Great Arrangers: Richard Wess

Personal details about arranger/conductor Richard Wess, such as his date and place of birth, seem to be virtually impossible to find. Luckily, his work is far easier to track down, and it speaks for itself.

As the man behind Bobby Darin's 1959 breakthrough LP That's All, Wess helped vault the young singer into worldwide fame, with mega-hits such as "Mack the Knife" and "Beyond the Sea."

Wess' earliest work as an arranger and conductor appears to be on the 1957 Sallie Blair album, Squeeze Me (Bethlehem BCP 6009). Blair was a vocalist of great wit and personality, not unlike Bobby Darin. Her rendition of "Almost Like Being In Love" features an exciting Darinesque vocal flourish as she launches into the refrain. Finger-snaps reminiscent of Darin's can be heard on her swingin' version of "Ain't (S)He Sweet." These tracks, and several others on the album, feature Wess playing piano and celeste. Band members Joe Cabot, Al DeRisi, Frank Rehak, Chauncey Welsch, Romeo Penque, Jerry Sanfino, and Joe Soldo would later appear as part of the Richard Wess Orchestra for Darin's That's All LP.

Wess also had an album of his own in 1957, the intriguingly titled Music She Digs the Most (MGM E-3491). Once again, Wess played piano, and his bandmates included saxophonist Al Cohn and guitarist Mundell Lowe (another That's All player). The disc was a nice collection of standards, including "I Didn't Know What Time It Was," "Give Me The Simple Life," and "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To."

Bobby Darin's close friend and publicist, Harriet "Hesh" Wasser, is credited with bringing Darin and Wess together in 1958 for their collaboration on That's All. The result was a defining moment for Darin, earning him respect with the adult audience and making him the first rock n' roll artist in history to successfully cross over into standards.

Wess and Darin would team up for several other fine LPs, including This is Darin (Atco 33-115, January 1960), From Hello Dolly to Goodbye Charlie (Capitol 2194, November 1964), and Bobby Darin Sings the Shadow of Your Smile (Atlantic 8121, April 1966). The result was always magical.

In addition to his work with Darin, Wess also served as conductor and arranger for Chris Connor (Witchcraft [Atlantic LP 8032, 1959]), Ruth Brown (Late Date With Ruth Brown [Atlantic LP 1308, January 27, 1959]), Connie Francis (Songs to a Swinging Band [MGM SE-3893, 1960]), Sammy Davis Jr. (The Goin's Great [Reprise R-6339, 1969]), and many others.