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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 51-75 of 262 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 81750 10/22/1951 Regular man Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
Decca 81751 10/22/1951 Uncle Jim Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
Decca 82042 12/27/1951 You're the only one I love Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
Decca 82043 12/27/1951 Don't be that way Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
Decca 82255 2/6/1952 Sahara's aide Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
Decca 82256 2/6/1952 Always Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
Decca 82257 2/6/1952 Cherokee Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
Decca 82605 4/3/1952 Everytime Neal Hefti Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet, arranger, leader  
Decca 82606 4/3/1952 Lonesome and blue Neal Hefti Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet, arranger, leader  
Decca 82607 4/3/1952 Sure thing Neal Hefti Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet, arranger, leader  
Decca 82608 4/3/1952 Why not? Neal Hefti Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet, arranger, leader  
Decca 82885 5/27/1952 Do you care? Neal Hefti Orchestra ; Frances Wayne instrumentalist, trumpet, arranger, leader  
Decca 82886 5/27/1952 You'd be so nice to come home to Neal Hefti Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet, arranger, leader  
Decca 82887 5/27/1952 Bill Neal Hefti Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet, arranger, leader  
Decca 82888 5/27/1952 Siboney Neal Hefti Orchestra ; Frances Wayne instrumentalist, trumpet, arranger, leader  
Decca 83144 7/23/1952 Somebody loves me Neal Hefti Orchestra ; Frances Wayne instrumentalist, trumpet, arranger, leader  
Decca 83145 7/23/1952 Jambalaya Neal Hefti Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet, arranger, leader  
Decca 83146 7/23/1952 Two-faced clock Neal Hefti Orchestra ; Frances Wayne instrumentalist, trumpet, arranger, leader  
Decca 83147 7/23/1952 Mean to me Neal Hefti Orchestra ; Frances Wayne instrumentalist, trumpet, arranger, leader  
Decca 83148 7/24/1952 Four or five times Modernaires ; Neal Hefti Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet, arranger, leader  
Decca 83149 7/24/1952 When my love comes back to me Modernaires ; Neal Hefti Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet, arranger, leader  
Decca 83644 11/14/1952 Lake Placid Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
Decca 83645 11/14/1952 Uncle Jim Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
Decca 83646 11/14/1952 Waltzing on a cloud Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
Decca 83647 11/15/1952 In Veradero-1 Neal Hefti Orchestra arranger, leader  
(Results 51-75 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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