| Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 12:53 pm** *Post subject:
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Hi CB,
Your right Danny Stiles was a fantastic NY studio player and did play lead trumpet on the Merv Griffin Show when it was based in New York. He and Bill Watrous were very good friends and actually started Bill's Big Band "Wild Life Refuge " which put out and album in 1972 with Danny playing lead trumpet. This band had the quintessential " New York " sound, but I must say, all the New York based Big Bands really played with alot ore " Swing" and " Drive " then their counter-parts in the west.
Danny also played with Gil Evans, Woody Herman, Bette Midler, Jimmy Smith and a host of other top notch performers.
Sadly, he died in 1979 and he is missed and because of his early death, he is sometimes forgotten for his contributions to the trumpet community. I will see Bill Watrous this after noon and get more info on Danny. Plus, I'll have more to write later today.
Danny died much later,
Maybe you are thinking of Mike Lawerence.
Wilmer |