NEW YORK–Composer/arranger Don Sebesky has joined Crushing Music, New York, for exclusive spot representation. Sebesky was most recently with Montclair, N.J.-based Mess Hall.
According to Sebesky, he freelanced for Crushing Music last year at the request of Crushing president Joey Levine for Foxwood Casino’s "The Wonder of It All" via Trahan, Burden & Charles, Baltimore, which subsequently won in the original music with lyrics category at the ’99 London International Advertising Awards. He also composed Hanes’ "It Had to Be You" for Long Haymes Carr, Winston-Salem, N.C. Sebesky explained, "I did those with Joey because he asked me to work on them. We recorded with [guitarist/vocalist] John Pizzarelli, so it all worked out like a family thing. We [he and Pizzarelli] have recorded many albums together; he’s on my album, I’m on his."
During his tenure at Mess Hall, Sebesky composed K-Mart’s "That’s Entertainment" starring Penny Marshall and Rosie O’Donnell for Campbell Mithun Esty, Minneapolis. He also did Compaq’s "Terrace" as well as Gevalia coffee’s "Swept Away," via Foote, Cone & Belding, New York.
Over the course of his 30-year career, Sebesky has garnered 22 Grammy nominations and three awards. At last month’s Grammys, Sebesky won two awards: best original instrumental composition for the title track on Joyful Noise Suite—A Tribute to Duke Ellington, and best instrumental arrangement for "Chelsea Bridge," another of that album’s tracks. Sebesky joked that he might not have won if Carlos Santana (who took eight Grammy Awards this year) had been nominated in those categories.
The composer/arranger specializes in orchestra music—particularly swing, big band and jazz. He says it generally takes him about a week to compose a jingle on the piano. "What I like about jingles is that every day you go to work, it’s a different kind of writing," Sebesky enthused. "It can be a pop song, or it could be a jazz piece. The good part about it is that I’m always working on [other] long-term projects. Commercials are relatively short-lived. I definitely like the variety."
Although the announcement comes on the heels of former Crushing composer Billy Alessi’s exit to JSM Music, New York, Sebesky said that his own agreement with Crushing is not a recuperative effort on the part of the music production house. "I don’t think that one has anything to do with the other. I do different things," he said. "I had worked with Joey [Levine] off and on; we actually talked about this a couple of months ago."
Sebesky’s affiliation with Crushing Music will allow him to focus on what he does best—composing. "I had my own jingle company for a while. I’m basically a writer. A guy like Joey takes [the business responsibilities] off my shoulders. It’s a job that they do well, and I don’t have to wear different hats."
Sebesky is in the studio even when he isn’t writing jingles. His work is ubiquitous throughout the music world: In addition to his Clio-winning jingles for GE, Corning and Calvin Klein, he orchestrated the current Broadway musical Kiss Me Kate. At the end of May, he’ll collaborate with the Bonn Symphony in Germany for a Stephen Sondheim tribute album and tour. "I’m pretty much orchestra-oriented," he said. "Instruments—that’s the floor that I stand on." With his 18-member contemporary jazz orchestra, he’s preparing to record another album of his own. He has released eight albums to date.
He has composed and arranged for performers ranging from Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, Tony Bennett, Prince and Vanessa Williams to the New York Philharmonic and the Boston Pops. He also authored a book, The Contemporary Arranger, which was published in ’84.
Crushing’s composer/arranger roster includes Robin Batteau, David Barratt, Alfred Hochstrasser, Clifford Lane, Gary Schreiner, Jeff Southworth, Kenny White and Mary Wood. Crushing is represented by Taylor McLam and Cynthia Stahl.
