21 June 2022

Richard Maltby Snr Musician Survival Tips – Phantom Dancer 21 Jun 2022

Greg Poppleton's Phantom Dancer swing jazz radio show

Richard Maltby Snr, trumpeter, band leader, composer, conductor and arranger is this week’s Phantom Dancer feature artist. He is most famous for his 1956 recording, “Themes from (the movie) The Man With The Golden Arm”.

The Phantom Dancer is your weekly non-stop mix of swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio and TV every week.

LISTEN to this week’s Phantom Dancer mix (online after 2pm AEST, Tuesday 21 June) and two years of Phantom Dancer mixes online at, at https://2ser.com/phantom-dancer/

RADIO & TV

Studying music at Northwestern University for a year, he left to tour the US as a trumpet player with dance bands including Little Jack Little’s, Roger Prypr and Bob Strong.

In 1940 he gave up the trumpet for writing, composing and conducting which he had been doing since writing for Benny Goodman’s Orchestra while it held its residency at the Congress Hotel Chicago in 1935.

He wrote ‘Six Flats Unfurnished’ recorded by Benny Goodman and one of Goodman’s biggest selling records.

He then came under the influence of Paul Whiteman who found him a job composing and arranging for the ABC Network.

Maltby wrote over 5,000 arrangements in many musical styles, including a threnody memoriam to John F Kennedy.

In 1954 is had a hit with ‘St Louis Blues Mambo’ for RCA_victor’s “X” label, later rebranded “Vik”.

In 1955, Maltby organized a 16-piece orchestra group and toured the US in a series of one-night stands. Many of his ”one-nighters” were at universities.

He also appeared for six week engagement at the Cafe Rouge of  the Statler Hotel In New York City.

Maltby also appeared on the Vaughn Monroe TV show in 1955 and theJackie Gleason – Paul Whiteman “Greatest Bands Show.” He was guest artist on “Star of the Day” on the Monitor radio show on NBC.

He and his orchestra have received such plaudits as “A sharp and imaginative crew” from The Billboard and, “One of the hottest instrumental artists,” from the New York Dally Mirror.

MUSIC SURVIVAL TIPS

In a 1965 Billboard article, Maltby explained that there weren’t enough ballrooms and live gig opportunities to sustain his 14-piece orchestra.

“The trick today is to be a maestro part of the week, while devoting the remaining weekdays to other types of musical endevours,” Maltby said.

So on the weekends, Maltby played college dates and other live shows with his orchestra (which for reasons of aesthetics he never went smaller than 14 pieces.). On weekdays he scored TV and radio jingles, produced independent albums, and scored for films.

“To handle this diverse work, one must be a competent composer-arranger,” Maltby noted.

Maltby established his own production company and publishing business.

He also entered into music education: publishing music books, giving music seminars, judging contests, and guest conducting orchestras.

In 1965, Maltby was the biggest contributor to the SESAC transcription library.

You’ll enjoy his swinging 16-piece band on this week’s Phantom Dancer is a 1958 broadcast from Washington DC.

His son, Richard Maltby Jr, is an American theatre director and producer, lyricist, and screenwriter. He conceived and directed the only two musical revues to win the Tony Award for Best Musical: Ain’t Misbehavin’ (1978: Tony, N.Y. Drama Critics, Outer Critics, Drama Desk Awards, also Tony Award for Best Director) and Fosse (1999: Tony, Outer Critics, Drama Desk Awards).

21 JUNE PLAY LIST