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Neal Hefti

Neal Paul Hefti (October 29, 1922 – October 11, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and arranger. He wrote music for The Odd Couple movie and TV series and for the Batman TV series.

He began arranging professionally in his teens, when he wrote charts for Nat Towles. He composed and arranged while working as a trumpeter for Woody Herman providing the bandleader with versions of "Woodchopper's Ball" and "Blowin' Up a Storm" and composing "The Good Earth" and "Wild Root". He left Herman's band in 1946. Now concentrating on writing music only, he began an association with Count Basie in 1950. Hefti occasionally led his own bands.

Birth and Death Data: Born Hastings, Died October 11, 2008 (Los Angeles)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1942 - 1959

Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, arranger, trumpet, songwriter

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 262 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 71904 10-in. 3/23/1944 It must be jelly Woody Herman Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 71906 10-in. 3/24/1944 Don't change horses Woody Herman Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 71909 3/29/1944 Say so Woody Herman Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 71910 3/29/1944 Goin' home Woody Herman Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 71911 3/29/1944 Refuse it Woody Herman Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 71912 3/29/1944 Ingie speaks-1 Woody Herman Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 71939 4/5/1944 As long as I live Woody Herman Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 71940 10-in. 4/5/1944 Perdido (Lost)-1 Woody Herman Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 71941 10-in. 4/5/1944 I didn't know about you Woody Herman Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 71941[a] 4/5/1944 Blue lullaby Woody Herman Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 81328 8/1/1951 The kissing bug boogie Neal Hefti Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet, arranger, leader  
Decca 81329 8/1/1951 (I wouldn't be where I am) If you hadn't gone away Neal Hefti Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet, arranger, leader  
Decca 81330 8/1/1951 Coral reef Neal Hefti Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet, arranger, leader  
Decca 81397 8/14/1951 A cabin in the cotton Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
Decca 81398 8/14/1951 Bing bong bing Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
Decca 81399 8/14/1951 Uncle Jim Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
Decca 81505 9/5/1951 Love me or please let me be Rita Moss leader  
Decca 81506 9/5/1951 Darlin' Rita Moss leader  
Decca 81529 9/12/1951 Waitin' for the evenin' mail Roberta Lee ; Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
Decca 81530 9/12/1951 Slow poke Roberta Lee ; Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
Decca 81531 9/12/1951 I wanna play house with you Roberta Lee ; Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
Decca 81532 9/12/1951 Cherokee Roberta Lee ; Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
Decca 81691 10/15/1951 Cry Eileen Barton leader  
Decca 81692 10/15/1951 Hold me just a little longer, Daddy Eileen Barton leader  
Decca 81749 10/22/1951 Charmaine Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
(Results 26-50 of 262 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Hefti, Neal," accessed December 12, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103459.

Hefti, Neal. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 12, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103459.

"Hefti, Neal." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 12 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103459

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