Norman Bergen

Norman Bergen (born May 17, 1945, Brooklyn, New York, United States) is an American pianist, arranger, record producer, band leader, musical director, and vocalist.

Biography

Early years

Norman comes from a musical family. He is the younger son of Pauline and Sam Bergen. The largest item in their small apartment was a baby grand piano which was played by his mother Pauline. His older brother Danny played trumpet. Norman started playing piano at the age of three. Bergen’s early influences were the pianists played by New York DJs Alan Freed and Symphony Sid: Ray Charles, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Thelonious Monk, Ramsey Lewis, and Dave Brubeck.

Catskill Mountains

Norman went on to perform in New York’s Catskill Mountains sitting in with his brother's band in 1957. He was a band leader and pianist at the early age of 14. In that same year, 1959, he also appeared on the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon with his own band. During his years in the Catskills, from 1959 until the mid 1960s, Norman backed up many stars including Cab Calloway, Rodney Dangerfield, Jackie Mason, Dick Shawn, and jazz great Joe Williams.

Brooklyn to the Brill Building

While still in high school, Bergen would take the subway train to Manhattan after school to play his demos for companies in the Brill Building. During this period, at age 17, he toured with Neil Sedaka, playing piano and guitar. Norman also met two well-known Brooklyn singing groups: Vito & the Salutations with whom he performed as a member for two years as well as writing songs and arrangements for their recordings, and The Tokens.[1] Bergen's musical arrangements for The Tokens' Bright Tunes Productions include records by The Chiffons, The Happenings, the Tokens themselves, and the first two hits by Tony Orlando and Dawn: “Candida”[2] and multi-million seller “Knock Three Times”.[3] Norman later re-joined forces with Tokens founding members Phil and Mitch Margo along with Dennis Marcellino, to form a “west coast Tokens”, touring the U.S. from 1985 to 1993 during which time they recorded two albums: “Re-Doo-Wopp” (RCA) and “Oldies Are Now” (BT Puppy). It was during those years that the group appeared in the acclaimed sketch “City Of Strangers” on “The Tracey Ullman[4] Show”.

College education

Bergen earned degrees from Manhattan School of Music – Bachelor’s in Music Theory in 1966 and Master’s in Music Education in 1967. It was during his years at this school that he had the honor of playing piano under conductor Leopold Stokowski (at Carnegie Hall)with the American Symphony Orchestra, a television program at WGBH Boston with composer Aaron Copland, and recording the music of composer Lou Harrison[5] with the Manhattan Percussion Ensemble. Bergen performed with the ensemble on the original 1965 recording of Julia Perry's Homunculus C.F., a piece for harp, celeste/piano, and eight percussionists.

Musical career

Only A Fool Breaks His Own Heart

In 1964, Norman co-wrote the song "Only A Fool Breaks His Own Heart" with Shelly Coburn for United Artists Music. It has had quite a history since its first recording by Arthur Prysock.[6] There are now more than 60 versions including Tom Jones,[7] Wyclef Jean,[8] Nick Lowe on "The Convincer" CD,[9] Dion DiMucci, Long John Baldry, and calypso king Mighty Sparrow.[10] The song has attained huge success in various parts of the world including Holland where it was on the top 100 for 28 weeks[11] and came in at No. 3 of the 70s decade. It has become a true standard in Finland as “Muisto vain jää”, with hit versions by Jouko and Kosti,[12] Pekka Tiilikainen and Beatmakers,[13] and Harri Marstio. Norman is currently composing material for Marstio’s next album. The song has also been translated to German, Swedish, and Dutch.

Musical direction

Norman’s Broadway and off-Broadway show credits include Oh! Calcutta! (where he holds the record of conducting over 3000 performances on Broadway),[14] “Let My People Come”,[15] and “What’s A Nice Country (Doing In A State Like This?)”. He has also conducted orchestras for Debbie Reynolds,[16] Robert Guillaume, and Juliet Prowse. Norman was musical director for the PBS fund-raiser “Let’s Rock Tonight Concert”[17] which featured original recording artists of the 50s and 60s including Fabian, Ben E. King, Del Shannon, Mitch Ryder, Martha & The Vandellas, and Mary Wells. He spent many years in the 80s and 90s as musical director for Tony Orlando,[18] including a 5-year run at Branson’s Yellow Ribbon Music Theatre.[19] He also was musical director and did vocal arrangements on the 1976 musical Let My People Come.

Disco

Bergen and associate Reid Whitelaw wrote and produced some of the most memorable disco records of the 70s with artists Gloria Gaynor " Love Is Just a Heartbeat Away",[20] Ralph Carter[21] of TV’s Good Times, Vicki Sue Robinson, and singing group Moment of Truth, whose recording of “So Much For Love” would become the first twelve-inch 45,[22] as created by the now legendary Tom Moulton.[23]

Other performers

Norman has arranged music and/or produced recordings for a varied range of singers including Astrud Gilberto[24] "Come Softly to Me/Hushabye" on Astrud Gilberto's Finest Hour, Trini Lopez, Danny Bonaduce,[25] Diane Keaton, and Tiny Tim.[26]

Recent years

Many of Bergen’s songs and productions have resurfaced largely through the efforts of former fellow co-writer/producer Reid Whitelaw, with track samples by such artists as Snoop Dogg,the song "Friends" on his 2001 Gold Album "Duces 'n Trayz: The Old Fashioned Way", and German duo Milk & Sugar, on their hits "Stay Around(For This)"[27] and "Has Your Man Got Soul".[28] Norman was the Musical Director for Tony Orlando at the Yellow Ribbon Music Theater and has also been active on U.S. riverboats including the Mississippi Queen,[29] American Queen, and Empress of the North, where he performed as band leader and musical director for the Delta Queen Steamboat Company. and Majestic America Line.

"Symphony of Love"

Norman’s latest album, his first as featured performer, is “Symphony of Love”. It contains 13 tracks including Norman’s own rendition of “Only A Fool Breaks His Own Heart” plus 11 new originals. Personnel include Nick Lowe, Anna Harvey, Geraint Watkins (keyboards), Zev Katz (bass), and Van Morrison alumni Johnny Scott (guitar) and Robert Treherne (drums), who co-produced the album with Neil Brockbank at Goldtop Studios in London.

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See also

References

[18] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34]

  1. American singing groups: a history ... – Jay Warner – Google Books. Google Books. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  2. "Candida - Dawn | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  3. "Dawn (5) – Knock Three Times / Home (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  4. "Norman Bergen – Movies and TV". LocateTV. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  6. "Today's Love Songs Tomorrow's Blues: Information from". Answers.com. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  7. Steffen Hung. "Tom Jones – Only A Fool Breaks His Own Heart". hitparade.ch. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  8. "Words of Wisdom (Interlude) lyrics by Rufugee Allstars and Wyclef Jean – Filestube Lyrics". Lyrics.filestube.com. Archived from the original on October 8, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 18, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2017.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  11. Steffen Hung. "Mighty Sparrow & Byron Lee And The Dragonaires – Only A Fool". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  12. "Google Translate". Google. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  13. "Pekka Tiilikainen & Beatmakers – Only a Fool Breaks His Own Heart – tunesBag Online Music/MP3 Storage". En.tunesbag.com. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  14. The Broadway League. "The official source for Broadway Information". IBDB. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  15. The Broadway League (June 14, 1976). "Let My People Come | IBDB: The official source for Broadway Information". IBDB. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  16. "Andy Budd – Songwriter / Recording Artist – STUDIO MUSICIANS". Andybudd-usa.com. March 17, 2008. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  18. Jacobson, Aileen (February 20, 1998). "Tony Orlando Plays His `Jukebox Dreams'". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  20. "Gloria Gaynor : Love Is Just A Heartbeat Away (12") | Vinyl Records". Discomusic.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  21. "Ralph Carter : Young And In Love (LP) | Vinyl Records". Discomusic.com. Archived from the original on July 31, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  22. 45 RPM: the history, heroes ... – Jim Dawson, Steve Propes – Google Books. Google Books. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  23. "Tom Moulton | Disco DJs, musical groups and people of the 1970s/80s". Discomusic.com. November 29, 1940. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  24. "Astrud Gilberto – Astrud Gilberto's Finest Hour (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  25. The MGM Labels: 1961–1982 – Michel Ruppli, Ed Novitsky – Google Books. Google Books. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  26. "TINY TIM, A LOOK BACK: Remembering a most extraordinary talent and the album that started it all. Interview by Ernie Clark". Tinytim.org. Archived from the original on October 10, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  27. "Milk & Sugar pres. MS2 – Stay Around (For This) (Inc. Eddie Thoneick & Angel Moraes Mixes) – Traxsource.com – Download Underground House and Electronic Music in WAV and MP3 format". Traxsource.com. October 13, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  28. "Norman Bergen Discography at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  29. "Delta Queen Steamboat Co. – Cruisemates Reader's Cruise Reviews". Cruisemates.com. March 28, 2005. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  30. American Singing Groups: A History from 1940 to Today - Jay Warner - Google Books. Books.google.com. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  31. The Book of Golden Discs - Joseph Murrells - Google Books. Books.google.com. August 7, 2007. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  32. The MGM Labels: 1961-1982 - Michel Ruppli - Google Books. Books.google.com. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  33. Film, television, and stage music on phonograph records: a discography - Steve Harris - Google Books. Books.google.com. January 1, 1998. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  34. "Weekend Outing". Nl.newsbank.com. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
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