MIKE BARONE (COMPOSER, ARRANGER, TROMBONIST)

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Mike Barone was born in Detroit in Michigan on December 27, 1936 and began playing trombone at age 12. Both Mike and his brother Gary were taught by their father, Joe Barone, who played trumpet with the Bob Crosby Orchestra and many other big bands from the 1920s through the 1960s.
Mike graduated from Brush High School in Cleveland, Ohio in 1954 and studied trombone, guitar and arranging until 1956, when he was accepted into the West Point Army Band. There he studied trombone with Louis Van Haney of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. After his West Point stint, Mike was stationed in Germany, where he was with Special Services and formed his first Jazz big band, touring service clubs through Europe.
In 1959, Mike attended Valley College in Van Nuys, California and left school to tour with the Sy Zentner and Louis Bellson Orchestras. Mike spent many years working with Louie and Pearl Bailey, touring, recording and arranging for the band. In 1962, Mike recorded Lalo Shifrin's "New Continent," which was performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival with Dizzy Gillespie's Quintet. The next few years were spent performing and recording with Dick Grove, Pete Jolly, Gabor Szabo, Oliver Nelson and many others. During this time, Mike also played with the Gerald Wilson Orchestra and many of his arrangements were recorded by Gerald and other artists.
In 1964, Mike started his own big band which was featured at Donte's Jazz Club from 1966 to 1969. After hearing some of Mike's charts, Doc Severinsen asked Mike to send some charts to New York for the NBC Tonight Show band. This started a twenty-three year relationship with Doc and the Tonight Show Band, for which he wrote over 300 original compositions and arrangements. Two of these, "Peachy" and "Superslick," were used as ending themes of the show for years. Other work in Los Angeles included and arranging and composing for television and movies, such as "Dynasty," "Falcon Crest," "Rocky Three" and the Academy Awards Show.
Mike moved to Colorado in 1987, where he released an album on TBA Records featuring Ernie Watts. After spending six years in Colorado, he moved to Vancouver, Washington in 1993.
Mike moved back to the LA area in 1997 and formed a new big band, which has performed at the Jazz Bakery, Clancey's, Ken Poston Big Band Party and the Big Band Jazz Party in Palm Springs. Meanwhile Mike's old big band recording, "Live at Donte's 1968," was released around 2000 by VSOP Records.
Mike wrote for the Academy Awards Show in 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005. Mike also has a song on "Lost Treasures," Herb Alpert's new CD, called "Happy Hour." Mike will have 3 charts [2 originals] on the new Bud Shank Big Band CD to be released Feb 2006 on the Jazzed Media label. The "Mike Barone Big Band Live 2005" is the second CD released on Mikes new label "Rhubarb Recordings". "You Name It" is Rubarb's third release and "Metropole" The Mike Barone Big Band is the fourth and "By Request"Mike Barone Big Band is the latest in 2007.

VIDEOS

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more videos

MIKE BARONE BIG BAND - BY REQUEST (2007)

Big Band Jazz Straight ahead jazz, latin and ballads

Mike Barone, leader, trombone / TRUMPETS: Lee Thornburg, Pete Desiena, Bob Summers, Mark Lewis / TROMBONES: Charlie Loper, Dick Hamilton, Bill Booth, Craig Gosnell / SAXES: Kim Richmond, Keith Bishop, Ernie Watts, Vince Trombetta, Jr., Bryan Williams / John Proulx, piano / Joel Hamilton, bass / Paul Kreibich, drums

RHUBARB RECORDINGS

review by Paul J. Youngman: MIKE BARONE BIG BAND - BY REQUEST (2007)

review by Jack Bowers: MIKE BARONE BIG BAND - BY REQUEST (2007)

more tracks can be heard on Vinilemania's Radio Channels

MIKE BARONE BIG BAND - METROPOLE (2006)

Big Band Jazz Straight ahead jazz, latin and ballads

Mike Barone: leader, composer, arranger, trombone solo (“Passe”); Lee Thornburg, Pete DeSiena, Bob Summers, Steve Huffsteter: trumpet; Kim Richmond, Keith Bishop: alto sax; Ernie Watts, Vince Trombetta: tenor sax; Brian Williams: baritone sax; Charlie Loper, Dick Hamilton, Bill Booth: trombone; Craig Gosnell: bass trombone; John Proulx: piano; Joel Hamilton: bass; Paul Kreibich: drums

RHUBARB RECORDINGS

review by Fabrizio Ciccarelli: MIKE BARONE BIG BAND - METROPOLE (2006)

review by Paul J. Youngman: MIKE BARONE BIG BAND - METROPOLE (2006)

review by Steve Jankowski: MIKE BARONE BIG BAND - METROPOLE (2006)

review by Herb Wong: MIKE BARONE BIG BAND - METROPOLE (2006)

review by Jack Bowers: MIKE BARONE BIG BAND - METROPOLE (2006)

more tracks can be heard on Vinilemania's Radio Channels

TURQUOISE - YOU NAME IT (2006)

Smooth Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Easy listening. Sax solos by Ernie Watts and Dick Spencer. Trpt solos by Gary Barone. All songs composed,arranged and produced by Mike Barone

Ernie Watts, tenor sax solos, Dick Spencer, alto sax solos, Gary Barone, trumpet solos,with Mike Barone performing or programming all other instruments

RHUBARB RECORDINGS

more tracks can be heard on Vinilemania's Radio Channels

MIKE BARONE BIG BAND - LIVE 2005 (2006)

Big Band Jazz with Standards, Jazz Standards and Originals

Mike Barone, leader, trombone / TRUMPETS: Lee Thornburg, Pete Desiena, Ron King, Steve Huffsteter / TROMBONES: Charlie Loper, Dick Hamilton, Bill Booth, Bryant Byers / SAXES: Kim Richmond, Keith Bishop, Ernie Watts, Vince Trombetta, Jr., Jennifer Hall / John Proulx, piano / Chris Conner, bass / Paul Kreibich, drums

RHUBARB RECORDINGS

review by Paul J, Youngman: MIKE BARONE BIG BAND - LIVE 2005! (2006)

review by Jack Bowers - MIKE BARONE BIG BAND - LIVE 2005! (2006)

more tracks can be heard on Vinilemania's Radio Channels

THE BARONE BROTHERS - BLUES & OTHER HAPPY MOMENTS (2005)

Smooth Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Latin Jazz, Ballads. Great Melodies with outstanding Soloists

Gary Barone on fluegelhorn and trumpet, Tom Scott on lyricon, Dick Spencer on alto sax, Theo Saunders on piano, John Heard on bass, Shelly Manne on drums and Alex Acuna on percussion

RHUBARB RECORDINGS

review by Paul J. Youngman: THE BARONE BROTHERS - BLUES & OTHER HAPPY MOMENTS (2005)

review by Jack Bowers - THE BARONE BROTHERS - BLUES & OTHER HAPPY MOMENTS (2005)

more tracks can be heard on Vinilemania's Radio Channels

THE MIKE BARONE BIG BAND - LIVE AT DONTE'S, 1968 (1988)

Mike Barone, leader & arranger / TRUMPETS: Larry McGuire, Buddy Childers, Gary Barone, Steve Huffsteter / TROMBONES: Jim Trimble, Pete Myers, Vince Diaz, Ernie Tack, Charlie Loper / SAXES: Lou Ciotti, Bill Hood, Med Flory, Bill Perkins, Jack Nimitz / RHYTHM: Mike Wofford, Cliff Bryant, piano / Jim Hugart, bass / John Guerin, drums

RHUBARB RECORDINGS

more tracks can be heard on Vinilemania's Radio Channels