Manny Albam interviewed by Monk Rowe, Tarrytown, New York, October 31, 1998 [transcript]

Table of Contents: Biography -- Current workload: "getting hot again" -- Writing and working with strings -- Musical background: first heard classical, then heard Bix Beiderbecke -- Pee Wee Russell: "had that essence of jazz" -- Hearing the band as a writer from the Bari Chair -- Decision to give up playing and going on the road to write -- Story about Milt and Mona Hinton at Giants games -- Long-term musical memory -- First arrangements/Learning to write with no score sheet from Fletcher Henderson -- Learning arranging from Budd Johnson and Dizzy Gillespie -- Effects of ASCAP: splitting writing royalties with leaders -- About standards: usually didn't use the verse -- Developing personal style: turning down project to write charts like Nelson Riddle's -- About writing for Basie and other leaders/Writing for pay -- Writing in the car on the way to the session -- Love of recording sessions: players turn soundless score into music -- About the blues is everybody's business -- Arranging vs. orchestration -- Writing with or without a piano -- About West Side Story record -- Writing chamber/classical music/Big compliment from Bernstein: "Would you ever write anything for my big band?" --Listening choices: prefers live to recorded jazz -- Story about his mother meeting Coleman Hawkins and Benny Carter -- About Ben Webster: loyalty to the Ellington Band -- Living on 52nd street/Funny jingle scene story -- About writing for rock acts -- Problem of bass amplification -- Writing for Broadway: "a sense of drama" in the dynamics -- About the soul of the city: descriptive music -- Conclusion: Funny quote about short sketches