Milt Holland

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Milton Holland (born Milton Olshansky; February 7, 1917 – November 4, 2005) was an American drummer, percussionist, ethnomusicologist and writer in the Los Angeles music scene. He pioneered the use of African, South American, and Indian percussion styles in jazz, pop and film music, traveling extensively in those regions to collect instruments and learn styles of playing them.

Early life

Holland was born Milton Olshansky in Chicago, Illinois where he attended Theodore Roosevelt High School. His first instrument was the violin which he quickly replaced with Drumset and Percussion. He pursued a passion for jazz drumming and percussion, playing in clubs and shows and on CBS Radio in Chicago. By the age of twelve, he was playing at speakeasies for the likes of Al Capone. He also spent many years on the road in Jazz bands including Raymond Scott.

Career

In the early 1940s, Holland toured and recorded with The Raymond Scott Orchestra. He studied tabla at University of California, Los Angeles and from 1963 through 1978, with tabla master Chatur Lalin India (to 1965), Ramnad Easwaran and others. He traveled through India extensively in the early 1960s and 1970s, then spent many years in Africa studying tribal rhythms. He was among the first to introduce the instruments to western recording. After moving to Los Angeles in 1946, he played on countless jazz and pop albums, film and TV scores. A sampling of the artists he worked with includes Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker, Chaka Khan, John Williams, Leonard Bernstein, Elmer Bernstein, Ernest Gold, Quincy Jones, Bernard Herrmann, Nat King Cole, Henry Mancini, Loggins and Messina, James Taylor, Ella Fitzgerald, Laurindo Almeida, Ry Cooder, Bonnie Raitt, Seals and Crofts, Ray Manzarek, Michael Dinner, Gordon Lightfoot, Ringo Starr, Nelson Riddle, Kenny Loggins, Jim Messina, Poco, Captain Beefheart, David Blue, Rita Coolidge, Carly Simon, Paul Simon, Cal Tjader, John Cassavetes, the Doobie Brothers, Little Feat, Maria Muldaur, Randy Newman, and Joni Mitchell. He played pandeiro, congas and triangle on Mitchell's hit Big Yellow Taxi and congas and percussion on Light My Fire with José Feliciano. As part of the so-called "Wrecking Crew," Holland won several gold and platinum records for his contributions. He was perhaps most proud of having helped desegregate the Los Angeles Musicians Union. Eventually, Holland became the first choice for exotic percussion among Los Angeles freelance session musicians. In films, Holland played bongos on the soundtrack of West Side Story and timpani the soundtrack of Silent Running, to name only a tiny fraction of his output. He was one of seven illustrious percussionists, including Shelly Manne, Jack Sperling, and Larry Bunker, who contributed to the soundtrack of the John Wayne film Hatari!, playing African instruments on the soundtrack album, The Sounds of Hatari, and its title track. He played for the soundtrack of the TV miniseries Roots. He also played the musical accompaniment for Tinker Bell in the 1953 Disney cartoon film Peter Pan and for the nose tinkle in the TV series Bewitched.

Death and personal life

Holland died in Los Angeles at the age of 88. He was survived by his wife Mildred Holland, his sons, Richard Holland and Robert Holland, his grandchildren, Damien and Chloe, and Richard's wife Seiko. His widow Mildred died on October 21, 2015.

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Karen Alexander With Gregg Allman Band With Laurindo Almeida With Frankie Avalon With Hoyt Axton With Burt Bacharach With Joan Baez With David Batteau With Captain Beefheart With Louis Bellson With Elmer Bernstein With Elvin Bishop With David Blue With Bonaroo With Delaney Bramlett With Brewer & Shipley With Charlie Byrd With Glen Campbell With David Cassidy With Buddy Childers With Stanley Clarke With Joe Cocker With Ray Conniff With Ry Cooder With Rita Coolidge With Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney With Patti Dahlstrom With Bobby Darin With Ron Davies With Jackie Davis With Buddy DeFranco With Doug Dillard With The 5th Dimension With The Doobie Brothers With Don Everly With Percy Faith With Little Feat With Victor Feldman With José Feliciano With Jerry Fielding With Ella Fitzgerald With The Free Movement With Four Freshmen With Art Garfunkel With Jackie Gleason With Graham Central Station With Arlo Guthrie With John Hall With Lani Hall With Richard Harris With Joni James With Pete Jolly With Quincy Jones With Barbara Keith With Stan Kenton With Al Kooper With Peggy Lee With Claudia Lennear With Ketty Lester With Gordon Lightfoot With Kenny Loggins With Henry Mancini With Johnny Mandel With Herbie Mann With Mark-Almond With Dean Martin With Melanie With Jim Messina With Loggins & Messina With Joni Mitchell With The Monkees With Howdy Moon With Chris Morris With Johnny Nash With Randy Newman With Harry Nilsson With Anita O'Day With Gabby Pahinui With Van Dyke Parks With Linda Perhacs With Oscar Peterson With Ray Peterson With Bill Plummer With Poco With Bonnie Raitt With Helen Reddy With Martha Reeves With Johnny Rivers With Shorty Rogers With Rufus with Chaka Khan With Pete Rugolo With Sanford & Townsend With Lalo Schifrin With Seals and Crofts With John Sebastian With Neil Sedaka With Bud Shank With Ravi Shankar With Carly Simon With Frank Sinatra With Tom Snow With Phil Spector With Ringo Starr With Barbra Streisand With James Taylor With Bill Thomson With Cal Tjader With Various Artists With Wendy Waldman With Jennifer Warnes With Nancy Wilson With Paul Winter

Soundtracks

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