Si Zentner Collection of Music Scores (MS-00487)

Musician Si (Simon H.) Zentner was born June 13, 1917 in New York City. He began playing the violin at the age of four and soon switched to the trombone. His ability as a young musician earned him a Guggenheim Foundation Philharmonic Scholarship. While he began in classical music, he found his true calling in more contemporary music after playing a session with Andre Kostelanetz. He joined Les Brown’s big band in 1940 and later worked with Harry James and Jimmy Dorsey.

During World War II he moved to Los Angeles and continued to work and raise a family. He was on staff at MGM Studios from 1949 until 1955 and had the opportunity to choreograph music for the films Singin' in the Rain andA Star is Born. He landed a contract with Liberty Records in 1959 and formed a full-sized swing ensemble.

Through his long career, Zentner garnered many commercial and critical awards. His band won thrirteen consecutive Downbeat Polls as "Best Big Band." In 1961, he was voted top trombonist in Playboy’s Jazz Reader’s Poll. In 1961, a twist version of Hoagy Carmichael’s “Up a Lazy River” reached the top 40 pop charts and won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. As a result, this became Zentner's signature tune.

In 1965, Zentner moved to Las Vegas and opened in the Tropicana Hotel’s 500-seat lounge, the Blue Room, playing behind Mel Torme. He then became the musical director for the “Folies Bergere” in 1968. He played a myriad of venues including clubs, casinos, cruise ships and colleges. Zentner battled leukemia the last two years of his life, but continued playing until six months before his death. He passed away on January 31, 2000 in Las Vegas, Nevada.