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Felix Slatkin Conducts Fantastic Percussion
Bob Thompson, Arranger, Composer click to enlarge

"When he made this record, Felix Slatkin had won two Grammy awards for classical conducting with the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra. Fantastic Percussion was his first and best popular record, primarily because he resisted drowning everything in strings. The war horses 'Caravan' and 'Night Train' are handled even better than the consistently pleasing other standards. The one original tune [Happy Hobo] is by none other than 'space-age bachelor' Bob Thompson. ~ Tony Wilds, All Music Guide."

Felix Slatkin's Fantastic Brass Marches the Blues
Bob Thompson, Arranger, Composerclick to enlarge

Another Slatktin record features Marching the Blues, scribed by Bob, a swinging version of John Philip Sousa.

Girl Singers

Julie London, Whatever Julie Wants
Bob Thompson, Arrangerclick to enlarge

She's dressed to kill and her voice does too! She was married to Jack Webb at the time. Went on to star as Nurse Dix on Emergency!.

The Andrews Sisters, The Capital Years
Bob Thompson, Arrangerclick to enlarge

Three arrangements on this album were provided by Bob.

Ruth Olay, various projects
Bob Thompson, Arranger click to enlarge

Bob arranged several projects for Ruth, a star who should have been: "Born in San Francisco, jazz singer Ruth Olay's family moved to Los Angeles when she was eighteen months old. Her father was a rabbi, her mother a singer. While still a teenager in the 1940s she sang with Benny Carter's great band. A major fixture of the Hollywood nightclub scene in the mid-1950s"--Bill Reed. Bob also composed songs for Olay with his writing partner, Alan Alch.

Thanks for Nothing
Bob Thompson, arrangerclick to enlarge

Conducted and arranged by Bob Thompson. Rosie is at her bitter and melancholy best on tracks like Black Coffee, and shows flexibility with some poppier numbers. It was re-released on CD in 2002 by Wounded Bird Records.

Clap Hands! Here Comes Rosie!
Bob Thompson, Composer and Arranger Click to enlarge

Her first solo album was orchestrated by Bob who tapped jazz greats Jimmy Rowles, and Bud Shank for these sessions. Includes: "Too Marvelous For Words" and "Makin' Whoopie!" Some of these tracks appear on the re-release Cocktail Rosie.

Judy Garland, Live at Carnegie Hall
Bob Thompson, Composerclick to enlarge

Bob composed special material for the song Anything But Love and I'm Confessin'.

Maureen O'Hara, Love Letters From...
Bob Thompson, Arrangerclick to enlarge


Includes: I Only have Eyes For You.

Exotic Projects

George Fields and His Orchestra, Harmonica Favorites (1959)
Bob Thompson, Composerclick to enlarge

Space age female vocals with virtuoso harmonica. A few tunes were penned by Bob, including "Left Bank Louie."

Katie Lee, Songs of Couch and Consultation
Bob Thompson, Arranger

click to enlargeWhen psychoanalysis became a mass phenomena, several songs-about-therapy albums were released, this one featuring Katie Lee. Includes: "Shrinker Man," and what would become the Buffalo Bills' Theme Song--"The Will to Fail." According to the All Music Guide, Katie Lee "was the darling of the New York crowd, singing outlandishly funny, and often bawdy uptown folk songs."

That Agency Thing: CBS Radio Sales Industrial Musical (195?)
Bob Thompson, Composer click to enlarge

This is an industrial musical starring Broadway stars who depict "Life at an Agency" where creative types, preppies, and admen work to create great advertising through the "new and exciting medium" of radio. Music is humorous and light hearted, moving from Three Penny Opera-type numbers to Broadway tunes and back again. Lyrics by Alan Alch and voices by Herschel Bernardi and Paul Frees, the man of a thousand voices.

Jerry Lewis, Jerry Lewis Just Sings
Bob Thompson and Alan Alch, Composersclick to enlarge

Candelabra Boogie, a Liberace satire, was written by Bob Thompson. To quote Sandra Bernhard, "I wanna get crazy, Jerry."

Mae West, The Fabulous Mae West
Bob Thompson, Arranger

Mae handed the lyrics of Criswell Predicts to Bob on a napkin, detailing her obsession with the Hollywood psychic who was later depicted in the film Ed Wood. He put music to it and later denied it. You'll hear this wacky song on WFMU. Mae went on to appear in an incorrect televised duet with Timothy Dalton.

Various, Premiere: The Top Motion Picture Stars of Hollywood Make Their Record Debut

click to enlargeChihuahua Choo Choo, Ricardo Monteblan;
Let's Dance, Let's Dance, Let's Dance Marge and Gower Champion singing their 1957 NBC sitcom theme song; Rita Moreno; Eve Arden; Debra Paget. This album is funny, classsy, and unique.

King Richard's Fluegel Knights: Just One of Those Songs Mrs. Robinson

click to enlarge

Other Gigs

Various, How The West Was Won
Bob Thompson, Arranger click to enlarge

A theme album that inspired the movie a few years later—vocals by Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney. Bob arranged a few tunes and is credited as "Tom Roberts."

GE Theater (TV)
Bob Thompson, Composer

Bob wrote music for episodes of this show, hosted by Ronald Reagan. He also composed one of its themes (#4), known as Symbol MT.

Hi Los, Love Nest click to enlarge

Bob composed the tune Fairyland on this record, later recorded by Elaine Dunn.

Duane Eddy, Twangy Guitar Silky Strings
Bob Thompson, Arranger click to enlarge

Hi-Lili Hi-Lo stands out in this easy listening masterpiece. Bob arranged Because They're Young (a top ten LP) and other Eddy records.

French Singers

Jacqueline Francois, Chansons de Charme & Mme. de Paris
Bob Thompson, Arranger click to enlarge

Aimer Comme je T'aime and Utrillo arranged by Bob.

Gloria Lasso, Manha de Carnaval

click to enlargeParfait Ne Changez Rien was composed by Bob.

60s and 70s Projects

Ron Elliot, Candlestickmaker (1969)
Bob Thompson, Arranger

Recently reissued by Collector's Choice music, this cult hippie classic, penned and performed by Ron Elliot (formerly of Beau Brummels) features a 14-minute(!) suite graced by a section of Bob's strings.

Roger Nichols, Small Circle of Friends
Bob Thompson, Arranger click to enlarge

"Don't Take Your Time" arranged by Bob. This album is 60s vocal pop at it's best—like Canadian happiness-peddlers Free Design.

Harpers Bizarre, The Secret Life of Harpers Bizarre
Bob Thompson, Arranger click to enlarge

I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise (arranged by Bob) is another example of 60s vocal ultra-pop. Take notice: Harpers Bizarre are NOT soft!

Van Dyke Parks, Various Projects
Bob Thompson, Arranger click to enlarge

Bob provided arrangements for songs on albums such as Discover America and The Clang of the Yankee Reaper.

Bing Crosby

Holiday In Europe
Bob Thompson, Composer and Arrangerclick to enlarge

Bob Thompson's composition, Moment in Madrid, (re-recorded as Les Baxter's Ruby Lips) appears on Bing Crosby's Holiday in Europe. Bob also worked with Bing on "Sing Along with Bing." When the dollar was strong and the liquor was too...

Sing Along with Bing
Bob Thompson, Arrangerclick to enlarge

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