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Si Zentner

Simon Hugh Zentner (June 13, 1917 in New York City, United States – January 31, 2000 in Las Vegas, Nevada) was an American trombonist and jazz big-band leader.

Zentner played in the bands of Les Brown, Harry James, and Jimmy Dorsey in the 1940s, then moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a studio musician. He also landed a job with MGM from 1949 to the mid-50s, and was involved in the music for films such as Singin' in the Rain and A Star Is Born.

The Zentner band began recording for Liberty Records in 1959, recording numerous successful pop/jazz albums during the 1960s and touring steadily with a large outfit. Zentner was a tireless promoter and claimed to have played 178 consecutive one-night performances when the band was at its peak. His ensemble was voted "Best Big Band" for 13 straight years by Down Beat, and Zentner himself was voted Best Trombonist in Playboy Jazz Readers' Poll. In 1962, his album Up a Lazy River (Big Band Plays the Big Hits, Vol. 2) (arranged by Bob Florence) won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.

Zentner's success was thoroughly unusual; he had a thriving big band going at a time when big band music was, for the most part, on the wane. He suffered from leukemia late in life, though he continued performing into 1999; he died of the disease in early 2000.

Birth and Death Data: Born June 13, 1917 (New York City), Died January 31, 2000 (Las Vegas)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1940 - 1958

Roles Represented in DAHR: trombone

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 69 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor D7FB-1378 10-in. 10/15/1947 Hershele at the Boilesque Mickey Katz ; Kosher-Jammers Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trombone  
Victor D7FB-1379 10-in. 10/15/1947 Hershele at the induction center Mickey Katz ; Kosher-Jammers Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trombone  
Victor D7FB-1380 10-in. 10/15/1947 Yiddish square dance Mickey Katz ; Kosher-Jammers Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trombone  
Victor D7FB-1381 10-in. 10/15/1947 Haim afen range Mickey Katz ; Kosher-Jammers Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trombone  
Victor D7FB-2141 10-in. 12/2/1947 Hershele at the wedding Mickey Katz ; Kosher-Jammers Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trombone  
Victor D7FB-2142 10-in. 12/2/1947 Tico rico (Tickle kitzel) Kosher-Jammers Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trombone  
Victor D7FB-2143 10-in. 12/2/1947 The draidle song Kosher-Jammers Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trombone  
Victor D7FB-2144 10-in. 12/2/1947 Chlo-e Kosher-Jammers Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trombone  
Victor D7FB-2145 10-in. 12/2/1947 Tsatzki kozatzki Kosher-Jammers Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trombone  
Victor D7FB-2146 10-in. 12/2/1947 Hensel un Genzel Kosher-Jammers Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 67511 10-in. 4/9/1940 Love (Your magic spell is everywhere)-1 Les Brown Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 67512 10-in. 4/9/1940 Comanche war dance-1 Les Brown Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 67513 10-in. 4/9/1940 A mellow bit of rhythm-1 Les Brown Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 67514 10-in. 4/9/1940 Walkin' and swingin'-2 Les Brown Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 72394 10-in. 9/25/1944 Moon on my pillow Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 72395 10-in. 9/25/1944 Sweet dreams, sweetheart Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 72574 10-in. 11/21/1944 More and more Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 72575 10-in. 11/21/1944 I dream of you (more than you dream I do) Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 72576 10-in. 11/21/1944 Magic in the moonlight Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 72577 10-in. 11/21/1944 Do you know I care? (or don't you care to know?) Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 72685 10-in. 1/11/1945 Twilight time Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 72686 10-in. 1/11/1945 El Rancho Vegas Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 72687 10-in. 1/11/1945 I should care Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 4321 7/11/1946 Talking is a woman Hoagy Carmichael instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 4322 11/7/1946 Ole buttermilk sky Hoagy Carmichael instrumentalist, trombone  
(Results 1-25 of 69 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Zentner, Si," accessed November 2, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/352073.

Zentner, Si. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 2, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/352073.

"Zentner, Si." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/352073

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