Bill Holman
b. 21 May 1927, Olive, California, USA. After studying at Westlake College, California, in the late '40s, tenor saxophonist Holman played in Charlie Barnet's big band for three years, and then for four years with Stan Kenton. During this period Holman was not only playing but also contributing extensively to the Kenton band's book, his charts being amongst the most swinging Kenton ever played. In common with many other Kentonians of the time, Holman was also active in the various small groups experimenting on the west coast. Among the musicians with whom he worked, and sometimes recorded, were Shorty Rogers, Conte Candoli, Art Pepper and Shelly Manne (whose Blackhawk band used a Holman tune, A Gem From Tiffany, as their theme). He subsequently wrote for Count Basie, Louie Bellson, Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman and Gerry Mulligan. His arrangements were also popular with the Boston-based band of Herb Pomeroy. During the late '50s he formed occasional big bands for record dates, but then came a 27-year spell during which Holman was active only in the studios. He still wrote jazz charts, however, notably for the Basie and Buddy Rich bands, and in these intervening years he often arranged for pop musicians too (eg Aquarius by Fifth Dimension). It was not until 1975 that he reformed a big band specifically to play his own arrangements and compositions, and another 13 years elapsed before his band was eventually recorded. A sometimes overlooked arranger, Holman's contribution to latterday big band music has nonetheless been considerable.