JAM Magazine: December/January 1999 Issue: John Rodby

JOHN RODBY:
Master Accompanist,
Master Musician

© 1998 Mike Metheny

If you caught Marilyn Maye's "Tribute to Sinatra" at the Quality Hill Playhouse in September, you probably came away with at least two positive impressions: a) 40 years after getting her start right here in Kansas City, Ms. Maye still sings like a million bucks, and b) she was backed by a first rate, top notch band.

In addition to Omaha's Andy Hall on bass and Kansas City's Tommy Ruskin on drums, west coast pianist John Rodby served as musical director and accompanist for the sold-out week and a half run. Each night he accompanied Ms. Maye on a total of 47 songs, and each performance he provided the kind of support that has made him a favorite of not only the Kansas City singing legend, but entertainers of many styles and stripes.

"To be a good accompanist," said Rodby recently from his Los Angeles home, "you have to know how to listen... much like in a chamber ensemble. There, everyone really has to listen to each other. You also have to be able to subordinate your own ego... to know how to do what's best for the total package."

Rodby's résumé would seem to indicate that this philosophy has served him well over the last three decades. Since a first television job with Burl Ives in 1972, he has worked with a veritable "who's who" of show business headliners. There was Dinah Shore (with whom Rodby was associated for 26 years), Rita Moreno, Liza Minnelli, Danny Kaye, the late Shari Lewis... even the eccentric Tiny Tim. And that's just the short list. There has also been extensive work in TV and film, arrangements for everyone from Sinatra to Severinsen, and a separate career as a classical composer and pianist that still runs concurrently with a busy life as an accompanist, sideman and studio musician.

"The recordings I've made are all classical," Rodby reveals. "That's my great love. It's what I want to do when I grow up!"

John Rodby doesn't mind sharing anecdotes involving the many legends he's backed. Dinah Shore, for example, was "very nice," and "had deep roots as a singer going back to the big bands." She downplayed her singing in her later years, according to Rodby, but "whenever she had to put together an act and have a lot of tunes under her belt, there was nobody who could touch her."

Working with Shari Lewis, on the other hand, was "difficult," both in terms of the demands of the work and the amount to be done in a limited amount of time. "It was a very tough, very demanding gig."

And then there was Tiny Tim.

"That (gig) was really a trip. I was with Tim right when he was big on 'Laugh In,' and he was probably the sweetest man I've ever worked for. But sometimes he'd also drive you crazy. Like, we'd be going through an airport and somebody would come up and ask him for an autograph; he'd stop and turn around and start writing his 'life story!' You know, these really long autographs... And then we'd miss the plane! He was also a veritable walking encyclopedia of American popular music, particularly the era prior to 1930. He was really up on that stuff, and it made working for him a lot of fun."

Writing arrangements has been and continues to be a timely bread and butter gig for Rodby. Frank Sinatra "seemed happy" with his work ("It was the kind of thing where, if you did your job, you'd have no problem..."), Peggy Lee once asked him to arrange "some more modern kinds of things" for her working band, and Joe Williams "was really a delight to work with."

During Johnny Carson's years on the "Tonight Show," providing arrangements for Doc Severinsen's house band was also a welcome source of musical pleasure, and income.

"That band was first rate," Rodby recalls. "And the show actually had a weekly budget for arrangements. There were about 14 or 15 of us in town doing that kind of work, and when things got slow we could always call up (music coordinator) Shelly Cohen and say, 'Does the Tonight Show need any orchestrations?' Shelly was usually pretty good about giving us some assignments. It was something that would get us through the slack periods."

These days, John Rodby continues to work the studios ("the most fun I've had recently was working with Mark Snow, who does the music for the 'X-Files'..."), he performs with the veteran singer Al Martino, and, of course, he continues to make ongoing appearances with Marilyn Maye.

"We've been working together since a Variety Club telethon in Des Moines in 1990," the pianist says. "Marilyn is a lot of fun, both personally and professionally."
Incidentally, if you're a follower of the Pat Metheny Group, you might be wondering about that recognizable last name.

"Steve and I are cousins," says Rodby about the bassist with the award-winning band. "And it's an interesting thing; anytime I'm in the Midwest, everybody asks me if I'm related to Steve (who is based in Chicago).

"But anytime Steve is on the West Coast, everyone asks him if he's related to me!"

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© Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.






	Search our site:		JOHN RODBY: Master Accompanist, Master Musician © 1998 Mike Metheny If you caught Marilyn Maye's "Tribute to Sinatra" at the Quality Hill Playhouse in September, you probably came away with at least two positive impressions: a) 40 years after getting her start right here in Kansas City, Ms. Maye still sings like a million bucks, and b) she was backed by a first rate, top notch band. In addition to Omaha's Andy Hall on bass and Kansas City's Tommy Ruskin on drums, west coast pianist John Rodby served as musical director and accompanist for the sold-out week and a half run. Each night he accompanied Ms. Maye on a total of 47 songs, and each performance he provided the kind of support that has made him a favorite of not only the Kansas City singing legend, but entertainers of many styles and stripes. "To be a good accompanist," said Rodby recently from his Los Angeles home, "you have to know how to listen... much like in a chamber ensemble. There, everyone really has to listen to each other. You also have to be able to subordinate your own ego... to know how to do what's best for the total package." Rodby's résumé would seem to indicate that this philosophy has served him well over the last three decades. Since a first television job with Burl Ives in 1972, he has worked with a veritable "who's who" of show business headliners. There was Dinah Shore (with whom Rodby was associated for 26 years), Rita Moreno, Liza Minnelli, Danny Kaye, the late Shari Lewis... even the eccentric Tiny Tim. And that's just the short list. There has also been extensive work in TV and film, arrangements for everyone from Sinatra to Severinsen, and a separate career as a classical composer and pianist that still runs concurrently with a busy life as an accompanist, sideman and studio musician. "The recordings I've made are all classical," Rodby reveals. "That's my great love. It's what I want to do when I grow up!" John Rodby doesn't mind sharing anecdotes involving the many legends he's backed. Dinah Shore, for example, was "very nice," and "had deep roots as a singer going back to the big bands." She downplayed her singing in her later years, according to Rodby, but "whenever she had to put together an act and have a lot of tunes under her belt, there was nobody who could touch her." Working with Shari Lewis, on the other hand, was "difficult," both in terms of the demands of the work and the amount to be done in a limited amount of time. "It was a very tough, very demanding gig." And then there was Tiny Tim. "That (gig) was really a trip. I was with Tim right when he was big on 'Laugh In,' and he was probably the sweetest man I've ever worked for. But sometimes he'd also drive you crazy. Like, we'd be going through an airport and somebody would come up and ask him for an autograph; he'd stop and turn around and start writing his 'life story!' You know, these really long autographs... And then we'd miss the plane! He was also a veritable walking encyclopedia of American popular music, particularly the era prior to 1930. He was really up on that stuff, and it made working for him a lot of fun." Writing arrangements has been and continues to be a timely bread and butter gig for Rodby. Frank Sinatra "seemed happy" with his work ("It was the kind of thing where, if you did your job, you'd have no problem..."), Peggy Lee once asked him to arrange "some more modern kinds of things" for her working band, and Joe Williams "was really a delight to work with." During Johnny Carson's years on the "Tonight Show," providing arrangements for Doc Severinsen's house band was also a welcome source of musical pleasure, and income. "That band was first rate," Rodby recalls. "And the show actually had a weekly budget for arrangements. There were about 14 or 15 of us in town doing that kind of work, and when things got slow we could always call up (music coordinator) Shelly Cohen and say, 'Does the Tonight Show need any orchestrations?' Shelly was usually pretty good about giving us some assignments. It was something that would get us through the slack periods." These days, John Rodby continues to work the studios ("the most fun I've had recently was working with Mark Snow, who does the music for the 'X-Files'..."), he performs with the veteran singer Al Martino, and, of course, he continues to make ongoing appearances with Marilyn Maye. "We've been working together since a Variety Club telethon in Des Moines in 1990," the pianist says. "Marilyn is a lot of fun, both personally and professionally." Incidentally, if you're a follower of the Pat Metheny Group, you might be wondering about that recognizable last name. "Steve and I are cousins," says Rodby about the bassist with the award-winning band. "And it's an interesting thing; anytime I'm in the Midwest, everybody asks me if I'm related to Steve (who is based in Chicago). "But anytime Steve is on the West Coast, everyone asks him if he's related to me!" RETURN TO DECEMBER/JANUARY 1999 MAIN INDEX ------------------------------------------------------------------------ © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.