Neil Rosengarden is a composer-lyricist, multi-instrumentalist and singer who made his TV debut in 1961, at age nine, in a NBC-TV Thanksgiving Special called "Home For The Holidays" with Gordon MacRae, Patrice Munsel, Al Hirt, Carol Haney, and The Brothers Four, on which he played the Trumpet and sang with Al Hirt. He has been composing & arranging since he was twelve or so. He picked up some musical tricks and stuff along the way from Leonid Hambro, Morton Gould, Milton Kraus, The Juilliard School Extension Division, Dr. Albert Harris, his cousin Jon Charles, his Uncle Ray Charles, Jimmy Maxwell, Ray Crisara, Victor Paz, Mario Guarneri, Doc Severinsen on occasion, Leon Rapier, Ray C. Lichtenwalter, John Lindenau, Gordon Mathie, The National Music Camp, now known as Interlochen Arts Camp in Interlochen, MI, his Dad, and by self-studying classical music scores. A native of Great Neck, New York, he spent his youth trying to grow his hair, and going to record dates, like Jay & The Americans recording "She Cried", at Bell Sound, Oliver Nelson with Quincy Jones at Fine Sound in Bayside, NY; Astrud Gilberto sessions ... live TV shows and the pre-records for "Sing Along With Mitch", at Columbia 30th St., with his Father, Bobby (1924-2007), (who was the original Drummer on the Tonight Show along w/ Ed Shaugnessey, and the Drummer/Orchestra Leader on the Dick Cavett Show from 1968-1974). There was never any doubt what he would do when he grew up.
After graduating High School, Neil spent about five months at California Institute of the Arts before returning to the East Coast and a position at Atlantic Records in New York as the assistant to Arif Mardin. After proving his abilities in the studio, they signed him as an Artist and Staff Producer. Unfortunately, his head was still too far up his bum to take advantage of his position at age 19. He was dropped from the label, and that was that! Then, lots of other stuff happened. Here's some old pictures I found. You may view them, or if you like, why don't you go and play a little solitaire to pass the time?Neil moved to San Francisco in 1983 and worked as a band leader on some cruise ships and saw the world. In 1985, he moved to Los Angeles and became Music Supervisor on General Hospital (ABC-TV).
"You can find all my CDs at iTunes or on cdbaby.com/all/curdsandwhey
