If Phil Bodner, the versatile woodwind / saxophonist who passed away on Sunday, Feb. 24, had only been a session musician, he still would have secured a space for himself in the jazz text books.

One of the busiest reed men in the 1950s-'70s, he recorded with the top names in the music business. Sinatra, Ella, Torme, among many others. He was part of Enoch Light's Cammand label, where he recorded with such musicians as Dick Hyman, Doc Severinson and Urbie Green. And he recorded for film music sessions as well.

But likely his greatest notoriety came from his work as conductor, musician and arranger for a '60s instrumental pop group inspired by another musician. Herb Alpert's "Tijuana Brass" had rose to the top ten on the Billboard charts very consistently by the mid 1960s. His twin trumpet sound featuring trombones and marimba created a sensation and scored more than a dozen gold albums.

Bodner began recording as the head of his own instrumentalists group, "The Brass Ring". He higlighted a twin saxophone sound, punctuated by brass and a hip rhythm section. Two equally prolific New Jersey born musicians were featured prominently in this band: saxophonist Stan Webb and guitarist Tony Mottola. While the band didn't quite achieve the major success Alpert did, "The Brass Ring" did have a few chart hits of its' own. The "Love Theme from 'The Flight of The Phoenix" in 1965 was followed by what was arguably the group's most memorable hit: a song called "The Dis-Advantages of You". Written by 'Man of La Mancha' composer Mitch Leigh, the track, featuring the twin saxes and a wordless womens chorus, became nationally known after it was used as the background theme for a series of 'Benson and Hedges' cigarette TV commercials in the late '60s. "The Brass Ring" covered many diverse hits of the day, such as "Al-Di-La", "Samba De Orfeau" and Quincy Jones' theme from the movie "For Love of Ivy".

Because of the popularity of the 'easy listening' format on FM radio stations of those days, "The Brass Ring" enjoyed much exposure throghout the late '60s and '70s. Bodner, a composer as well as musician, wrote a number of compositions for the group, as did Mottola. After the group disbanded in the early '70s, Bodner continued to keep active as a studio musician, in demand not only as a saxophonist but on numerous woodwind instruments. He also worked in New York clubs, forming a jazz combo with bassist George Duvivier and drummer Mel Lewis in the early '80s. Phil Bodner remained spradically active even into his 80s.

He is survived by his wife, four children and eight grandchildren. Source: Exotica Digest