Tommy Tycho's Mountain Greenery

Today we remember Tommy Tycho’s passing seven years ago. Wherever Tommy is I bet he is writing arrangements and conducting orchestras! Everyone has their own memory of the Maestro, but the memories all have one thing in common: cherished admiration and love for the man and his music. Whoever he met he gave his full time and attention to. It’s been an experience getting to know other aspects of Tommy as I spent five years writing and researching about his life for my PhD thesis about the Maestro. I’ve listened to and studied music from his early years in Budapest, to his early radio and recording career in Australia, right through to his television work, concert performances, and many other musical engagements.

Having looked at over 10,000 archival sources of photos, concert brochures, videos, scores, recordings, interviews, letters, and much more I’ve come to have a few favourite Tycho arrangements. One of them is his arrangement of the lesser-known Rodgers and Hart tune, Mountain Greenery. Tommy first wrote this in 1974/5 for a Golden Age of the Big Band concert series that was part of 2CH’s Good Music concerts presented from 1973-1976 first in the Sydney Opera House then touring around the nation.

Tommy used this tune to showcase the whole band. It starts off with Tommy just playing the piano, then ryhthm section appears, followed by saxophones, brass, strings, and finally the full orchestra. You’ll love the ending but I won’t ruin the surprise here. This was just one the special ways in which Tommy wrote for every member of the orchestra and made sure that every part (even the triangle player) was given a moment to shine.

This video footage comes from one of Tommy’s last performances held at the Cube in Campbelltown in July 2008 which was a special celebration performance for Tommy’s 80th birthday. Thanks for the music Maestro.

Don Burrows

On the 12 March 2020 we sadly lost Australian multi-instrumentalist (clarinet, saxophone, and flute) and jazz legend Don Burrows. He influenced an entire generation of Australian jazz musicians. He performed and recorded throughout the 1960s to the 2000s and had his own television show The Don Burrows Collection for several years and featured in many diverse jazz groups. Here he is performing the Brian May arrangement (May is also seen here conducting the Sydney Symphony Orchestra) of the Australian tune Along the Road to Gundagai at the 1988 Bicentennial concert held at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. Also featured are Tommy Tycho on the piano and James Morrison on trumpet and trombone! RIP Don and thanks for the music!

Tommy Tycho on the Ford Show

Just as television had started out, variety programs were still being presented on radio stations as the transition between the two mediums began. Radio was still an important feature of entertainment in the 1950s until television programs became more established. While the ABC took responsibility in presenting programs of classical music, drama presentations, and the broadcast of light music, commercial radio stations often broadcast recordings of popular music.

The Ford Show (sponsored by the Ford motor car company), was a different kind of radio program that featured its own studio orchestra (not as common on commercial radio stations at the time). The studio orchestra featured a small string section, brass, woodwinds, a rhythm section and a small vocal group (you can see the image of the orchestra above). The orchestra was called the Ford Show Orchestra and was conducted by Bob Gibson and the program was hosted by David Lowe and featured the singing group The Consulaires. The program was broadcast from the 2UW Theatre and dates from c. 1956/1957.

After the orchestra fanfare, the announcer, David Lowe, introduces Tommy and he then performs his special arrangement of Tiger Rag.