John E. Neel (September 21, 1930 – September 22, 1973)State of California. California Death Index, 1940-1997. Sacramento, CA, USA: State of California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics, ''Ancestry.com''
Retrieved 22 January 2017 was an American composer, conductor and musician, who recorded in the 1960s and early 1970s. Born in Mobile,

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

, by the early 1960s he worked in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

as a composer and conductor of film soundtracks.John Neel, ''Discogs.com''
Retrieved 22 January 2017 In the late 1950s, he wrote cues for several TV westerns, like ''Sugarfoot'' and ''Maverick''. Along with lyricist Roger Nichols, he also wrote the theme songs for the films ''High School Caesar'' and ''Date Bait''. In 1963, he composed and conducted the album '' Blue Martini'', which featured saxophonist

Plas Johnson Plas John Johnson Jr. (born July 21, 1931) is an American soul-jazz and hard bop tenor saxophonist, probably most widely known as the tenor saxophone soloist on Henry Mancini’s "The Pink Panther Theme". He also performs on alto and baritone sax ...

and was released by Äva Records. According to Neel, writing in the album's

liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for cassettes. Origin Liner notes are desce ...

, the recording aimed for a new "arrangement form" incorporating solo improvisations and an outer orchestral "shell". In 1969, Neel recorded a second album, '' John Neel's Amazing Marching Machine'', released by

Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...

.'John Neel's Amazing Marching Machine, ''Discogs.com''
Retrieved 22 January 2017 He also recorded for the

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...

label in the early 1970s. Neel died in California in 1973, aged 43.

References

1930 births 1973 deaths Äva Records artists {{US-jazz-musician-stub