ASMAC Honors Schifrin, Charles

Composer Lalo Schifrin was honored for his achievements in film music at a gala held by the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers (ASMAC) on March 25 at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. Schifrin, who scored Bullitt and Cool Hand Luke, among other films, also served as Dizzy Gillespie’s musical director in the early ’60s. He was given ASMAC’s 65th annual Golden Score Award. Past Golden Score honorees include composers Patrick Williams (2003) and Michel Legrand (2002).

ASMAC also honored composer Ray Charles-no, not that Ray Charles-with its Irwin Kostal Tribute Award. Charles, who is affectionately known in the music biz as “The Other Ray Charles,” is an Emmy Award-winning composer/arranger/lyricist/singer who has worked primarily in television and has created music for specials that starred Frank Sinatra, Jackie Gleason, Bing Crosby, Dick Van Dyke and many others.

There was live music at the event as well, performers included the Kim Richmond Concert Jazz Orchestra, jazz singer Sandra Booker and the Ray Charles Singers, who were reunited as a surprise for Charles.

Proceeds from the night’s events benefited ASMAC’s educational programs and the “Don Costa, Gordon Jenkins, Nelson Riddle Memorial Scholarship for Musical Excellence in arranging and the “Irwin Kostal Memorial Scholarship” for composing.

For more info on ASMAC, visit www.asmac.org.

Originally Published April 8, 2004