Nelson Riddle and the Kid.
During all my years performing magic only once did I think about giving it up and doing something different. It happened back in the ‘70’s in California when I got to work with a musical hero of mine. A call from the Magic Castle put me in touch with a producer from Pacific Palisades. Getting a referral call from the Castle was like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates, you never knew what you were getting! The only thing you did know was that Jean had quoted a fee. Jean Cantor was the dynamo at the center of the Castle who kept things hopping. She always quoted a two hundred dollar fee. It didn’t matter whether it was for performing a full illusion show for a thousand people in a ballroom or doing card tricks in a restaurant! The fee was always the same two hundred dollars.
Billionaire Ross Perot was throwing a huge banquet for returned prisoners of war from the war in Vietnam. Hosted by Ronald Reagan, the evening featured an after-dinner show starring Carol Burnett, Edgar Bergen, Sammy Davis Jr. and Tony Bennet. The musical director was Nelson Riddle with his forty-two-piece orchestra. Someone had decided an unknown English magician would be the perfect item to complete this extravaganza. Maybe it was the $200 fee! The most intimidating part for me was doing a band rehearsal with the great Nelson Riddle. I was a huge fan of Mr. Riddle’s awesome orchestral arrangements. For me, Irish singer Van Morrison expressed it best when he sang, “When Frank Sinatra sings, against Nelson riddle strings take a vacation.” There is just something in the Morrison sings it that says it all.
On the afternoon of the show when the time came for my band call I walked onstage trying to look like this was an everyday occurrence. Mr. Riddle was seated on a
piano stool in front of what seemed like an endless orchestra. In my hand were my band parts. I had always been very proud of the jazzy arrangement of “Rule Britannia” that had been written for my by the bandleader from a cruise ship. There were band parts for twelve instruments some of which I had never even heard. Looking at the gigantic orchestra they suddenly seemed very inadequate.
“Mr. Riddle….” I began.
“Call me Nelson.” He replied. I appreciated his gesture but in honesty it had taken all my nerve just to call him Mr. Riddle. Nelson looked at my meager stack of music, smiled and said: “Nick, unless it is very important to you, if it’s just intro and bows music maybe you can leave it to me.” He said with a friendly grin. “I am sure I can come up with something for the band.” I agreed gladly and that was the end of my band call.
That night prior to showtime while standing in the wings I wondered for the first time about what my intro music. This was the summer of “Star Wars” in Los Angeles the movie was everywhere; the characters, actors, images and particularly that wonderful soundtrack by John Williams. That is what I heard following my introduction. Nelson Riddle and his entire ensemble broke into the fanfare from Star Wars. “DA DA DADA DA DAAAAH DA….” Every single one of those forty-two musicians playing their hearts out, strings were soaring, timpani booming, horns blaring and best of all there was ‘Nelson’ on the keyboard keeping it all together. For a moment it ran through my mind that I should just not bother walking out onstage, quit right there on top of the mountain. Then I took a deep breath and walked out on to the stage.
REMARKABLE MAGIC 