Johnny Costa's musicians

[ASchuelke]

Did the early episodes of MRN feature Bobby Rawsthorne or Carl McVicker as musicians?  I don't think they did, because if you listen to the opening and closing music in a lot of those 1970, 1971, 1972 episodes, you only hear Johnny Costa on the piano (or so it seems, anyways)

Does anybody know when the drums and bass were added?  Or were they there all along?

[earnhardtfan4life]

I was checking out episode number 1281 and notice there is a bass sound but no credit as to who is playing with the ending credits.  I think the Johnny Costa Trio plays on several record albums though.

Mike

[Jazzman67]

Well, I know that the drummer played with Johnny Costa for 35 years until his death. That would make it 1961, before the series began. Johnny Costa died in 1996. I know this because the drummer's daugher said so.

So, It's possible that Bobby Rawthrone worked with the program since the inception of the program. Also keep in mind that the credits during the week often only gave Johnny Costa credit as musical director, and the musicians got credited at the end of the week. I think that occurs later on in the 1970's and not from the beginning.

The drummer is now 80 years old, and still plays, by the way.

I can't say what the story is for Carl McVicker, but I'll ask a good souce about that.

[pastorscott]

I remember from watching these eps as a youth that it seemed that the percussion was added with the blue walls, in 1326.  But before then, yes, it only sounded like a piano. 

Have any of you noticed that the music really gets slow as the years go one...Watch like a late '90s ep and then an early '70s ep....the music is a lot more lively in the older eps...especially "Won't You Be My Neighbor."

[JCostaThePro]

1326 seems to be the earliest episode where Bobby Rawsthorne at least performs the outro music for MRN, but i don't think he came in that late because according to The Neighborhood Archive, he appears on camera in Show 112, which aired in 1968. Strangely, i don't hear him playing much music on these earlier episodes.

I think the bass violin player in these earlier episodes is Michael Taylor (appears on camera in 1355) while the one that plays in the 1975-1976 episodes is Ronald Fudoli (allegedly appears on camera in 1443). I don't have a good ear to tell exactly the differences in between Taylor, Fudoli and Carl McVicker, Jr.'s music, but if you listen carefully on some 1975 episodes including 1407, 1410, 1430 or 1437, Fudoli's music has a bit more of a "twang" to it.

And strangely, McVicker appears on camera in 1064 (and allegedly 1134), but it seems like he didn't start playng with the group until 1979 (1461) when the "modern" episodes premiered.

[JCostaThePro]

Did the early episodes of MRN feature Bobby Rawsthorne or Carl McVicker as musicians?  I don't think they did, because if you listen to the opening and closing music in a lot of those 1970, 1971, 1972 episodes, you only hear Johnny Costa on the piano (or so it seems, anyways)

Does anybody know when the drums and bass were added?  Or were they there all along?

If you listen carefully on the outro to 1180, you can hear Michael playing along with Costa.

[JCostaThePro]

Speaking of the musicians: does anyone know any information about temporary week-only musicians Phyliss B. Susen (the harpist in the Key To Otherland opera; she also appears on camera in 1237), John Wilson (Celebrations), Joe Dallas (Josephene The Short-Neck Giraffe), Charles Gleddich (Fathers & Music) or Joseph Bishkoff (Sharing)? Does Betty remember them?

Interestingly, Joe Negri also performed with the group, at least in You & I Together (when Michael Moricz was at the piano). Also, we know what instruments Joe and Phyliss played, but what about the others? I'm guessing for Bishkoff, the violin (i seem to hear some string music playing during the kids playing in the yard segment in 1713)?

Also, something interesting i should point out about 1326-1330: in that week, during the outro music, there's some kind of alternation with the musicians. On 1326, 1327 and 1328, you can hear Bobby Rawsthorne playing with Costa and Taylor, but on 1329 and 1330, it's just Costa and Taylor. I think the 1974 and 1975 seasons both had probably the best jazzy outro music. It's fun to hear Costa get creative going through the trouble to play the whole outro by himself and on his albums, but i think it got better when the musicians were added, as it gave the music a more slick, cool jazz feel.

[mitsguy2001]

Again, I'm guessing that some musicians may have been sick or otherwise unavailable when some weeks were shot.

[Jazzman67]

Robert Rawthnorne's first appearance was in episide 112 when the series was in black and white. He was hireed after that appearance on the program.

[ASchuelke]

But his prominence in the closing credits wasn't apparent until the 1973/1974 episodes ... a couple of weeks after the neighborhood model changed, you'd start hearing Johnny Costa's trio featured more and more.  In my opinion, some of the absolute best JAZZY music with a true SWING to it would occur during the closing credits on the Friday episodes, especially in 1975.