Jack Marshall

Jack Marshall was an influential Hollywood guitarist, arranger, composer, conductor and (I believe) founder of the guitar program at USC. He had a big influence in getting H.R. started in the studios and in the general music scene in Los Angeles. In an article H.R. recounts meeting Jack Marshall at a Barney Kessel gig at a club in Los Angeles called The Haig in the early 1950's.

Jack Marshall scored the music for the television show called The Deputy on which H.R. also played. He also served as an arranger for records by Peggy Lee, Judy Garland, etc. For example, I remember reading that he was involved in producing Peggy Lee's great hit Fever. As a bit of trivia it turns out that the finger snaps on that recording were performed by Howard Roberts! Supposedly Jack Marshall was also the inventor of the CAGED system familiar to many guitarists.

There is an article, Jack Marshall - Night Clubs to Sound Stage by Morgan Hope, Guitar Player, October, 1972, p. 14-17 that gives some biographical details about him. He seems to have had quite a varied career as a jazz, rock and classical guitarist and also as a composer and arranger. For example, he worked with Stravinsky and recorded a 3 LP album of music by Anton Webern - which would be interesting listening. At the time of the article he had scored over 300 TV and film scores and had effectively given up his career as a guitarist to compose. The same article indicates that he had written a book with Howard Roberts on improvisation for rock guitarists.

Unfortunately he passed away in September, 1973 at the quite young age of 51. There is an article "Jack Marshall Scholarship Fund" A Guitar Tribute, by Leonard Feather, Guitar Player, March, 1974, P. 18, which reviews a special Jack Marshall night held at Donte's in Burbank, CA in support of a Jack Marshall Scholarship Fund at USC. Among the many guitar players contributing to the evening was a duo performed by Joe Pass and Howard Roberts. Also Christopher Parkening, who is also related to Jack Marshall, played several pieces. Jack Marshall seems to have been quite an extraordinary person and I'd like to learn more about his career in music. I've acquired the following recordings by him.

I'm also looking for the following albums by Jack Marshall:

Leonard Feather presents ... Jack Marshall and his jazz group - Concept EVL5 -1959

Jack Marshall appears on some Jack Sheldon albums playing guitar and engaging in comedic sketches with Sheldon. In particular

Out! Jack Sheldon and his Quartet
Jack Sheldon Presents the Entertainers
Jack Sheldon Live at Don Mupo's Golden Nugget

all contain some great music with H.R. Also Jack Marshall conducts the orchestra on the Judy Garland recording Judy Thats Entertainment and plays some nice guitar on some of the selections.