Turner 2:40
Yeah, well but but but it's this is your legacy. I mean, you are you break it down show.
Sammy Nestico 2:46
Yes.
Pete Turner 2:47
The break it down show you wrote a book called The gift of music.
Unknown Speaker 2:53
And the gift of music is this little book here. The big book. See, this is the little one.
Pete Turner 3:05
This is just now the big book is
Unknown Speaker 3:12
see that big black book their blue book? Yes, teeth. But the fourth one, that's it. That's
Pete Turner 3:21
all the complete arrangers is your head set text book, right? That's the one that how many countries is that used in?
Sammy Nestico 3:30
All over the world around the world? This is just stories. You know
Pete Turner 3:34
what, that's a text. Well, it struck me that you're writing about the gift of music but you are the gift from music. Hey, this is Dave Turner from the break it down Show checking in real quick to ask you this. JOHN Scott and I all support save the brave with our time, our location, our effort and our money. Each month we give a small amount. Do the same with us go to save the brave.org click on the donate tab, pick up amount that you want to come out of each month, and they will handle all the rest. I stand behind these folks. Thank you so much. Let's get back to the show. Well, it struck me that you're writing about the gift of music, but you are the gift from music.
Unknown Speaker 4:14
Oh, thank you. Well, the gift. Yeah, I'm thinking about me so much is the gift of?
Pete Turner 4:23
Well, I'm thinking about it because you're right. You're not supposed to say okay, but after working for sure, however many years since you were 13. You said you realize
Sammy Nestico 4:34
when you look back,
Pete Turner 4:37
just the body of work. 10 years before you were born, the Lincoln Memorial was first. Big on like, that's how far back your history goes.
Unknown Speaker 4:45
And I'm doing some music that was written 10 years before I was born in 1940. Yeah. And I fell in love with it. When I when I grew up. I said falling in love with the music.
Pete Turner 5:01
When I think about a 10 year gap like 10 years before I was born Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens and the big they died at 59. I was born in 70. It's still fresh and adults minds. I could just happen the other day.
Sammy Nestico 5:14
Yeah. Isn't that isn't it something right?
Pete Turner 5:18
Yeah, I have no connection to it.
Unknown Speaker 5:20
I had such Oh, I was how these kids today and no different than I was right. They hear something and they fall in love with it. And they, they're like, they asked the right questions. You know, they, they are numbered with music. And that's the way I was born. I was in the swing era. Yeah. And you turn on your radio that was America's music. Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Woody Herman, Duke, Ellington, Count Basie, all these different bands. And that was America's music at that. So was a great way to grow up.
Pete Turner 6:03
When you found music and sounds like swing is your home, like that's
Unknown Speaker 6:07
where Yeah, it's my. Okay. I see even swing, even Glenn Miller in the move to tenor saxophone for Peru Ba ba ba ba. Some guy, text panic is playing what so called jazz. Yeah, he wasn't real good jazz, but he was playing jazz. Yeah. And I work with Charlie Barnett my first record and he did the Cherokees, skyliner all those things. And it was a real. He was the first white band that was like Duke Ellington. So it was a real jazz, like then most of them were on the edge, you know?
Pete Turner 6:50
Yeah, somewhere. You so your history. I don't want to a lot of this stuff's available. Everybody should listen to all of the things that you've talked about online because it is fascinating to me that a lot of the people that moved you Glenn Miller, Glenn Dorsey, all these you've worked for a lot of these guys. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 7:11
I was just a boy. You know, growing up in Pittsburgh 13 years old. I joined the all of our high school fan Concert Band. Within a few years, I knew what I wanted to be the rest of my life. I just was enamored. I fell in love with music. We had a nice high school band yellow like that. The bands we have today. they tolerate jazz, they didn't want jazz in the schools. And later on that came about but it was just wonderful to be a part of the what I call the two team sport. The two teams Sport because everybody's in there with the same goal in mind to make this music so we're all listening to one another. Yeah. Isn't that wonderful? Yeah, we listed the winner. We learn from one another. And, and just being part of the, the core, or part of the motif for the bands playing, you know, it's it was just wonderful. I fell in love with music. And I've worked so hard. I practice so hard to to to overcome the difficulties.
Pete Turner 8:40
What did you play in the band? I played trombone. Let me ask you about this. And I'm gonna turn this thing up. Yeah, because this is already recording. It occurred to me that your music predates the electric guitar.
Sammy Nestico 8:53
Oh, yeah. So
Pete Turner 8:54
the trombone could be a soloing instrument. That's not the Bolero Tommy Dorsey. What is That the chairman
Unknown Speaker 9:00
Dorsey made it a solo instrument. Yes, the golden trombone of Tommy Dorsey. And he's called and drum bone. Well up until that time I was bop bop bop bop ba. Papa Papa, papa, papa papa. That was kind of a Ragtime. Yeah. And then Tommy Dorsey come on and play this real pretty thing. Like a cello. Like it was. So it was the breath. It was the breath equivalent of cello playing, you know, in that register. And he played so gorgeous. And I fell in love with this. They handed me a trombone at all over high school said, You're not the first trombone to sit in the back.
Pete Turner 9:47
Yeah. Okay. So how does a young trombone player I mean, you read music, but you're here Tommy Dorsey. Can you see that is by field but I did
Unknown Speaker 9:57
that all by ear. Yeah, that's what I wanted. By all these 78 record, some of them were used jukebox right, they, but they were the and I could get those. I think I my mom gave me $1 every two weeks or something and I put 70 cents. I could buy these old juke. So I would play them. And when I played them I put my ear down. I could tell where Tommy was on the trombone, which position really then I, I study, and later on, I prayed with Tommy Dorsey. And I said, Tommy, you gave me lessons. Yeah, he didn't know that. I said, Yeah, you gave me lesson. And I said, I learned this from you and song.
Pete Turner 10:48
It was wonderful. I know Tommy Dorsey was cool. I know the music was cool, but was playing trombone cool. It was it sought after.
Unknown Speaker 10:56
Yeah, I think I think so. Yeah, it's a it's a different thing. Looking into men of course, and it does impress valve. So you have to have a pretty good ear like like a violin. Yeah see a violin presses. There's no frets, like on the guitar has frets showed you where to put your fingers were violins cellos the string fan, right? They don't have that. The same with the trombone. It's aside and you you finally get your ear. knowing where to put that side to get to. Yeah. I love it. I love it. I just love I still to this day. Just like I was when I was a little boy. Yeah, I just love music. It touches me so much. I watch a movie sometimes and tears come to my eyes. I said boy, the composer the underscore. Hey, did what was necessary. Yes, he enhanced the picture. Yeah made me cry.
Pete Turner 12:02
Yeah. It's true though the right note at the right time, I was thinking on the way over, I was listening to Tommy Dorsey play. I'm sentimental over you. Everybody knows that. So even if you don't know, everybody knows it.
Unknown Speaker 12:15
Everybody orders. Yeah. Thank you. And then of course, there were the Harry James at one time, was the greatest trumpet player in the world, right. He was a trumpet player with Goodman, and then it became his own band had Gene Krupa. I played with I suck with G group. He played he played with Who the hell was it? He played with my I forget. I'm getting old. But those fellows all started their own band. Yeah. And it was wonderful to all of us. And the drama talented people.
Pete Turner 12:57
Sure. Today's How many different
Unknown Speaker 13:03
attitude about it? Yeah, approach to it, you know, synthesize, digital, and synthesize. But in those days, it was all.
Pete Turner 13:14
Yeah. One of the interviews I listened to with you, and I primarily listen to music as I prepared for you, because that's what you were made from. But I still wanted to get an understanding and you talked about how today's music isn't as melodic. It's rhythmic, but the melody and those things are missing for years. See, there's melody, rhythm, harmony and rhythm. melody, harmony and rhythm.
Sammy Nestico 13:39
Yeah, that's mostly what. And I'm always thinking malarious Tchaikovsky. Even Stephen Foster. Yeah, America's still doing Oh, Susanna. Yeah, that's amazing. Sound racist. Because you could remember the melody so It was just wonderful today you'll get a synthesizer sound, but it doesn't move air, like the bovard string moves to you, you know, so it's a different feeling. Some of the records today sound a little too. Perfect. Yes, you know, the synthesizer. Whereas in the old days, in fact, when I worked at time live, I had to copy some of the old records and we did with new recordings. This was in 1970. Okay, I worked on there for quite a while with Billy man, we were doing time life series, all these old tunes. We were bringing him back in high fidelity. Yeah. So they were you know, the string side is so different. In LA live Yeah, rather Then synthesizer. I like, you know,
Pete Turner 15:03
I'm with you. We do a lot of talk about music quite a bit on the show. Sure. And one of the things you can hear like when someone has a really loose and funky baseline like not only is the time loose, but also the strings are really loose. Yeah. And you can it's too perfect though. Like that's supposed to be dirty, rotten music like live and
Unknown Speaker 15:24
perfect. Some of the old old breweries way back with Billie Holiday and, you know, way back with the early black band, yeah, they weren't clean at all, but they had that feeling. They had that jazz feeling it came from their soul and you felt that
Pete Turner 15:46
but it's a lot of the older instruments like a trombones and old sure, but the pipe organ as well. You can play sounds out of your pipe working on your keyboard but it will not move the room The air is like a grand pipe. Yes,
Unknown Speaker 16:01
the synthesizer has its place. Yeah, what I do I add the synthesizer to the regular orchestra because it gives me a shower colors right that aren't in regular instruments. So I add them, but I don't depend on synthesizers sounds completely to imitate because some of the imitations, I hate synthesizer trumpet, yeah synthesize saxophone some just thought, Well,
Pete Turner 16:38
if you we've had I don't know if you know Mick Gillette, but he is like a champion of the Trump the trumpet for years and years. He played with Tower of Power. He's, he's passed on, but he was one of those remarkable people that could just play it and he knew the song book. He could look at it once and he just knew it. And he said, Yeah, when you have live horns, they will pin you to the back of the room. You can avoid that.
Sammy Nestico 17:00
You can avoid. And I tell the kids that Trump is the president of a band. Yeah, he's got the melody, that first trumpet player. So we listen, listen. And then you blend it to music. Yeah. I never get tired of talking. Because I'm still a kid with music. I love it like I go. I've gone to so many high schools and colleges. And this little semi I said this little Sam a bear. At the way I feel about the kids, you know,
Pete Turner 17:38
yeah, for sure. I mean, you're, you're passing on this gift.
Sammy Nestico 17:41
Yeah.
Pete Turner 17:43
I think the big bands stop touring prominently. It used to be there was a big brand and every big scene and big cities were smaller than two. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 17:51
And they at one time, of course, they were they were the American music right and then little by little and then Back in I remember I started publishing, I think in 1960. So I went to a liberal, liberal town up in New York called delavan. And there was a small, there's still there. canadore music. And we start doing today what he called the, the head of the company called stage bands. It's a jazz band on stage. Yeah. So I wrote for those, and they start picking up in the schools, like them, and little by little all over the world. All over the world. I said, Wow, we're starting something all Yeah, back again. Yeah. So that's what a lot of us here today.
Pete Turner 18:50
When did you know you could make money for the rest of your life playing music I mean, I
Unknown Speaker 18:54
never thought about money. I just kept thinking, some kid up and our scotch Somewhere is playing my turn and Sam for this is nice yeah and and what happens is you don't think about money but it comes in when you're writing quality. If you really quality good is good. Good is good. Yeah and I that's all I thought about and the money came to then money start coming Of course I start publishing my own company been out of the I have a big printing press there and boy we we were pretty successful yeah and it does make some money
Pete Turner 19:40
yeah it's you guys have to look at sammys career and you will be gobsmacked because you've worked with Wiseman I could do this all day long wisemen la Frank Sinatra, blah blah blah all down the line.
Unknown Speaker 19:53
Isn't that wonderful, isn't it? Right? Yeah. And when I was with him, I tried not to stay at all. You know, just doing the job, you know, I, and I like working with it. I want to show them I'm working for these people. This artist, maybe for the first time, so I want to impress them on how good I'm writing. I want to paint pictures. I want to paint pictures behind if he's singing, how deep is the ocean Somewhere over the rainbow? I want to paint a picture of that in my music. And there's ways to do that then Hollywood does it all the time.
Pete Turner 20:34
Yeah, describe how that works.
Sammy Nestico 20:36
Sure, Fank Sinatra with Nelson riddle, that when he sins Let me see how deep is the ocean or whatever. And and Nelson riddle paints his beautiful picture. You know, and the listener feels he's caught in that, in that. They they attracted I like this. I like the whole idea of writing arrangers for singers. Yeah. Because they have lyrics that need to expose. And you don't overdo your music. You'll you'll you'll ruin the tune. You have to support rather than take over. If it's a bull course, you know. Yeah, that's what I tried to do.
Pete Turner 21:24
I think when you're saying that I'm thinking about Bolero and how simple that is. not escape that hook. You know?
Sammy Nestico 21:32
Yeah. It's just
Pete Turner 21:34
Oh, yes. It's perfect. It's not big. And it's just 22 minutes. And in that simple snare, yeah. Oh, and you'll sing it for us.
Unknown Speaker 21:44
Yeah, that's wonderful, isn't it? Yeah. Look at the and then sometimes, you could start the background
Pete Turner 21:56
the duty at the TV Good Men, Gene Kelly sing singing in the rain. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 22:06
That's the background. And it continues as he brings the tune in. Isn't that a cue that there is? He started saying insane and no rain. Yeah, that's wonderful. So there's all kinds of little gimmicks you can use to make it attractive. For the listener.
Pete Turner 22:25
It seems like when I think about I'm sentimental over you, and how it's lush, it's, it's not big, but it's it feels up. And it actually now over time, decades later, it's become a bit of a time machine where it takes you right to that moment and I want to be in that big band. I don't just feel it I transport if you allow yourself to if that makes sense.
Unknown Speaker 22:49
That reminds me some of the kids say boy, I wish we were back though. Talking about I wish I was back there when it was third third era. Yeah, you know, the swing air. Wow, what a nice. I'd go on the weekends every Saturday in Pittsburgh, they hit the Stanley theater to show movies. And then they would take a break about an hour to hour and put the stage but the bands coming and they would play on stage. Yeah. I'm sitting there completely enraptured. Listening to the, and finally I get it up on the stage. Yeah. So
Pete Turner 23:29
what Yeah, how many times did you pinch yourself and go, I'm actually doing this.
Unknown Speaker 23:33
Yeah, I'm actually doing what I used to. When I was a little boy. I was hooked. Yeah, how wonderful. And then, some of the artists that I work with. Were very nice. They're just nice people. I remember this one time, I went to the backstage of the theory that I used to see on Saturday. See, the bands are Faith and the musicians are falling up. And I went up to this one fellow and I said, Hi, he was a trumpet player, fourth trumpet player with a horse I, and I am a deuce myself. And I said something about music either what some dumb thing I must have said. And he said, kid, I don't have much time. He looked at his watch. He said, Come with me. And we went across the street, and he bought me apple pie and cough in the milk. Yeah, you know, and bought me that and I went home said, Mom, you keep telling me the musicians are bad. He wasn't drinking. We were drinking milk and pie. So Father Teller, but this nice fella did. Yeah. So when I do things for people, I think about him. I think about what he did for me. And that means a lot to Kids. Yeah, it means a lot. Their hero is just an ordinary guy who loves music like they do. And can talk very easily. Yeah. I love all. I love the whole mix.
Pete Turner 25:18
It is an important thing. I go back every year to my high school. And I talked to the kids who were me 30 plus years ago now and I tell them I'm like, if you want to make music, you can. Maybe you don't make money at it. But you can make music. You know, and if you get lucky, you do make music. You do get paid. But you can do it. You can do it.
Unknown Speaker 25:40
Yeah, it's amazing. Then I said, Maybe I'd like to try to write a couple of things. Right? Well, I was a Trump bonus. So I booked everything for Trump. And then little by little I started adding some instruments. And I remember some of the parts and it's pretty good Sam But you know, here Yeah, so this I learned from doing by making mistake Yes. I call it the hit Miss hit Miss style, you know. So I never had private lessons on writing right I did on trombone, but not all righty. Yeah, I just did those on my
Pete Turner 26:23
long is the list of composers that right from the trombone for the strap. How many of you are there? It can't be me anymore.
Unknown Speaker 26:32
Wow. Now some river was a trombone was Billy May. I was a trombone. Yeah. And we're writers. Yeah, I think because you have to respect that notes. They don't come that easy. They are blue. So we became pretty good arrangers. Yeah. And there are I think I used to say that trombonist make good Rangers I love the idea of a string choir. Sure, you know, the strings are woodwinds, clarinet flutes, or how sweet Yeah, how tender. You can make things. Or you can make things bold with the brass, you know. And I love the French horn sound. Yes. Okay, good. It's classy. Yes. It's classy. You hear the French horns in the movies? Especially the western movies. Yeah. Sure, over everything. Yeah. What classical found
Pete Turner 27:34
when I think about French horns and the master of the maestro's of those I think of john Williams.
Unknown Speaker 27:39
Oh, isn't he what I work with john, did you Yeah. He called me up to do some things for when he was the director of the Boston Pops. And he called me up to do things like Chicago. He was doing our summer show or something. And then little by little asked me to orchestrate things. Yeah. So I work with a boy He is my favorite. Yeah, he's my favorite Hollywood musician. Yeah, he is. And what a nice person. He's very soft spoken. And so talented god he would. We heard that Indiana Jones and Star Wars. All those are marvelous.
Pete Turner 28:26
Just wonderful. A lot of his music he'll take from 6070 years ago and, and almost like modern times will sample a bit of somebody you know.
Unknown Speaker 28:35
Yeah. And he has that sound. Yeah. He puts together with the orchestra. Yeah, that's his john William. Yeah, sound you know,
Pete Turner 28:45
what's the Sammy sound?
Sammy Nestico 28:48
That's hard. I like I like big, fat brass. I love that song. Especially for jazz. Because Basie Tom Basie had that big ensemble, and I would wait until his piano solos were over. And when I would go from that, like piano solo to the big breath, oh what a sound Yeah. And they swung you know and the breast voice for trumpets, four trombones and by sextuple or praying that big sound I would say this my, but I love tender things through done some very nice string tender things that I've been asked to write a record movie theme idea that Andre Castilla recorded some of the things that I have written, taken from the movies were like those. They were nice. I have records of them. So I've given to you if you'd like. Sure, somewhere
Pete Turner 30:01
Back to my question What else me sound What do you think it is? Are you I mean big fat horns. I think
Unknown Speaker 30:06
I love the big, the big swinging song of Tom Bay.
Pete Turner 30:11
What does that mean? I mean, because why
Sammy Nestico 30:12
else we did everybody take it's an ensemble. Okay, so everybody at once just sin orchestration but everybody playing Tootie but they're not all playing the melody. They're playing harmony parts and everything and you get that big bets up and you get a rhythm section is swing and right figures. That swing for the answer, man. Yeah, I can hear it. Did you see something happening? It's just not a bunch of notes on paper, right? You're making Music and that's what I'm trying to do.
Pete Turner 31:03
Have you ever heard the term of the genre new jack swing? No, it was more of an urban sound from the early 90s. And it's distinct and I always wondered if they go together but I guess we won't find that out here.
Sammy Nestico 31:17
Yeah.
Pete Turner 31:19
When you think about the best you've ever done Sammy at his best, what songs come to mind that you've done or
Unknown Speaker 31:31
I've done some really big overtures and so on. You know, I did something called the swing bike collection, said a symphonic swing phonic, right I use the symphony orchestra and a jazz band at the same time. Yeah, play is one. We recorded those a newer but I have to pretty Hollywood Types these two themes, the one that caught the last set I like but because he had such a great orchestra and a great conductor, because he, I think I did from the movie, it's my turn. I did a real I'll give it to you. And you get an idea of what, what? That was one of my son and I think it touches your heart. Yeah. You know, I'm trying to make the harp and the announcements talk to you know, and my wife, and dn they say, I can tell you it because you, you touch us with your music and I tried it. Of course. It takes your heart you give your heart when I wrote to moraine Sam, that was a mine. I ended up in the United States Marine Corps. It worked at the White House, under Kennedy. Awesome. And President I wrote some things that I wrote the Marines him there I remember someone said it touched my heart well that said that that's what I was intended to say and how you put this tune and what you surround that with. What key do you put it? Put it I low, slow bad. Say,
Pete Turner 33:26
yeah, you're making me think. Yeah john Philip Sousa music still works
Unknown Speaker 33:32
I he's a march King, right. He's a mark. Yeah Tikka Tikka bop, bop, bop, bop bop. Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba. Yeah. That isn't what I was after. But I did write for that Concert Band. Yeah, but I tried to make it almost sound like an orchestra. Yeah, you can't because there's no structure guys
Pete Turner 33:56
are writing for the same group of players.
Unknown Speaker 34:00
Yes. Good musicians. Yeah, boy. When the musicians I said, Boy, you're making me sound good.
Pete Turner 34:09
I want to say this to the audience that can understand what I'm saying is that the march King, the person who's as famous as you can be, as a musician, wrote music for the same group of players Sammy did and they approached it differently. He wrote more of an orchestral kind of thing. Yes, he wrote a march.
Sammy Nestico 34:26
Yeah,
Pete Turner 34:26
that's remarkable already. Hey, this is Pete a Turner from lions rock productions. We create podcasts around here and if you your brand or your company want to figure out how to do a podcast, just talk to me. I'll give you the advice on the right gear. The best plan is show you how to take a podcast that makes sense for you. That's sustainable. That's scalable and fun. Hit me up at Pete at breakdown show com Let me help I want to hear about it. What I'm saying is that the march King the person who's as famous as you can be as a musician, wrote music for the same group of Players Sammy did and they approached it differently. He wrote more of an orchestral kind of thing. Yes. He wrote a march. Yeah, that's remarkable already. I mean, again, in a live full of remarkable moments. Yeah. I'm wondering if traditional instruments, trumpet, clarinet, all these things that would be in a symphony. Does that music have longer legs maybe than modern music as modern music seems to evolve so fast?
Sammy Nestico 35:27
I don't know. I think it's all permanent. You know? Yeah. I can't give you a good answer there. But there's, there's some old music. I remember writing some I went to the colonel. I said, I have something I want to write. For trumpets. Yeah. To feature trumpets for your concert. And he like fast music say, he said, Well, ho w's it go? I said, technotrekker Hey. I'm singing all these notes at Tonmy's playing sorry. And he liked it. It was called Brassman's holiday. Yeah. So it was nice. I love it. Yeah. And the Britain boy that they Trump is standing up front and the people in the audience love seeing all of them. Yeah. So
Pete Turner 36:33
one of the trumpet players that I mean like you're saying you calling it you know, brass bands holiday when they come up and talk to you. They gave
Unknown Speaker 36:38
it up planet because now they're showing off. Yeah, you know, it's part. I love being a part of a trombone choir, right. Oh, I think so mellow trombones are so pretty. Yeah, can be pretty bold. Yeah. Bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop. General Zod Yeah, so I can do I love Trump. I love my instrument. trombone, but there's so many gorgeous instruments in the orchestra. And you find a way to have them talk and combine them. Combine them, sometimes two separate instruments playing the same line becomes a new sound. Yeah, see an English horn. Playing with a clarinet. It's gonna sound a lot different than a clarinet or language, because it's a combination. Yeah, so that's what I call orchestration. Okay, you take the instruments and you orcas re orchestrate them. Yeah, to give you a sound. If you want a haunting, sad, or haunting or humorous sound, maybe a Piccolo playing with the bassoon. pyrrha bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop. That might be humorous. Or you can you make sad news, what does it call for? What do you want your music to say? You know, is it going to be romantic? Brilliant. Is it going to be motivate you, you know, for a march like or something or a fanfare? So that's what we're looking at. We're not looking at music. What can I do? What does this music have to say to the audience?
Pete Turner 38:32
What about instruments like the guitar like Yeah, man, Monica, where it's so specific to the player? I mean,
Sammy Nestico 38:41
yeah, yeah, that it. See. So there, you're really featuring your love this instrument, and you like the way this guy or the girl can play it. So you've written sometimes I start a vocalist instead of starting with your Sir, just a vocalist and one guitar and the guitar arpeggiate Yeah, and classical good writer, Rob PEGI at sea. That's a nice sound. Yeah, it's a quiet pretty. When the bossa nova Yes. about that. Oh, what a beautiful those things that what's his name they did was so beautiful. I love them they're there are my I touch. I listened to the one I'm going for my walks and how they guitar blends in perfectly for that. That kind of idiom. Yeah the capacitor Nova. Oh, I love it. And the rhythm is so quiet. You know. And with brushes. Yeah, and on the drum and the bass. Boom, boom, boom. It's wonderful. So you can set moves no matter what, what do I want to say with this? Or this has been written so many times. People are tired of it. I want to give it a new suit of clothes. Yeah, I'm gonna give this a blue suit.
Pete Turner 40:19
Yeah, you know, it's you composers are brilliant because I was I was the other day I was at a orchestra. And I'm trying to think of who the guy was. But it was the last piece of music he wrote, you might be able to think of it with me here. And he part of his movement. He had a waltz movement, because that's what it was. But it was written in five, six. So it's got this. And it was supposed to be it's beautiful, but yet it's kind of ugly because of this five, six time like, yeah,
Sammy Nestico 40:47
yeah. So it was it was off me.
Pete Turner 40:50
That's what it was Tchaikovsky uses last Symphony. Yeah. And everything's off a little bit. And it's like it's a struggle with life and he's putting into his music, because who writes something in five cents.
Sammy Nestico 41:00
I know nobody, right? Yeah. But yes, I sometimes I've taken things that may jazz waltzes out of a 442. You know, right. And cheek to cheek.
Pete Turner 41:14
Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 41:15
And it's still pretty long melodies, but the rhythm is GG, GG, GG. I love that. Yeah. And that then you can give her a whole new rhythmic treatment or harmonic treatment that depends on what do I want to say, with this?
Pete Turner 41:37
How long has it been since you've used something that's not in your wheelhouse, like a few or maybe like a line or something like that? How often do you do that? Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 41:46
I, I do it when it's once in a while, because I will say this should be, let's say the theme and then write a counter theme against it. And now we're we're back in the Palace palestrina or Bach? Yeah, you know, with a counterpoint. And they think Bach was a genius. Yeah. And it's nice to hear something counterpoint instead of saturation, everything saturated. Now all you have is two lines. Yeah. And each one is important. And they'll play that simultaneously. I think it's a nice idea.
Pete Turner 42:27
If you had Bach sitting next to Count Basie in today's time, would they still be I mean, they would still be musical geniuses, right? It is. Yeah, women.
Sammy Nestico 42:38
What was there was Basie plays everything in let me say it. It's gonna sound like 12 a 1234222 Where's Bach where big plan, believing deed to leave a good Read a book by Zig see,
Pete Turner 43:02
yeah.
Sammy Nestico 43:05
Bassey is funny. He he sits there and you don't even know he's working. And he, he has. I think he was born with radar and a speed. Yeah, he has with him. That's just a natural thing with him. See, and everybody doesn't have that. But he has that style. And that band is sounds like one. They all but they all play the same feeling. Nobody's a star. Yeah. all by himself. It's all that we're all playing together. Yeah. I like that idea. I wrote for Woody Herman. I play with Woody Herman. So there was some other jazz bands that were real good. Yeah. Different the basic. I loved what he Herman's band,
Pete Turner 43:58
do you like a tight band or Loose band.
Unknown Speaker 44:04
I think a tight band, although the black bands play real loose, yeah, you know, loose with everything. But it sounds right. Everything sounds right. Yeah, I love that that field that's but Basie it.
Pete Turner 44:20
We had Sly Stone on the show. Yeah. And he wrote that song hot fun in the summertime. Yeah, nobody cares when they show up in that song. It is because it's hot. And it's fun. It's summer and it's just like, the time is what it is for that person because it's too hot to get there on time.
Unknown Speaker 44:39
I think if I'm doing an album for a young lady, I find out what's changed. She wants to do this lady. She wanted all torch what we call towards soon yeah, they're real sad. My man left me and it's so You've got to find something to fit that, but you can't be. It depends on the tempo. Yeah. Normally normally that would not be a bad tempo. And I did them with that. And we had strings horns, woodwinds. Oh, what a lovely orchestra. Yeah, I could make beautiful music with those strings or the word one. Yeah.
Pete Turner 45:27
So, did you get a chance to work with Henry? Manzini?
Sammy Nestico 45:32
What about Henry? I liked him.
Pete Turner 45:34
Did you get to work with him ever or no,
Unknown Speaker 45:35
never got to work with him. One time I prayed for him. I prayed ahead and we pray that one of the jazz seminars. I liked Henry. You know, he grew down the the highway from where I did. Oh, no, him. Yeah. How was the north side Pittsburgh, right near the Ohio River. Yeah, and if you take the Ohio River Oh, 3040 miles. Aliquippa. hambridge that's what he was, huh. And he started off some of the guys I did. Yeah. He started off. Max agins so he was, I thought he brought a new level. It's new kind of music. You know, they wrote dramatic music in those days. Yeah, but he brought it with Henry man seanie flavor. He is based on truth. No one ever used. Yeah, he's the different organ orchestration Yeah. based out of flutes and stuff. And, you know, one time
Pete Turner 46:40
you have to wait, hold on, you have to really be fearless to grab these other instruments in these other tones like a bass sax is kind of scary, but a bass flute has kind of been hard, the whole whole wonderful,
Sammy Nestico 46:54
I have someone on my my arrangement. I'll play for you. Yeah, what happened is what was his producer was married to? He was married. Who's that? famous singer? Anyhow? Yeah, talk on that bothers me about that forget. Yeah, cuz I know his name. He liked what Henry did. Yeah. So he hired Henry to do this new show, Peter gun. Yeah, it was a detective show. But he used a big fruit boo boo, and then alto flutes and different kinds of music. And yeah, he said, I'm gonna bring it to New York, and let the people in charge here what we've done with this, Peter gun. Yeah, they said we like the show, but we don't like the music. It's gotta go. He said, No, no, no, no, no, no, no, he said This is to all one that music stays cuz he liked that music. Henry gave it something fresh. And it was good. He won Grammys and Academy Awards. Yeah. And they didn't know the difference. They took Moon River out of Breakfast at Tiffany's that shows you what they know. Yeah. So anyhow, he said no, no. So there's a producer stuck up. Yeah. Is for what he did. And he's a No, no, it's all one
Pete Turner 48:33
word. And look what Henry Manzini doesn't mean he does the streets of San Francisco that theme song still cool to this day pop out. It sounds like cops.
Sammy Nestico 48:43
Yeah, wonderful.
Pete Turner 48:45
It's just like, and that's just one of his zillion songs. How much work did you do with TV themes?
Unknown Speaker 48:49
Very little, very little, but I liked Henry's Right. Yeah. And I knew them, but I didn't know a real close up. And that fighter only known as Pittsburgh. Yeah, we were that far away. Yeah. Yeah. And we even knew the same people. Yeah, I didn't. I didn't. I heard of them. But I didn't know.
Pete Turner 49:11
You did work with Quincy though. You guys together and every time
Unknown Speaker 49:14
I work with Quincy, a whole lot, yeah, I work with Quincy on the color purple and all kinds of recordings. Yeah, I have all the records and things I can give you. The material. I have the make sure we get to enough material. And it doesn't have to be forever. Wrong. Yeah. But it have to be little things that you hear. Yeah. What I've done with Quincy and Yeah,
Pete Turner 49:46
well, I mean, that's the when Quincy calls you to work with him. That's the ultimate award. That's part of that Grammy he's got Grammys
Unknown Speaker 49:55
sometimes quincies protected by so many people. Why Time. One time, I kept trying to get in touch with him and I don't do that too often, right? I don't call him too often. I tried to get in touch with them and they kept putting me up to see him. week or two later. I got a call from Quincy Jones office in Burbank there. And they said, Quincy wants to talk to you. I said, What are we going to talk about the weather? We're not going to talk about this soon because I wrote it already. Yeah. I've been trying to get in touch with you. You wouldn't let me talk to them. So we're not going to talk about if you want to me, but it's we're gonna talk about the weather. When I was angry, bad I was. You know what? It was so sweet said okay. calm.
Pete Turner 51:00
Yeah.
Sammy Nestico 51:01
And I, he called me and said, I want this. I want this tun to do the Africa.
Pete Turner 51:13
Yeah.
Sammy Nestico 51:13
He said, I wonder like Duke Ellington. I said, Okay. I can write that through counting that stuff. Yeah.
Pete Turner 51:20
Yeah.
Sammy Nestico 51:20
He put it up with electric rhythm. They recorded the rhythm part and sent me the rhythm. Yeah. And said, right, the arranger over this rhythm, right. I said, Quincy, this is a Duke Ellington. This is some contemporary rhythm section plan. Yeah. You know, which, how do you want that? You I can write it? Either way. You know? Yeah. See? It's what you're what you're after. He went to Duke Ellington that was a Duke Ellington electric piano.
Pete Turner 51:54
What did you guys end up with? And did you end up with Duke Ellington or
Sammy Nestico 51:57
Yeah, that no, I I did that with Believe it or not, with the electronic piano, but then we added the plunger trumpet, and some of the instruments. Yeah, that was the English. Like the British show, Don, why can't I remember name? singer? He was big.
Pete Turner 52:24
Yeah.
Sammy Nestico 52:24
And I did it. Right. Got a smattering of both. I use the electric rhythm, but I use that while while different instruments behind them. My wife would know who I'm talking about.
That's their job. They always know the things you're like, damn it. I mean, you're still writing music. You're sitting down playing with the keyboard now. Yeah, I'm not a keyboard player. Really? a trombone?
Pete Turner 52:49
Yeah.
Sammy Nestico 52:50
Yeah, I can bring up to
Pete Turner 52:53
but do you sit like in the backyard and like a
Unknown Speaker 52:55
pro sometimes getting a better idea with headphones. Sometimes or sometimes you're at the piano, right? And I hear the orchestra in the morning. I wake up hearing the orchestra. I've dreamed about some things. And I have good. I have great ears. Yeah. And I hear that night. I hear the orchestra. And sometimes I can write just listening to the orchestra in my head. Yeah. And writing it.
Pete Turner 53:29
I think I'm a bit of a failed composer myself, because everything to me is a song. I probably sing a song if my daughter was home when she's older, so I don't always see her. But I sing songs. They're just simple melodies like hey, it's Brenda. Brenda is the best. I do that stuff all the time. Yeah. And I think in a different lifetime, easily could have been that I would have been a composer because I just don't, I don't and I don't shut the melodies off. I just sing them out loud. And sometimes I don't realize I'm singing them out loud. Yeah, somebody's like, hey, that's a nice song. And I'm like, Oh, sorry.
Sammy Nestico 54:00
Yeah, I love
Pete Turner 54:03
it just there and you just, you just make it real from what's in your head.
Sammy Nestico 54:06
I love melody. Tchaikovsky was the greatest melody and Mozart beautiful melodies zero Beethoven. Beethoven. I'd like to fill to his wastebasket, find that what he threw away. I could learn a lot from his waiting
Pete Turner 54:27
span that weren't good enough for anybody modern resonate with you at all. Or when does your when does your musical timeline sort of like changed? I mean, obviously, you're not listening to mumble rap and things like that. But what modern music kind of sticks with you?
Unknown Speaker 54:45
I don't, I'm not modern, just for the sake of modern Yeah. So I don't even think in those terms. I'm sorry. Not sorry. Yeah. Is that to be said? I'm not thinking old. Music is the only music there's some good new things out there. Hey buddy How you doing? Over there? The English singer that Quincy and I wrote for dude rotten to you hear from me?
Pete Turner 55:17
Oh Phil Collins I
Unknown Speaker 55:20
wrote that one. And I wrote it with the electric. I have the record which song was electric rhythm, but with the well I like a prayer for you that is if I can find it there. We're having a pretty good conversation here is what about golden I forget?
Pete Turner 55:39
What about Gordon Goodwin?
Sammy Nestico 55:41
Gordon Goodwin is the well here's the best band in the world right now. Okay, I think the best bands are in the military really, but, but he has the best orchestra in the world right now. And he is fabulous. He doesn't Line himself up in a certain way. He writes content. He writes Gordon Goodwood. He writes his own. Yeah, you know, he really is singular, and that he doesn't write like, I model himself after. I think he is the best writer of all. I really like knowing him and listening to his music. And we talk from time to time. I have some of his stuff here. Yeah. Yeah.
Pete Turner 56:34
Well, I met you. We were at a president. Yeah. President's own band. Yeah. And then the maestro baton six Brian Dix was with us. I don't know how about, you know, Brian, but he ran the Commandant's band. Oh, yeah, time. And when they played your song, I want to make sure I said this to you before I forgot about it. Your song moved me. I mean, I was already in a great mood. I love live music and I love it. I struggled to hear things now because my ears have just been blown up so many times for more,
Sammy Nestico 57:03
thank you,
Pete Turner 57:04
but music like that it's at a pace that I can take. And I it just moves me and it was such a beautiful
Sammy Nestico 57:11
Oh, thank you.
Pete Turner 57:12
What did you write that?
Unknown Speaker 57:15
I don't remember what you did. Let me see what I have see what I got here.
Pete Turner 57:21
If I could bring back any of the old maestro's whether it's Count Basie or Bach, who do you want to sit in a room with and have a conversation?
Sammy Nestico 57:30
Either Beethoven or Mozart? Yet me
Pete Turner 57:35
Why?
Unknown Speaker 57:36
Because they're such genius. They are just talented. There's such genius. Mozart was such a genius and Beethoven. He has a variety everything that he does it so you know, I studied his music and just yeah He's, he's, I don't know how he was created, but he's so high. in my estimation, since a brain. Yeah. How did he do that?
Pete Turner 58:14
One of my musical scholars, a guy named Robert Greenberg. He teaches people about just, you know, literate music, written music, you know, like Bach and Beethoven, Wagner. And he was saying that Beethoven was writing music for the piano, but the piano didn't exist like so he was riding on a 67 key keyboard could be and he was like, but there's music over here. I know it's a he wrote music for an instrument. That's where he that's how good his brain was. He was able to think another generation danza
Unknown Speaker 58:45
pianos. Marvelous. Yeah. And think he he had to do it all being deaf. Yeah, yeah. But in the mornings when I wake up, I hear the horror or sometimes like a man just some Yeah, try memory from when I slept, you know? Yeah. I'm gonna get them to give you something. Okay? Yeah. Okay. I'm sorry. No, you get a little tired.
Pete Turner 59:11
Yeah, me too. Well, let's just wrap it up. So let me just say this first off your treasure and if no one tells you that every day that it's a shame you are in your, your book is called Sammy. nestico of a gift.
Sammy Nestico 59:24
Oh, no, it's called the gifts of music. Right? I'm just saying you're the okay. Yeah. nestico This is just this. This is a story. These are stories about my life. Yeah. And the gift. Yeah, you know, and again, you're the people I met. Yeah, you know, the movie people everybody that I work with Bing Crosby. Yeah, you know, that story. Now that other one. Yeah, it is really?
Pete Turner 59:50
Yeah.
Sammy Nestico 59:50
Well the complete arranger. Yeah, that's I even made the pages with heart The margins, so I could make the notes bigger. Right? And there are examples in there. And then open it up for you sure. Look in the back, back page. This is the way in the back of the book. No, keep going. Keep going, Oh, that's what's in the book. Yeah, you can read. You can hear it. Yeah. And see it to see the and that's the way I learned a lot. I would listen to Tommy Dorsey, or Beethoven or whoever, and get it to score and look and see what he did. Yeah. And that's what I taught at the University of Georgia. See, it's just music. But every one of those are recorded on that CD in the back so that we can all listen and see what see what the notes are.
Pete Turner 1:00:54
Yeah. So if you got a young composer in the house, you buy this book. This is the Bible.
Sammy Nestico 1:00:59
Right? So Bible. That's exactly
Pete Turner 1:01:01
who is.
Unknown Speaker 1:01:02
Let me go. Let me see something. Sure. There's a tool called Spring is here. I want to show you what I think springs up. All right, let's do it. See, but I cannot find it all this music. Yeah. To find anything I would love you to hear. When I and you hear it. You'll say what is that? Yeah, yeah, expression. That's my idea spring.
Pete Turner 1:01:32
Well, listen, thanks for coming on the show. Yeah,
Sammy Nestico 1:01:35
yeah. And it grows. I'm so sorry that I couldn't give you more time. But I'll come back and we can do some more. Please. Let's do it waiting
Pete Turner 1:01:45
for this time right now. Thank you so much. Okay.
Unknown Speaker 1:54
this is this is Jordan. Dexter from the offspring naked me Sebastian youngsters, Rick, Marotta This
Unknown Speaker 2:00
is AndySummers Scott Baxter, Gabby Reese, Rob belly. T
Jon Leon Guerrero 2:04
his is Jon Leon Guerrero
Pete Turner 2:05
and this is Pete a Turner.
Sammy Nestico 2:10
This is Sammy nestico. I'm an arranger, arranger composer. You're gonna be listening to the Brigid down
Niko Leon Guerrero 2:19
and now the break it down show with john Leon Guerrero and Pete a Turner.
Pete Turner 2:25
That's right, Sammy. nestico is 95 years old, has worked with everybody in the industry to include Tommy Dorsey and Quincy Jones.
Sammy Nestico 2:37
has worked well I don't have to say that.
Pete Turner 2:40
Yeah, well but but but it's this is your legacy. I mean, you are you break it down show.
Sammy Nestico 2:46
Yes.
Pete Turner 2:47
The break it down show you wrote a book called The gift of music.
Unknown Speaker 2:53
And the gift of music is this little book here. The big book. See, this is the little one.
Pete Turner 3:05
This is just now the big book is
Unknown Speaker 3:12
see that big black book their blue book? Yes, teeth. But the fourth one, that's it. That's
Pete Turner 3:21
all the complete arrangers is your head set text book, right? That's the one that how many countries is that used in?
Sammy Nestico 3:30
All over the world around the world? This is just stories. You know
Pete Turner 3:34
what, that's a text. Well, it struck me that you're writing about the gift of music but you are the gift from music. Hey, this is Dave Turner from the break it down Show checking in real quick to ask you this. JOHN Scott and I all support save the brave with our time, our location, our effort and our money. Each month we give a small amount. Do the same with us go to save the brave.org click on the donate tab, pick up amount that you want to come out of each month, and they will handle all the rest. I stand behind these folks. Thank you so much. Let's get back to the show. Well, it struck me that you're writing about the gift of music, but you are the gift from music.
Unknown Speaker 4:14
Oh, thank you. Well, the gift. Yeah, I'm thinking about me so much is the gift of?
Pete Turner 4:23
Well, I'm thinking about it because you're right. You're not supposed to say okay, but after working for sure, however many years since you were 13. You said you realize
Sammy Nestico 4:34
when you look back,
Pete Turner 4:37
just the body of work. 10 years before you were born, the Lincoln Memorial was first. Big on like, that's how far back your history goes.
Unknown Speaker 4:45
And I'm doing some music that was written 10 years before I was born in 1940. Yeah. And I fell in love with it. When I when I grew up. I said falling in love with the music.
Pete Turner 5:01
When I think about a 10 year gap like 10 years before I was born Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens and the big they died at 59. I was born in 70. It's still fresh and adults minds. I could just happen the other day.
Sammy Nestico 5:14
Yeah. Isn't that isn't it something right?
Pete Turner 5:18
Yeah, I have no connection to it.
Unknown Speaker 5:20
I had such Oh, I was how these kids today and no different than I was right. They hear something and they fall in love with it. And they, they're like, they asked the right questions. You know, they, they are numbered with music. And that's the way I was born. I was in the swing era. Yeah. And you turn on your radio that was America's music. Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Woody Herman, Duke, Ellington, Count Basie, all these different bands. And that was America's music at that. So was a great way to grow up.
Pete Turner 6:03
When you found music and sounds like swing is your home, like that's
Unknown Speaker 6:07
where Yeah, it's my. Okay. I see even swing, even Glenn Miller in the move to tenor saxophone for Peru Ba ba ba ba. Some guy, text panic is playing what so called jazz. Yeah, he wasn't real good jazz, but he was playing jazz. Yeah. And I work with Charlie Barnett my first record and he did the Cherokees, skyliner all those things. And it was a real. He was the first white band that was like Duke Ellington. So it was a real jazz, like then most of them were on the edge, you know?
Pete Turner 6:50
Yeah, somewhere. You so your history. I don't want to a lot of this stuff's available. Everybody should listen to all of the things that you've talked about online because it is fascinating to me that a lot of the people that moved you Glenn Miller, Glenn Dorsey, all these you've worked for a lot of these guys. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 7:11
I was just a boy. You know, growing up in Pittsburgh 13 years old. I joined the all of our high school fan Concert Band. Within a few years, I knew what I wanted to be the rest of my life. I just was enamored. I fell in love with music. We had a nice high school band yellow like that. The bands we have today. they tolerate jazz, they didn't want jazz in the schools. And later on that came about but it was just wonderful to be a part of the what I call the two team sport. The two teams Sport because everybody's in there with the same goal in mind to make this music so we're all listening to one another. Yeah. Isn't that wonderful? Yeah, we listed the winner. We learn from one another. And, and just being part of the, the core, or part of the motif for the bands playing, you know, it's it was just wonderful. I fell in love with music. And I've worked so hard. I practice so hard to to to overcome the difficulties.
Pete Turner 8:40
What did you play in the band? I played trombone. Let me ask you about this. And I'm gonna turn this thing up. Yeah, because this is already recording. It occurred to me that your music predates the electric guitar.
Sammy Nestico 8:53
Oh, yeah. So
Pete Turner 8:54
the trombone could be a soloing instrument. That's not the Bolero Tommy Dorsey. What is That the chairman
Unknown Speaker 9:00
Dorsey made it a solo instrument. Yes, the golden trombone of Tommy Dorsey. And he's called and drum bone. Well up until that time I was bop bop bop bop ba. Papa Papa, papa, papa papa. That was kind of a Ragtime. Yeah. And then Tommy Dorsey come on and play this real pretty thing. Like a cello. Like it was. So it was the breath. It was the breath equivalent of cello playing, you know, in that register. And he played so gorgeous. And I fell in love with this. They handed me a trombone at all over high school said, You're not the first trombone to sit in the back.
Pete Turner 9:47
Yeah. Okay. So how does a young trombone player I mean, you read music, but you're here Tommy Dorsey. Can you see that is by field but I did
Unknown Speaker 9:57
that all by ear. Yeah, that's what I wanted. By all these 78 record, some of them were used jukebox right, they, but they were the and I could get those. I think I my mom gave me $1 every two weeks or something and I put 70 cents. I could buy these old juke. So I would play them. And when I played them I put my ear down. I could tell where Tommy was on the trombone, which position really then I, I study, and later on, I prayed with Tommy Dorsey. And I said, Tommy, you gave me lessons. Yeah, he didn't know that. I said, Yeah, you gave me lesson. And I said, I learned this from you and song.
Pete Turner 10:48
It was wonderful. I know Tommy Dorsey was cool. I know the music was cool, but was playing trombone cool. It was it sought after.
Unknown Speaker 10:56
Yeah, I think I think so. Yeah, it's a it's a different thing. Looking into men of course, and it does impress valve. So you have to have a pretty good ear like like a violin. Yeah see a violin presses. There's no frets, like on the guitar has frets showed you where to put your fingers were violins cellos the string fan, right? They don't have that. The same with the trombone. It's aside and you you finally get your ear. knowing where to put that side to get to. Yeah. I love it. I love it. I just love I still to this day. Just like I was when I was a little boy. Yeah, I just love music. It touches me so much. I watch a movie sometimes and tears come to my eyes. I said boy, the composer the underscore. Hey, did what was necessary. Yes, he enhanced the picture. Yeah made me cry.
Pete Turner 12:02
Yeah. It's true though the right note at the right time, I was thinking on the way over, I was listening to Tommy Dorsey play. I'm sentimental over you. Everybody knows that. So even if you don't know, everybody knows it.
Unknown Speaker 12:15
Everybody orders. Yeah. Thank you. And then of course, there were the Harry James at one time, was the greatest trumpet player in the world, right. He was a trumpet player with Goodman, and then it became his own band had Gene Krupa. I played with I suck with G group. He played he played with Who the hell was it? He played with my I forget. I'm getting old. But those fellows all started their own band. Yeah. And it was wonderful to all of us. And the drama talented people.
Pete Turner 12:57
Sure. Today's How many different
Unknown Speaker 13:03
attitude about it? Yeah, approach to it, you know, synthesize, digital, and synthesize. But in those days, it was all.
Pete Turner 13:14
Yeah. One of the interviews I listened to with you, and I primarily listen to music as I prepared for you, because that's what you were made from. But I still wanted to get an understanding and you talked about how today's music isn't as melodic. It's rhythmic, but the melody and those things are missing for years. See, there's melody, rhythm, harmony and rhythm. melody, harmony and rhythm.
Sammy Nestico 13:39
Yeah, that's mostly what. And I'm always thinking malarious Tchaikovsky. Even Stephen Foster. Yeah, America's still doing Oh, Susanna. Yeah, that's amazing. Sound racist. Because you could remember the melody so It was just wonderful today you'll get a synthesizer sound, but it doesn't move air, like the bovard string moves to you, you know, so it's a different feeling. Some of the records today sound a little too. Perfect. Yes, you know, the synthesizer. Whereas in the old days, in fact, when I worked at time live, I had to copy some of the old records and we did with new recordings. This was in 1970. Okay, I worked on there for quite a while with Billy man, we were doing time life series, all these old tunes. We were bringing him back in high fidelity. Yeah. So they were you know, the string side is so different. In LA live Yeah, rather Then synthesizer. I like, you know,
Pete Turner 15:03
I'm with you. We do a lot of talk about music quite a bit on the show. Sure. And one of the things you can hear like when someone has a really loose and funky baseline like not only is the time loose, but also the strings are really loose. Yeah. And you can it's too perfect though. Like that's supposed to be dirty, rotten music like live and
Unknown Speaker 15:24
perfect. Some of the old old breweries way back with Billie Holiday and, you know, way back with the early black band, yeah, they weren't clean at all, but they had that feeling. They had that jazz feeling it came from their soul and you felt that
Pete Turner 15:46
but it's a lot of the older instruments like a trombones and old sure, but the pipe organ as well. You can play sounds out of your pipe working on your keyboard but it will not move the room The air is like a grand pipe. Yes,
Unknown Speaker 16:01
the synthesizer has its place. Yeah, what I do I add the synthesizer to the regular orchestra because it gives me a shower colors right that aren't in regular instruments. So I add them, but I don't depend on synthesizers sounds completely to imitate because some of the imitations, I hate synthesizer trumpet, yeah synthesize saxophone some just thought, Well,
Pete Turner 16:38
if you we've had I don't know if you know Mick Gillette, but he is like a champion of the Trump the trumpet for years and years. He played with Tower of Power. He's, he's passed on, but he was one of those remarkable people that could just play it and he knew the song book. He could look at it once and he just knew it. And he said, Yeah, when you have live horns, they will pin you to the back of the room. You can avoid that.
Sammy Nestico 17:00
You can avoid. And I tell the kids that Trump is the president of a band. Yeah, he's got the melody, that first trumpet player. So we listen, listen. And then you blend it to music. Yeah. I never get tired of talking. Because I'm still a kid with music. I love it like I go. I've gone to so many high schools and colleges. And this little semi I said this little Sam a bear. At the way I feel about the kids, you know,
Pete Turner 17:38
yeah, for sure. I mean, you're, you're passing on this gift.
Sammy Nestico 17:41
Yeah.
Pete Turner 17:43
I think the big bands stop touring prominently. It used to be there was a big brand and every big scene and big cities were smaller than two. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 17:51
And they at one time, of course, they were they were the American music right and then little by little and then Back in I remember I started publishing, I think in 1960. So I went to a liberal, liberal town up in New York called delavan. And there was a small, there's still there. canadore music. And we start doing today what he called the, the head of the company called stage bands. It's a jazz band on stage. Yeah. So I wrote for those, and they start picking up in the schools, like them, and little by little all over the world. All over the world. I said, Wow, we're starting something all Yeah, back again. Yeah. So that's what a lot of us here today.
Pete Turner 18:50
When did you know you could make money for the rest of your life playing music I mean, I
Unknown Speaker 18:54
never thought about money. I just kept thinking, some kid up and our scotch Somewhere is playing my turn and Sam for this is nice yeah and and what happens is you don't think about money but it comes in when you're writing quality. If you really quality good is good. Good is good. Yeah and I that's all I thought about and the money came to then money start coming Of course I start publishing my own company been out of the I have a big printing press there and boy we we were pretty successful yeah and it does make some money
Pete Turner 19:40
yeah it's you guys have to look at sammys career and you will be gobsmacked because you've worked with Wiseman I could do this all day long wisemen la Frank Sinatra, blah blah blah all down the line.
Unknown Speaker 19:53
Isn't that wonderful, isn't it? Right? Yeah. And when I was with him, I tried not to stay at all. You know, just doing the job, you know, I, and I like working with it. I want to show them I'm working for these people. This artist, maybe for the first time, so I want to impress them on how good I'm writing. I want to paint pictures. I want to paint pictures behind if he's singing, how deep is the ocean Somewhere over the rainbow? I want to paint a picture of that in my music. And there's ways to do that then Hollywood does it all the time.
Pete Turner 20:34
Yeah, describe how that works.
Sammy Nestico 20:36
Sure, Fank Sinatra with Nelson riddle, that when he sins Let me see how deep is the ocean or whatever. And and Nelson riddle paints his beautiful picture. You know, and the listener feels he's caught in that, in that. They they attracted I like this. I like the whole idea of writing arrangers for singers. Yeah. Because they have lyrics that need to expose. And you don't overdo your music. You'll you'll you'll ruin the tune. You have to support rather than take over. If it's a bull course, you know. Yeah, that's what I tried to do.
Pete Turner 21:24
I think when you're saying that I'm thinking about Bolero and how simple that is. not escape that hook. You know?
Sammy Nestico 21:32
Yeah. It's just
Pete Turner 21:34
Oh, yes. It's perfect. It's not big. And it's just 22 minutes. And in that simple snare, yeah. Oh, and you'll sing it for us.
Unknown Speaker 21:44
Yeah, that's wonderful, isn't it? Yeah. Look at the and then sometimes, you could start the background
Pete Turner 21:56
the duty at the TV Good Men, Gene Kelly sing singing in the rain. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 22:06
That's the background. And it continues as he brings the tune in. Isn't that a cue that there is? He started saying insane and no rain. Yeah, that's wonderful. So there's all kinds of little gimmicks you can use to make it attractive. For the listener.
Pete Turner 22:25
It seems like when I think about I'm sentimental over you, and how it's lush, it's, it's not big, but it's it feels up. And it actually now over time, decades later, it's become a bit of a time machine where it takes you right to that moment and I want to be in that big band. I don't just feel it I transport if you allow yourself to if that makes sense.
Unknown Speaker 22:49
That reminds me some of the kids say boy, I wish we were back though. Talking about I wish I was back there when it was third third era. Yeah, you know, the swing air. Wow, what a nice. I'd go on the weekends every Saturday in Pittsburgh, they hit the Stanley theater to show movies. And then they would take a break about an hour to hour and put the stage but the bands coming and they would play on stage. Yeah. I'm sitting there completely enraptured. Listening to the, and finally I get it up on the stage. Yeah. So
Pete Turner 23:29
what Yeah, how many times did you pinch yourself and go, I'm actually doing this.
Unknown Speaker 23:33
Yeah, I'm actually doing what I used to. When I was a little boy. I was hooked. Yeah, how wonderful. And then, some of the artists that I work with. Were very nice. They're just nice people. I remember this one time, I went to the backstage of the theory that I used to see on Saturday. See, the bands are Faith and the musicians are falling up. And I went up to this one fellow and I said, Hi, he was a trumpet player, fourth trumpet player with a horse I, and I am a deuce myself. And I said something about music either what some dumb thing I must have said. And he said, kid, I don't have much time. He looked at his watch. He said, Come with me. And we went across the street, and he bought me apple pie and cough in the milk. Yeah, you know, and bought me that and I went home said, Mom, you keep telling me the musicians are bad. He wasn't drinking. We were drinking milk and pie. So Father Teller, but this nice fella did. Yeah. So when I do things for people, I think about him. I think about what he did for me. And that means a lot to Kids. Yeah, it means a lot. Their hero is just an ordinary guy who loves music like they do. And can talk very easily. Yeah. I love all. I love the whole mix.
Pete Turner 25:18
It is an important thing. I go back every year to my high school. And I talked to the kids who were me 30 plus years ago now and I tell them I'm like, if you want to make music, you can. Maybe you don't make money at it. But you can make music. You know, and if you get lucky, you do make music. You do get paid. But you can do it. You can do it.
Unknown Speaker 25:40
Yeah, it's amazing. Then I said, Maybe I'd like to try to write a couple of things. Right? Well, I was a Trump bonus. So I booked everything for Trump. And then little by little I started adding some instruments. And I remember some of the parts and it's pretty good Sam But you know, here Yeah, so this I learned from doing by making mistake Yes. I call it the hit Miss hit Miss style, you know. So I never had private lessons on writing right I did on trombone, but not all righty. Yeah, I just did those on my
Pete Turner 26:23
long is the list of composers that right from the trombone for the strap. How many of you are there? It can't be me anymore.
Unknown Speaker 26:32
Wow. Now some river was a trombone was Billy May. I was a trombone. Yeah. And we're writers. Yeah, I think because you have to respect that notes. They don't come that easy. They are blue. So we became pretty good arrangers. Yeah. And there are I think I used to say that trombonist make good Rangers I love the idea of a string choir. Sure, you know, the strings are woodwinds, clarinet flutes, or how sweet Yeah, how tender. You can make things. Or you can make things bold with the brass, you know. And I love the French horn sound. Yes. Okay, good. It's classy. Yes. It's classy. You hear the French horns in the movies? Especially the western movies. Yeah. Sure, over everything. Yeah. What classical found
Pete Turner 27:34
when I think about French horns and the master of the maestro's of those I think of john Williams.
Unknown Speaker 27:39
Oh, isn't he what I work with john, did you Yeah. He called me up to do some things for when he was the director of the Boston Pops. And he called me up to do things like Chicago. He was doing our summer show or something. And then little by little asked me to orchestrate things. Yeah. So I work with a boy He is my favorite. Yeah, he's my favorite Hollywood musician. Yeah, he is. And what a nice person. He's very soft spoken. And so talented god he would. We heard that Indiana Jones and Star Wars. All those are marvelous.
Pete Turner 28:26
Just wonderful. A lot of his music he'll take from 6070 years ago and, and almost like modern times will sample a bit of somebody you know.
Unknown Speaker 28:35
Yeah. And he has that sound. Yeah. He puts together with the orchestra. Yeah, that's his john William. Yeah, sound you know,
Pete Turner 28:45
what's the Sammy sound?
Sammy Nestico 28:48
That's hard. I like I like big, fat brass. I love that song. Especially for jazz. Because Basie Tom Basie had that big ensemble, and I would wait until his piano solos were over. And when I would go from that, like piano solo to the big breath, oh what a sound Yeah. And they swung you know and the breast voice for trumpets, four trombones and by sextuple or praying that big sound I would say this my, but I love tender things through done some very nice string tender things that I've been asked to write a record movie theme idea that Andre Castilla recorded some of the things that I have written, taken from the movies were like those. They were nice. I have records of them. So I've given to you if you'd like. Sure, somewhere
Pete Turner 30:01
Back to my question What else me sound What do you think it is? Are you I mean big fat horns. I think
Unknown Speaker 30:06
I love the big, the big swinging song of Tom Bay.
Pete Turner 30:11
What does that mean? I mean, because why
Sammy Nestico 30:12
else we did everybody take it's an ensemble. Okay, so everybody at once just sin orchestration but everybody playing Tootie but they're not all playing the melody. They're playing harmony parts and everything and you get that big bets up and you get a rhythm section is swing and right figures. That swing for the answer, man. Yeah, I can hear it. Did you see something happening? It's just not a bunch of notes on paper, right? You're making Music and that's what I'm trying to do.
Pete Turner 31:03
Have you ever heard the term of the genre new jack swing? No, it was more of an urban sound from the early 90s. And it's distinct and I always wondered if they go together but I guess we won't find that out here.
Sammy Nestico 31:17
Yeah.
Pete Turner 31:19
When you think about the best you've ever done Sammy at his best, what songs come to mind that you've done or
Unknown Speaker 31:31
I've done some really big overtures and so on. You know, I did something called the swing bike collection, said a symphonic swing phonic, right I use the symphony orchestra and a jazz band at the same time. Yeah, play is one. We recorded those a newer but I have to pretty Hollywood Types these two themes, the one that caught the last set I like but because he had such a great orchestra and a great conductor, because he, I think I did from the movie, it's my turn. I did a real I'll give it to you. And you get an idea of what, what? That was one of my son and I think it touches your heart. Yeah. You know, I'm trying to make the harp and the announcements talk to you know, and my wife, and dn they say, I can tell you it because you, you touch us with your music and I tried it. Of course. It takes your heart you give your heart when I wrote to moraine Sam, that was a mine. I ended up in the United States Marine Corps. It worked at the White House, under Kennedy. Awesome. And President I wrote some things that I wrote the Marines him there I remember someone said it touched my heart well that said that that's what I was intended to say and how you put this tune and what you surround that with. What key do you put it? Put it I low, slow bad. Say,
Pete Turner 33:26
yeah, you're making me think. Yeah john Philip Sousa music still works
Unknown Speaker 33:32
I he's a march King, right. He's a mark. Yeah Tikka Tikka bop, bop, bop, bop bop. Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba. Yeah. That isn't what I was after. But I did write for that Concert Band. Yeah, but I tried to make it almost sound like an orchestra. Yeah, you can't because there's no structure guys
Pete Turner 33:56
are writing for the same group of players.
Unknown Speaker 34:00
Yes. Good musicians. Yeah, boy. When the musicians I said, Boy, you're making me sound good.
Pete Turner 34:09
I want to say this to the audience that can understand what I'm saying is that the march King, the person who's as famous as you can be, as a musician, wrote music for the same group of players Sammy did and they approached it differently. He wrote more of an orchestral kind of thing. Yes, he wrote a march.
Sammy Nestico 34:26
Yeah,
Pete Turner 34:26
that's remarkable already. Hey, this is Pete a Turner from lions rock productions. We create podcasts around here and if you your brand or your company want to figure out how to do a podcast, just talk to me. I'll give you the advice on the right gear. The best plan is show you how to take a podcast that makes sense for you. That's sustainable. That's scalable and fun. Hit me up at Pete at breakdown show com Let me help I want to hear about it. What I'm saying is that the march King the person who's as famous as you can be as a musician, wrote music for the same group of Players Sammy did and they approached it differently. He wrote more of an orchestral kind of thing. Yes. He wrote a march. Yeah, that's remarkable already. I mean, again, in a live full of remarkable moments. Yeah. I'm wondering if traditional instruments, trumpet, clarinet, all these things that would be in a symphony. Does that music have longer legs maybe than modern music as modern music seems to evolve so fast?
Sammy Nestico 35:27
I don't know. I think it's all permanent. You know? Yeah. I can't give you a good answer there. But there's, there's some old music. I remember writing some I went to the colonel. I said, I have something I want to write. For trumpets. Yeah. To feature trumpets for your concert. And he like fast music say, he said, Well, ho w's it go? I said, technotrekker Hey. I'm singing all these notes at Tonmy's playing sorry. And he liked it. It was called Brassman's holiday. Yeah. So it was nice. I love it. Yeah. And the Britain boy that they Trump is standing up front and the people in the audience love seeing all of them. Yeah. So
Pete Turner 36:33
one of the trumpet players that I mean like you're saying you calling it you know, brass bands holiday when they come up and talk to you. They gave
Unknown Speaker 36:38
it up planet because now they're showing off. Yeah, you know, it's part. I love being a part of a trombone choir, right. Oh, I think so mellow trombones are so pretty. Yeah, can be pretty bold. Yeah. Bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop. General Zod Yeah, so I can do I love Trump. I love my instrument. trombone, but there's so many gorgeous instruments in the orchestra. And you find a way to have them talk and combine them. Combine them, sometimes two separate instruments playing the same line becomes a new sound. Yeah, see an English horn. Playing with a clarinet. It's gonna sound a lot different than a clarinet or language, because it's a combination. Yeah, so that's what I call orchestration. Okay, you take the instruments and you orcas re orchestrate them. Yeah, to give you a sound. If you want a haunting, sad, or haunting or humorous sound, maybe a Piccolo playing with the bassoon. pyrrha bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop. That might be humorous. Or you can you make sad news, what does it call for? What do you want your music to say? You know, is it going to be romantic? Brilliant. Is it going to be motivate you, you know, for a march like or something or a fanfare? So that's what we're looking at. We're not looking at music. What can I do? What does this music have to say to the audience?
Pete Turner 38:32
What about instruments like the guitar like Yeah, man, Monica, where it's so specific to the player? I mean,
Sammy Nestico 38:41
yeah, yeah, that it. See. So there, you're really featuring your love this instrument, and you like the way this guy or the girl can play it. So you've written sometimes I start a vocalist instead of starting with your Sir, just a vocalist and one guitar and the guitar arpeggiate Yeah, and classical good writer, Rob PEGI at sea. That's a nice sound. Yeah, it's a quiet pretty. When the bossa nova Yes. about that. Oh, what a beautiful those things that what's his name they did was so beautiful. I love them they're there are my I touch. I listened to the one I'm going for my walks and how they guitar blends in perfectly for that. That kind of idiom. Yeah the capacitor Nova. Oh, I love it. And the rhythm is so quiet. You know. And with brushes. Yeah, and on the drum and the bass. Boom, boom, boom. It's wonderful. So you can set moves no matter what, what do I want to say with this? Or this has been written so many times. People are tired of it. I want to give it a new suit of clothes. Yeah, I'm gonna give this a blue suit.
Pete Turner 40:19
Yeah, you know, it's you composers are brilliant because I was I was the other day I was at a orchestra. And I'm trying to think of who the guy was. But it was the last piece of music he wrote, you might be able to think of it with me here. And he part of his movement. He had a waltz movement, because that's what it was. But it was written in five, six. So it's got this. And it was supposed to be it's beautiful, but yet it's kind of ugly because of this five, six time like, yeah,
Sammy Nestico 40:47
yeah. So it was it was off me.
Pete Turner 40:50
That's what it was Tchaikovsky uses last Symphony. Yeah. And everything's off a little bit. And it's like it's a struggle with life and he's putting into his music, because who writes something in five cents.
Sammy Nestico 41:00
I know nobody, right? Yeah. But yes, I sometimes I've taken things that may jazz waltzes out of a 442. You know, right. And cheek to cheek.
Pete Turner 41:14
Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 41:15
And it's still pretty long melodies, but the rhythm is GG, GG, GG. I love that. Yeah. And that then you can give her a whole new rhythmic treatment or harmonic treatment that depends on what do I want to say, with this?
Pete Turner 41:37
How long has it been since you've used something that's not in your wheelhouse, like a few or maybe like a line or something like that? How often do you do that? Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 41:46
I, I do it when it's once in a while, because I will say this should be, let's say the theme and then write a counter theme against it. And now we're we're back in the Palace palestrina or Bach? Yeah, you know, with a counterpoint. And they think Bach was a genius. Yeah. And it's nice to hear something counterpoint instead of saturation, everything saturated. Now all you have is two lines. Yeah. And each one is important. And they'll play that simultaneously. I think it's a nice idea.
Pete Turner 42:27
If you had Bach sitting next to Count Basie in today's time, would they still be I mean, they would still be musical geniuses, right? It is. Yeah, women.
Sammy Nestico 42:38
What was there was Basie plays everything in let me say it. It's gonna sound like 12 a 1234222 Where's Bach where big plan, believing deed to leave a good Read a book by Zig see,
Pete Turner 43:02
yeah.
Sammy Nestico 43:05
Bassey is funny. He he sits there and you don't even know he's working. And he, he has. I think he was born with radar and a speed. Yeah, he has with him. That's just a natural thing with him. See, and everybody doesn't have that. But he has that style. And that band is sounds like one. They all but they all play the same feeling. Nobody's a star. Yeah. all by himself. It's all that we're all playing together. Yeah. I like that idea. I wrote for Woody Herman. I play with Woody Herman. So there was some other jazz bands that were real good. Yeah. Different the basic. I loved what he Herman's band,
Pete Turner 43:58
do you like a tight band or Loose band.
Unknown Speaker 44:04
I think a tight band, although the black bands play real loose, yeah, you know, loose with everything. But it sounds right. Everything sounds right. Yeah, I love that that field that's but Basie it.
Pete Turner 44:20
We had Sly Stone on the show. Yeah. And he wrote that song hot fun in the summertime. Yeah, nobody cares when they show up in that song. It is because it's hot. And it's fun. It's summer and it's just like, the time is what it is for that person because it's too hot to get there on time.
Unknown Speaker 44:39
I think if I'm doing an album for a young lady, I find out what's changed. She wants to do this lady. She wanted all torch what we call towards soon yeah, they're real sad. My man left me and it's so You've got to find something to fit that, but you can't be. It depends on the tempo. Yeah. Normally normally that would not be a bad tempo. And I did them with that. And we had strings horns, woodwinds. Oh, what a lovely orchestra. Yeah, I could make beautiful music with those strings or the word one. Yeah.
Pete Turner 45:27
So, did you get a chance to work with Henry? Manzini?
Sammy Nestico 45:32
What about Henry? I liked him.
Pete Turner 45:34
Did you get to work with him ever or no,
Unknown Speaker 45:35
never got to work with him. One time I prayed for him. I prayed ahead and we pray that one of the jazz seminars. I liked Henry. You know, he grew down the the highway from where I did. Oh, no, him. Yeah. How was the north side Pittsburgh, right near the Ohio River. Yeah, and if you take the Ohio River Oh, 3040 miles. Aliquippa. hambridge that's what he was, huh. And he started off some of the guys I did. Yeah. He started off. Max agins so he was, I thought he brought a new level. It's new kind of music. You know, they wrote dramatic music in those days. Yeah, but he brought it with Henry man seanie flavor. He is based on truth. No one ever used. Yeah, he's the different organ orchestration Yeah. based out of flutes and stuff. And, you know, one time
Pete Turner 46:40
you have to wait, hold on, you have to really be fearless to grab these other instruments in these other tones like a bass sax is kind of scary, but a bass flute has kind of been hard, the whole whole wonderful,
Sammy Nestico 46:54
I have someone on my my arrangement. I'll play for you. Yeah, what happened is what was his producer was married to? He was married. Who's that? famous singer? Anyhow? Yeah, talk on that bothers me about that forget. Yeah, cuz I know his name. He liked what Henry did. Yeah. So he hired Henry to do this new show, Peter gun. Yeah, it was a detective show. But he used a big fruit boo boo, and then alto flutes and different kinds of music. And yeah, he said, I'm gonna bring it to New York, and let the people in charge here what we've done with this, Peter gun. Yeah, they said we like the show, but we don't like the music. It's gotta go. He said, No, no, no, no, no, no, no, he said This is to all one that music stays cuz he liked that music. Henry gave it something fresh. And it was good. He won Grammys and Academy Awards. Yeah. And they didn't know the difference. They took Moon River out of Breakfast at Tiffany's that shows you what they know. Yeah. So anyhow, he said no, no. So there's a producer stuck up. Yeah. Is for what he did. And he's a No, no, it's all one
Pete Turner 48:33
word. And look what Henry Manzini doesn't mean he does the streets of San Francisco that theme song still cool to this day pop out. It sounds like cops.
Sammy Nestico 48:43
Yeah, wonderful.
Pete Turner 48:45
It's just like, and that's just one of his zillion songs. How much work did you do with TV themes?
Unknown Speaker 48:49
Very little, very little, but I liked Henry's Right. Yeah. And I knew them, but I didn't know a real close up. And that fighter only known as Pittsburgh. Yeah, we were that far away. Yeah. Yeah. And we even knew the same people. Yeah, I didn't. I didn't. I heard of them. But I didn't know.
Pete Turner 49:11
You did work with Quincy though. You guys together and every time
Unknown Speaker 49:14
I work with Quincy, a whole lot, yeah, I work with Quincy on the color purple and all kinds of recordings. Yeah, I have all the records and things I can give you. The material. I have the make sure we get to enough material. And it doesn't have to be forever. Wrong. Yeah. But it have to be little things that you hear. Yeah. What I've done with Quincy and Yeah,
Pete Turner 49:46
well, I mean, that's the when Quincy calls you to work with him. That's the ultimate award. That's part of that Grammy he's got Grammys
Unknown Speaker 49:55
sometimes quincies protected by so many people. Why Time. One time, I kept trying to get in touch with him and I don't do that too often, right? I don't call him too often. I tried to get in touch with them and they kept putting me up to see him. week or two later. I got a call from Quincy Jones office in Burbank there. And they said, Quincy wants to talk to you. I said, What are we going to talk about the weather? We're not going to talk about this soon because I wrote it already. Yeah. I've been trying to get in touch with you. You wouldn't let me talk to them. So we're not going to talk about if you want to me, but it's we're gonna talk about the weather. When I was angry, bad I was. You know what? It was so sweet said okay. calm.
Pete Turner 51:00
Yeah.
Sammy Nestico 51:01
And I, he called me and said, I want this. I want this tun to do the Africa.
Pete Turner 51:13
Yeah.
Sammy Nestico 51:13
He said, I wonder like Duke Ellington. I said, Okay. I can write that through counting that stuff. Yeah.
Pete Turner 51:20
Yeah.
Sammy Nestico 51:20
He put it up with electric rhythm. They recorded the rhythm part and sent me the rhythm. Yeah. And said, right, the arranger over this rhythm, right. I said, Quincy, this is a Duke Ellington. This is some contemporary rhythm section plan. Yeah. You know, which, how do you want that? You I can write it? Either way. You know? Yeah. See? It's what you're what you're after. He went to Duke Ellington that was a Duke Ellington electric piano.
Pete Turner 51:54
What did you guys end up with? And did you end up with Duke Ellington or
Sammy Nestico 51:57
Yeah, that no, I I did that with Believe it or not, with the electronic piano, but then we added the plunger trumpet, and some of the instruments. Yeah, that was the English. Like the British show, Don, why can't I remember name? singer? He was big.
Pete Turner 52:24
Yeah.
Sammy Nestico 52:24
And I did it. Right. Got a smattering of both. I use the electric rhythm, but I use that while while different instruments behind them. My wife would know who I'm talking about.
That's their job. They always know the things you're like, damn it. I mean, you're still writing music. You're sitting down playing with the keyboard now. Yeah, I'm not a keyboard player. Really? a trombone?
Pete Turner 52:49
Yeah.
Sammy Nestico 52:50
Yeah, I can bring up to
Pete Turner 52:53
but do you sit like in the backyard and like a
Unknown Speaker 52:55
pro sometimes getting a better idea with headphones. Sometimes or sometimes you're at the piano, right? And I hear the orchestra in the morning. I wake up hearing the orchestra. I've dreamed about some things. And I have good. I have great ears. Yeah. And I hear that night. I hear the orchestra. And sometimes I can write just listening to the orchestra in my head. Yeah. And writing it.
Pete Turner 53:29
I think I'm a bit of a failed composer myself, because everything to me is a song. I probably sing a song if my daughter was home when she's older, so I don't always see her. But I sing songs. They're just simple melodies like hey, it's Brenda. Brenda is the best. I do that stuff all the time. Yeah. And I think in a different lifetime, easily could have been that I would have been a composer because I just don't, I don't and I don't shut the melodies off. I just sing them out loud. And sometimes I don't realize I'm singing them out loud. Yeah, somebody's like, hey, that's a nice song. And I'm like, Oh, sorry.
Sammy Nestico 54:00
Yeah, I love
Pete Turner 54:03
it just there and you just, you just make it real from what's in your head.
Sammy Nestico 54:06
I love melody. Tchaikovsky was the greatest melody and Mozart beautiful melodies zero Beethoven. Beethoven. I'd like to fill to his wastebasket, find that what he threw away. I could learn a lot from his waiting
Pete Turner 54:27
span that weren't good enough for anybody modern resonate with you at all. Or when does your when does your musical timeline sort of like changed? I mean, obviously, you're not listening to mumble rap and things like that. But what modern music kind of sticks with you?
Unknown Speaker 54:45
I don't, I'm not modern, just for the sake of modern Yeah. So I don't even think in those terms. I'm sorry. Not sorry. Yeah. Is that to be said? I'm not thinking old. Music is the only music there's some good new things out there. Hey buddy How you doing? Over there? The English singer that Quincy and I wrote for dude rotten to you hear from me?
Pete Turner 55:17
Oh Phil Collins I
Unknown Speaker 55:20
wrote that one. And I wrote it with the electric. I have the record which song was electric rhythm, but with the well I like a prayer for you that is if I can find it there. We're having a pretty good conversation here is what about golden I forget?
Pete Turner 55:39
What about Gordon Goodwin?
Sammy Nestico 55:41
Gordon Goodwin is the well here's the best band in the world right now. Okay, I think the best bands are in the military really, but, but he has the best orchestra in the world right now. And he is fabulous. He doesn't Line himself up in a certain way. He writes content. He writes Gordon Goodwood. He writes his own. Yeah, you know, he really is singular, and that he doesn't write like, I model himself after. I think he is the best writer of all. I really like knowing him and listening to his music. And we talk from time to time. I have some of his stuff here. Yeah. Yeah.
Pete Turner 56:34
Well, I met you. We were at a president. Yeah. President's own band. Yeah. And then the maestro baton six Brian Dix was with us. I don't know how about, you know, Brian, but he ran the Commandant's band. Oh, yeah, time. And when they played your song, I want to make sure I said this to you before I forgot about it. Your song moved me. I mean, I was already in a great mood. I love live music and I love it. I struggled to hear things now because my ears have just been blown up so many times for more,
Sammy Nestico 57:03
thank you,
Pete Turner 57:04
but music like that it's at a pace that I can take. And I it just moves me and it was such a beautiful
Sammy Nestico 57:11
Oh, thank you.
Pete Turner 57:12
What did you write that?
Unknown Speaker 57:15
I don't remember what you did. Let me see what I have see what I got here.
Pete Turner 57:21
If I could bring back any of the old maestro's whether it's Count Basie or Bach, who do you want to sit in a room with and have a conversation?
Sammy Nestico 57:30
Either Beethoven or Mozart? Yet me
Pete Turner 57:35
Why?
Unknown Speaker 57:36
Because they're such genius. They are just talented. There's such genius. Mozart was such a genius and Beethoven. He has a variety everything that he does it so you know, I studied his music and just yeah He's, he's, I don't know how he was created, but he's so high. in my estimation, since a brain. Yeah. How did he do that?
Pete Turner 58:14
One of my musical scholars, a guy named Robert Greenberg. He teaches people about just, you know, literate music, written music, you know, like Bach and Beethoven, Wagner. And he was saying that Beethoven was writing music for the piano, but the piano didn't exist like so he was riding on a 67 key keyboard could be and he was like, but there's music over here. I know it's a he wrote music for an instrument. That's where he that's how good his brain was. He was able to think another generation danza
Unknown Speaker 58:45
pianos. Marvelous. Yeah. And think he he had to do it all being deaf. Yeah, yeah. But in the mornings when I wake up, I hear the horror or sometimes like a man just some Yeah, try memory from when I slept, you know? Yeah. I'm gonna get them to give you something. Okay? Yeah. Okay. I'm sorry. No, you get a little tired.
Pete Turner 59:11
Yeah, me too. Well, let's just wrap it up. So let me just say this first off your treasure and if no one tells you that every day that it's a shame you are in your, your book is called Sammy. nestico of a gift.
Sammy Nestico 59:24
Oh, no, it's called the gifts of music. Right? I'm just saying you're the okay. Yeah. nestico This is just this. This is a story. These are stories about my life. Yeah. And the gift. Yeah, you know, and again, you're the people I met. Yeah, you know, the movie people everybody that I work with Bing Crosby. Yeah, you know, that story. Now that other one. Yeah, it is really?
Pete Turner 59:50
Yeah.
Sammy Nestico 59:50
Well the complete arranger. Yeah, that's I even made the pages with heart The margins, so I could make the notes bigger. Right? And there are examples in there. And then open it up for you sure. Look in the back, back page. This is the way in the back of the book. No, keep going. Keep going, Oh, that's what's in the book. Yeah, you can read. You can hear it. Yeah. And see it to see the and that's the way I learned a lot. I would listen to Tommy Dorsey, or Beethoven or whoever, and get it to score and look and see what he did. Yeah. And that's what I taught at the University of Georgia. See, it's just music. But every one of those are recorded on that CD in the back so that we can all listen and see what see what the notes are.
Pete Turner 1:00:54
Yeah. So if you got a young composer in the house, you buy this book. This is the Bible.
Sammy Nestico 1:00:59
Right? So Bible. That's exactly
Pete Turner 1:01:01
who is.
Unknown Speaker 1:01:02
Let me go. Let me see something. Sure. There's a tool called Spring is here. I want to show you what I think springs up. All right, let's do it. See, but I cannot find it all this music. Yeah. To find anything I would love you to hear. When I and you hear it. You'll say what is that? Yeah, yeah, expression. That's my idea spring.
Pete Turner 1:01:32
Well, listen, thanks for coming on the show. Yeah,
Sammy Nestico 1:01:35
yeah. And it grows. I'm so sorry that I couldn't give you more time. But I'll come back and we can do some more. Please. Let's do it waiting
Pete Turner 1:01:45
for this time right now. Thank you so much. Okay.
