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Bill Finegan

Bill Finegan, an architect of the big band sounds of Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller later traded in commercial success to co-create the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, which produced music that still stands as some of the most experimental of the swing era. In 1938, Dorsey bought Finegan's score for "Lonesome Road" and played it for Miller, who offered the young arranger a job. Between 1938 and 1942 Finegan wrote more than 300 arrangements for Miller, including some of the band's biggest hits: the classic "Little Brown Jug," "Sunrise Serenade" and "Song of the Volga." Finegan also wrote arrangements for the films "Sun Valley Serenade" in 1941 and "Orchestra Wives" in 1942, and had begun a lifelong profession as a teacher. One of his students was Nelson Riddle, celebrated arranger for Frank Sinatra. "Bill's arrangements for Glenn [Miller] demonstrated that great originality and inventiveness are possible even within the restrictive confines of a highly stylized band, which the Miller Orchestra was," Riddle said in the book "September in the Rain: The Life of Nelson Riddle." When they met, Riddle was a young trombone player, intent on becoming a professional musician. Finegan encouraged him to leave the trombone behind and focus on writing. "I cared a lot about what I did, and I think I transferred that to Nelson," Finegan said in "September in the Rain." "I once saw a documentary on the artist Chagall. In it, Chagall said, 'Never say "That's good enough." ' That's what I think I taught him." Finegan worked intermittently for Dorsey and wrote arrangements for films in which the band appeared, such as Sun Valley Serenade (1941) and Orchestra Wives (1942). He then worked off and on for Tommy Dorsey from 1942 to 1952, including on the 1947 film The Fabulous Dorseys in 1947.He also wrote for bandleaders Horace Heidt and Les Elgart. But Finegan bristled at the restrictions placed on the writing by the industry and bandleaders. In 1952 he teamed with another leading arranger, Eddie Sauter, to create a band that would explore and expand the concept of the jazz orchestra. Time magazine called the group "the most original band heard in the United States in years." Their albums include "New Directions in Music," recorded in 1953, "The Sons of Sauter-Finegan" (1955) and "Adventure in Time" (1956). The band lasted about five years and became known for its rich harmonics, extraordinary voicing and varied instrumentation.

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Music Industry

Tommy Dorsey: The Postwar Years with Bill Finegan and Sy Oliver

Tommy Dorsey: The Postwar Years with Bill Finegan and Sy Oliver

Source: All About Jazz


179

Obituary

Bill Finegan Arranger for Dorsey, Miller Bands Dies

Bill Finegan Arranger for  Dorsey, Miller Bands Dies

Source: All About Jazz

ORIGINAL, INVENTIVE: Bill Finegan wrote more than 300 arrangements for Glenn Miller, including “Little Brown Jug," “Sunrise Serenade" and “Song of the Volga." Nelson Riddle was his student.

Bill Finegan, an architect of the big band sounds of Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller who later traded in commercial success to co-create the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, which produced music that still stands as some of the most experimental of the swing era, has died. He was 91. Finegan died Wednesday at a ...

175

Obituary

Bill Finegan, Arranger and Big-Band Leader, Dies

Bill Finegan, Arranger and Big-Band Leader, Dies

Source: Michael Ricci

Bill Finegan, who arranged hits for Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey and then formed a big band with Eddie Sauter, another legendary arranger, that was famed for skill, daring and very, very odd instruments, died on Wednesday in Bridgeport, Conn. He was 91.

The cause was pneumonia, said his son, James.

Arrangers, the largely behind-the-scenes masterminds of the big-band era, took compositions by bandleaders and others and refashioned them. Mr. Finegan heavily arranged Miller's first big hit, “Little Brown Jug," ...

115

Obituary

Bill Finegan, 1917-2008

Bill Finegan, 1917-2008

Source: All About Jazz

Bob Brookmeyer sent this message today:

Bill Finegan passed peacefully on today with his son James and his daughter Helen by his side. He was a hero, a dear friend and one of the most gifted arrangers we have ever had. Somewhere an orchestra sounds better.

Finegan was an arranger who gave Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Red Norvo, Ray McKinley and Tommy Dorsey some of their most substantial music. In 1952 he and Eddie Sauter formed the Sauter-Finegan ...

116

Performance / Tour

Gotham Wind Symphony Pays Tribute to Bill Finegan

Gotham Wind Symphony Pays Tribute to Bill Finegan

Source: All About Jazz

Gotham Wind Symphony, a 45-piece NY pro wind band, will pay musical tribute to Bill Finegan ahead of his 90th birthday. Monday, March 5 7:30 PM Margaret Wiiliams Theatre Hepburn Hall, NJCU Jersey City NJ 07305 Free Admission The tribute will feature the premier of Mr. Finegan's new concert march. Plus, Bill's music for the Sauter-Finegan, Mel Lewis, Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller bands. Also, music by Bill's teacher-Darius Milhaud, ...

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