Batman composer dies

[CaptainWaggett]

From the BBC website

Batman theme composer Hefti dies

Neal Hefti, composer of the theme from the Batman TV series, has died in Los Angeles at the age of 85.



The iconic music, which Hefti described as the "hardest piece I ever wrote", was a Top 40 hit and won a Grammy Award in 1966 for best instrumental theme.



He also composed music for Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple and Harlow, which featured his track Girl Talk.



The trumpeter worked with many of the greats of the Big Band era, including Count Basie and Woody Herman.



He also worked with Frank Sinatra on two albums, Sinatra and Swingin' Brass plus Sinatra-Basie: An Historic Musical First.



'Fun groove'



Born in 1922 in Hastings, Nebraska, Hefti played trumpet with local bands as a teenager before moving to New York to pursue a career in music.



He met his wife, singer Frances Wayne, when they were both with the Woody Herman orchestra in the 1940s.



According to his son Paul, Hefti - who died at his home on Saturday - "threw away more music paper on [the Batman theme] than any other song".



"It got down to the blues with a funny guitar hook, the lowest common denominator and a fun groove," he told the Associated Press.

[earlb]

Sorry to hear that - I remember the iconic album 'The atomic Count Basie' with Neil Hefti.

[bhowells]

Sorry to hear about Neall Heftis passing, I have been aware of him since I saw his name on the credit of the Batman series when I first saw it in in 1969. I am also a Count Basie fan.



Another great musician gone!

[billy bentley]

Sad news.I only recently learned that the New Orleans' drummer Eaarl Palmer played on the "Odd Couple" theme. I shall have to blow the dust off my "Atomic Count Basie" Lp and give it a spin.