Milt Bernhart


Milt Bernhart was a West Coast jazz trombonist who worked with Stan Kenton, Frank Sinatra, and others. He supplied the solo in the middle of Sinatra's 1956 recording of I've Got You Under My Skin conducted by Nelson Riddle.

Biography

Bernhart began on tuba, but switched to trombone in high school. At 16 he worked in Boyd Raeburn's band and later had some "gigs" with Teddy Powell. After time in the United States Army he worked, off and on, with Stan Kenton for the next ten years. He is perhaps most associated with Kenton, but in 1955 he had his first album as a leader. In 1986 he was elected President of the Big Band Academy of America.
Although known as "mild-mannered" or humorous, his brief period with Benny Goodman was one area that brought out his ire. He indicated working with Goodman was "the bottom", except for basic training in the Army, of his first 23 years of life. He called Goodman a "bore" and claimed he did nothing about the treatment Wardell Gray faced at a segregated club in Las Vegas. He even alleges that he quit because Goodman publicly humiliated Gray in front of an audience.
Bernhart died of congestive heart failure in Glendale, California at the age of 77 at Adventist Health Glendale.

Discography

As leader

Modern Brass
  • ''The Sound of Bernhart''

As sideman

With Maynard FergusonJam Session featuring Maynard Ferguson Maynard Ferguson Octet Dimensions Around the Horn with Maynard Ferguson Stratospheric
With Stan KentonEncores A Presentation of Progressive Jazz Innovations in Modern Music Stan Kenton's Milestones Stan Kenton Classics Popular Favorites by Stan Kenton Stan Kenton Presents The Kenton Era Kenton in Hi-Fi Lush Interlude Artistry in Voices and Brass The Innovations Orchestra
With Henri ReneThat Bad Eartha#RCA Victor Presents [Eartha Kitt (1953)|RCA Victor Presents Eartha Kitt] That Bad Eartha (EP) Down to Eartha That Bad Eartha (LP) Thursday's Child
With Shorty RogersShorty Rogers and His Giants Collaboration The Big Shorty Rogers Express Shorty Rogers Plays Richard Rodgers Jazz Waltz
With Pete RugoloIntroducing Pete Rugolo Adventures in Rhythm Rugolomania New Sounds by Pete Rugolo Music for Hi-Fi Bugs Out on a Limb An Adventure in Sound: Brass in Hi-Fi Percussion at Work Rugolo Plays Kenton The Music from Richard Diamond Behind Brigitte Bardot 10 Trombones Like 2 Pianos The Original Music of Thriller
With Howard RumseySunday Jazz a La Lighthouse Vol. 1 Sunday Jazz a La Lighthouse Vol. 2 Jazz Rolls Royce
With Lalo SchifrinThe Cincinnati Kid More Mission: Impossible Mannix Bullitt Rock Requiem
With others