Mike Barone

Mike Barone was born in Detroit, Michigan on December 27, 1936 and began playing trombone at age 12. He formed his first Jazz big band while stationed in Germany, touring service clubs throughout the late 50s.

In 1959, Mike attended Valley College in Van Nuys, California and left school to tour with the Sy Zentner and Louie Bellson Orchestras. Mike spent many years working with Louie and Pearl Bailey, touring, recording and arranging for the band.

During this time Mike also wrote and played with the Gerald Wilson and 27 of his arrangements were recorded by the Gerald Wilson Orchestra and other artists. One of these is the now classic Johnny Hartman album "Unforgettable" of which Mike wrote 7 of the 11 arrangements. Mike played on the Peggy Lee hit recording "Is That All There Is". Mike and Frank Rosolino formed a jazz quintet that played at the famous Donte's Jazz Club in North Hollywood, Ca. and other jazz clubs in Orange Co, Ca. Then around 1968 Mike recorded one album with Bob Edmondson and later three with Frank for "Trombones Unlimited" which became classic pop jazz albums.

Mike also performed as a session musician for many film and TV soundtrack, including Harper, The Dirty Dozen, Kelly's Heroes, Sweet Charity, Up The Down Staircase, The Thomas Crown Affair to name a few. He also played first trombone on the Mission Impossible theme for the original TV series. Mike wrote over 300 compositions and arrangements for the Johnny Carson Tonight Show Band from 1968 till 1992. Other work in Los Angeles included arranging and composing for television and movies such as Dynasty, Falcon Crest, Rocky Three, The Grammys, The Midnight Special, Redd Foxx Show and of course the Johnny Carson Tonight Show.

Mike moved back to the LA area in 1997 and formed a new big band, which has performed at the Jazz Bakery, Clancey's, Ken Poston Big Band Party, The Lighthouse, Vitello's and the Big Band Jazz Party in Palm Springs. The Mike Barone Big Band has released 9 CD's since 2005 on Rhubarb Recordings, Mike's own independent label. They are: "Live 2005!, "Metropole", "By Request", "Class of 68", "Flight Of The Bumblebee", "Live 2005 ! Redux", "Birdland , "La Fiesta" and "Brazil".