Ralph Pena is shown here with his first string bass in 1944 in the Grass Valley High School Senior Orchestra. From left to right from top row are D. Ramer, J. Wasley, R. Arbaught, M. Hamilton, K. Hotchkiss, E. Priest, D. Poole, J. Juilbert, M. Mann, G. Hocking and Ralph Pena.
Top String Bass Man Local Product
By
Dave Neuharth
(The Union 1967). If you happened to tune in a short time ago to Frank Sinatra's hour of music on the television set, you might remember him saying, "Follow That Man" as he led off a number with a local product on his string bass instrument. That man on the string bass was Ralph Pena, considered to be one of the top string bass players and composers in the modern field of music in this country today.
To follow his career back to it's beginning, you will find Pena in Grass Valley High School in 1941, where Harold George Sr. started his music career which has now blossomed into fame. George said Pena came into his class as a beginner in 1941, at which time he tried Pena on several instruments to find out what suited him best. "When he tried a trombone, we found he was too small to reach the extended positions, so then I tried him on a baritone, which is a valve instrument. He took to it like a duck to water, and in a short time he was an excellent player," George recalls.
When Pena had grown a little, George started him on a string bass and Pena soon became outstanding, as he really found his field in music. Later on, the school under George organized a dance band using a group of talented students, which played for a number of dances at school and in town. Pena was one of the outstanding musicians in that group. At that time he came under the watchful eye of Jerry Austin who, after being a professional musician playing with several name bands, decided to locate in Grass Valley.
Austin took a real interest in Pena as he has with a number of local musicians and soon aided his natural music ability a great deal, preparing him for the professional world of music. When Pena left Grass Valley after his graduation in 1944, music was his aim in life. He went to San Francisco State College where he was asked by some of the top named bands in the country to join them. Pena refused to leave college, wanting his music degree and teachers credential, a goal which he went on to accomplish.
A few years ago Pena accompanied Frank Sinatra and others who made a two-year world tour for the benefit of retarded children. On November 1, the Sacramento State College music department featured a stage band, with Pena as a guest artist. Pena went out of his way to invite Austin and George to the program, and he had them both stand at the concert, and thanked them for all that the two had done to start his music career.
Pena has also had published a book of music, "Three Trios For String Bass." He sent George a copy which he autographed "to Mr. Harold George, with respect and appreciation for all your support." Pena now makes his home in Los Angeles and Hollywood. (Published in The Union newspaper Dec. 2, 1967).
From Ralph's album "Master of the Bass," you're listening to "Speak Low."
Ralph was Mel's sister Florence's brother-in-law. They joked about him hitch hiking with his bass to play in a band in Sacramento. One person who gave him a ride remarked that anyone that ambitious deserved a ride. The following adds some highlights about his life.
Ralph was born February 24, 1927 at Jarbidge, Nevada. He was interested in music from early childhood, and played brass instruments before settling on bass. When he was fifteen he played with Jerry Austin's dance band (1942-44) and then, while studying in San Francisco, he played at local clubs and became a fixture in the West Coast jazz scene. From 1950 through into the early 60s he was active in jazz clubs and as a studio musician. In 1957-60 he was among several jazz musicians who taught at the Lenox School of Jazz, a summer school in Massachusetts. Among many leaders with whom Ralph played are Bob Brookmeyer, Clare Fischer, Jimmy Giuffre, Ken Hanna, Pete Jolly (in duo and trio), Jack Montrose, Shorty Rogers, Bud Shank, George Shearing (recording and also visiting Europe in 1962), Jack Sheldon, and Zoot Sims.
Chuck Berghofer, who is credited with playing on more than 400 soundtrack films some of the best in jazz and popular music with top singers, commented that, "I used to listen to Ralph Pena play with Pete Jolly, and the duo (left) sounded so good, I persuaded Ralph to give me lessons. He was also playing with the Jimmy Giuffre Trio, and I would often stay on after my lesson while they rehearsed with Jim Hall, which was a real education. Ralph had a retarded child, which made his home life difficult, but he was the sweetest man, and I didn't realize how much he had taught me until the album with Pete Jolly came out later. Some titles had Ralph on bass and others had me, and it is difficult to tell us apart. I studied regularly with him for about eight months."
Ralph worked with singers such as Betty Bennett (for 1955's Nobody Else But Me), Ella Fitzgerald (part of 1959's Gershwin Song Book sessions under Nelson Riddle), Anita O'Day, Frank Sinatra (making a world tour in 1962), and Nancy Wilson (on Tender Loving Care in 1966). Jim Fielder, the bass guitar player from Blood, Sweat & Tears, considered one of the real unsung heroes of rock 'n' roll, mentions that he started playing bass in high school and played with a neighborhood surf band. After graduating from high school, he took some string bass lessons from Ralph Pena, who played bass with Frank Sinatra at that time.Ralph played on several recordings under Billy May and Russ Garcia, in the latter's case including sessions backing Mel Tormé (on 1959's Olé Tormé), and he was in the studio orchestra under Elmer Bernstein for the film The Man With The Golden Arm (1955). A valued sideman, Ralph was especially noted for his arco playing. For his only own-name recording session, he led a trio with alto saxophonist Herb Geller and pianist Joe Albany, and also composed his own music. Occasionally he led a nine-piece band expressly for this purpose.
Ralph died May 20, 1969 from injuries received when he was struck by a car while in Mexico City, where he was working on the score for a motion picture. He was forty-two years old.
