AccuRadio Song Of the Day-Robert Maxwell, His Harp and Orchestra

Artist:Robert Maxwell, His Harp and Orchestra

Song:Shangri-La

Album:Hard to Find Orchestral Instrumentals

Robert Maxwell was a harpisr who is best known for writing two big hits, Ebb Tide and Shangri-La. He recorded plenty of easy listening albums. But the big surprise was when his 1964 recording of Shangi-La was a top 15 hit. He had one other chart single so he's not even a one hit wonder. But I think it's fair to say that Maxwell didn't depend on chart success anyway. He was born Max Rosen Apr. 19, 1921 in New York City. He started playing the harp as a child. His two brothers play the harp too. Abe Rosen played on Broadway and Myor Rosen was with the New York Philharmonic for thirty years. After Maxwell won a scholarship at Juilliard, he became the youngest member of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington at age 17. During WWII, Maxwell played in the 11th Naval District Coast Guard led by Rudy Vallee. So that got him to play popular music on the harp. So that got him thinking about writing and recording. He didn't have to be part of an orchestra. So for most of the 50s, Maxwell recorded for MGM Records. But the big surprise was when Frank Chacksfield scored a top five hit with his 1953 single of Ebb Tide. Maxwell wrote Shangri-La with violinist Matty Malneck in 1946. Malneck recorded it in 1946 featuring a Maxwell harp solo. The 1957 recording by the vocal group The Five Coins was a top 15 hit. Maxwell signed with Decca and reached #15 with his 1964 single Shangri-La. Jackie Gleason used Shangri-La on his early 60s variety show for his Reginald Van Gleason character. Plus Vic Dana recorded a vocal version. Maxwell's version had a "Space Age" arrangement led by sax and organ solos. So it had a pop music sound as opposed to classical. You can get Shangri-La on this various artists comp from the oldies label Eric Records.Maxwell recorded as Bobby Maxwell for Command/ABC in the 70s. And he continued to appear with orchestras until his death on Feb. 7, 2012 at age 90. Here's a video for Shangri-La by Robert Maxwell, His Harp and Orchestra.