Jon Charles
- Music Department
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Jon was born and raised in New York, surrounded by music and musicians - his father, choral arranger and composer The Other Ray Charles; his uncle, drummer Bobby Rosengarden; and his mother Bernice, a pianist. Instead of playing catch with his father, Jon tagged along on recording dates and TV tapings. On one of these early "outings," he wound up sight-reading the piano-triplets on the Ray Charles Singers' hit "Love Me With All Your Heart."
Jon commuted from Long Island to attend the renowned High School of Performing Arts in New York City and studied percussion under George Gaber at Indiana University. In 1968, after a stint in the US Army, he became Chief Arranger for The Dick Cavett Show, a roll he would fill for six years, writing charts for hundreds of guests including Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, Janis Joplin, and Groucho Marx.
In 1974, Jon moved to California, settling in Pasadena, where he worked in TV variety. For thirty years, he served as Chief Arranger for the Grammy Awards under Music Director Jack Elliott. Variety shows for which he arranged included the Emmy Awards; Academy Awards; Kennedy Center Honors; The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years; Comic Relief VII; A Capitol Fourth; and many more.
Jon shared three Primetime Emmy Awards with the Dick Cavett Show team (1968-69, 1971-72, and 1973-74). He shared an additional five Primetime Emmy Nominations for Outstanding Music Direction for his contributions to The Kennedy Center Honors (1986, 1989, and 1990); The Stars Salute the US Olympic Team (1984); and Perry Como's Christmas in Paris (1983).
Jon was also Music Arranger for the four-season run of the syndicated Sha-Na-Na television series (96 shows, 1977-1980). Sha-Na-Na was a family affair, with Jon Charles serving as Co-Music Director alongside his father Ray during the first season, then taking the reins for the remaining three seasons. Jon's sister, Wendy Charles Acey worked as a production assistant on Sha-Na-Na.
For eight seasons, Jon worked as an orchestrator for the hit television series American Idol. He also arranged for episodic TV including Mike Hammer (series/movies of the week), thirtysomething, Home Front (all episodes), Picket Fences (all episodes), The Practice, Superman (animated), and Casper (animated).
Because of his ability to hear the individual parts in an orchestral piece Jon was often hired to re-create arrangements off vinyl records when the original charts had been lost. He did this for the Count Basie band among others. One of his favorite gigs was re-creating arrangements from the iconic 1961 album, Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall, for Rufus Wainwright and a 36-piece orchestra. In June 2006, Wainwright performed the tribute concert - Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall - to two sold-out Carnegie Hall audiences. The resulting live album earned a 2009 Grammy Nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.
Films for which Jon orchestrated/arranged include Racing With The Moon, The Fabulous Baker Boys, Selena, and Falling In Love for composer Dave Grusin; My Week with Marilyn for composer Conrad Pope; Forrest Gump and Clean Slate for composer Alan Silvestri, and The Jerk for composer Jack Elliott. He also composed the music for Shut Up, I'm Crying, a 1971 Oscar nominee for Best Short Subject.
Jon arranged for Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr., on the 1988 Together Again tour. In 2001, he arranged for Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Brooke Shields, and the cast of Muppetfest Gala, the first live Muppet performance.
He also wrote charts for Steve Allen, Julie Andrews, Louis Armstrong, Ruth Brown, Peabo Bryson, Vikki Carr, Kristin Chenoweth, Joe Cocker, Andrae Crouch, Michael Feinstein, Nnenna Freelon, Dave Frishberg, Maurice Hinds, Bob Hope, Dick Hyman, Whitney Houston, Al Jarreau, k.d. lang, Annie Lennox, Monica Mancini, Audra McDonald, Michael McDonald, The Pointer Sisters, Rachael Price, Seal, Dr. Seuss, Phoebe Snow, Curtis Stigers, The Three Sopranos, Carrie Underwood, Lee Ann Womack, and countless others.
Jon loved arranging for big bands and larger ensembles and wrote for the Buddy Rich Band, Doc Severinsen's Tonight Show Band, National Symphony, American Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra, Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra, Hollywood Pops Orchestra, Pasadena Pops Orchestra, and Los Angeles Pentacostal Community Choir.
During the summers of 1979, 1980 and 1981, Jon went on the road as Music Director and Conductor for three different burlesque shows that were taped for Home Box Office: Here It Is, Burlesque (with Ann Corio, Morey Amsterdam, and Pinky Lee); Burlesque U.S.A (with Red Buttons); and With A Touch Of Burlesque (with Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca).
Jon co-composed two Off-Broadway musicals with John Leone: The Big Favor and The Unified Field. The latter, centered on the life and work of Albert Einstein, was performed at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in 1987. He also collaborated with Joanna Miles on the musical Feathers. In 1998, Jon orchestrated the musical Hot Shoe Shuffle (re-written with original songs by Megan Cavalari and David Goldsmith) for its US premier at Houston's Theatre Under the Stars. He also provided arrangements for many Princess Cruises shipboard productions.
Known for his generosity and love of community service, Jon provided pro bono music arranging and conducting for numerous charitable events and non-profit organizations including the Betty Clooney Foundation, SHARE, S.T.A.G.E, and the Henry Mancini Institute, over the course of his 50-year career. Jon was past president of the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers (ASMAC), served on its Board of Directors for over 27 years, and was a recipient of the ASMAC Honors Our Own Award.
Jon commuted from Long Island to attend the renowned High School of Performing Arts in New York City and studied percussion under George Gaber at Indiana University. In 1968, after a stint in the US Army, he became Chief Arranger for The Dick Cavett Show, a roll he would fill for six years, writing charts for hundreds of guests including Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, Janis Joplin, and Groucho Marx.
In 1974, Jon moved to California, settling in Pasadena, where he worked in TV variety. For thirty years, he served as Chief Arranger for the Grammy Awards under Music Director Jack Elliott. Variety shows for which he arranged included the Emmy Awards; Academy Awards; Kennedy Center Honors; The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years; Comic Relief VII; A Capitol Fourth; and many more.
Jon shared three Primetime Emmy Awards with the Dick Cavett Show team (1968-69, 1971-72, and 1973-74). He shared an additional five Primetime Emmy Nominations for Outstanding Music Direction for his contributions to The Kennedy Center Honors (1986, 1989, and 1990); The Stars Salute the US Olympic Team (1984); and Perry Como's Christmas in Paris (1983).
Jon was also Music Arranger for the four-season run of the syndicated Sha-Na-Na television series (96 shows, 1977-1980). Sha-Na-Na was a family affair, with Jon Charles serving as Co-Music Director alongside his father Ray during the first season, then taking the reins for the remaining three seasons. Jon's sister, Wendy Charles Acey worked as a production assistant on Sha-Na-Na.
For eight seasons, Jon worked as an orchestrator for the hit television series American Idol. He also arranged for episodic TV including Mike Hammer (series/movies of the week), thirtysomething, Home Front (all episodes), Picket Fences (all episodes), The Practice, Superman (animated), and Casper (animated).
Because of his ability to hear the individual parts in an orchestral piece Jon was often hired to re-create arrangements off vinyl records when the original charts had been lost. He did this for the Count Basie band among others. One of his favorite gigs was re-creating arrangements from the iconic 1961 album, Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall, for Rufus Wainwright and a 36-piece orchestra. In June 2006, Wainwright performed the tribute concert - Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall - to two sold-out Carnegie Hall audiences. The resulting live album earned a 2009 Grammy Nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.
Films for which Jon orchestrated/arranged include Racing With The Moon, The Fabulous Baker Boys, Selena, and Falling In Love for composer Dave Grusin; My Week with Marilyn for composer Conrad Pope; Forrest Gump and Clean Slate for composer Alan Silvestri, and The Jerk for composer Jack Elliott. He also composed the music for Shut Up, I'm Crying, a 1971 Oscar nominee for Best Short Subject.
Jon arranged for Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr., on the 1988 Together Again tour. In 2001, he arranged for Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Brooke Shields, and the cast of Muppetfest Gala, the first live Muppet performance.
He also wrote charts for Steve Allen, Julie Andrews, Louis Armstrong, Ruth Brown, Peabo Bryson, Vikki Carr, Kristin Chenoweth, Joe Cocker, Andrae Crouch, Michael Feinstein, Nnenna Freelon, Dave Frishberg, Maurice Hinds, Bob Hope, Dick Hyman, Whitney Houston, Al Jarreau, k.d. lang, Annie Lennox, Monica Mancini, Audra McDonald, Michael McDonald, The Pointer Sisters, Rachael Price, Seal, Dr. Seuss, Phoebe Snow, Curtis Stigers, The Three Sopranos, Carrie Underwood, Lee Ann Womack, and countless others.
Jon loved arranging for big bands and larger ensembles and wrote for the Buddy Rich Band, Doc Severinsen's Tonight Show Band, National Symphony, American Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra, Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra, Hollywood Pops Orchestra, Pasadena Pops Orchestra, and Los Angeles Pentacostal Community Choir.
During the summers of 1979, 1980 and 1981, Jon went on the road as Music Director and Conductor for three different burlesque shows that were taped for Home Box Office: Here It Is, Burlesque (with Ann Corio, Morey Amsterdam, and Pinky Lee); Burlesque U.S.A (with Red Buttons); and With A Touch Of Burlesque (with Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca).
Jon co-composed two Off-Broadway musicals with John Leone: The Big Favor and The Unified Field. The latter, centered on the life and work of Albert Einstein, was performed at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in 1987. He also collaborated with Joanna Miles on the musical Feathers. In 1998, Jon orchestrated the musical Hot Shoe Shuffle (re-written with original songs by Megan Cavalari and David Goldsmith) for its US premier at Houston's Theatre Under the Stars. He also provided arrangements for many Princess Cruises shipboard productions.
Known for his generosity and love of community service, Jon provided pro bono music arranging and conducting for numerous charitable events and non-profit organizations including the Betty Clooney Foundation, SHARE, S.T.A.G.E, and the Henry Mancini Institute, over the course of his 50-year career. Jon was past president of the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers (ASMAC), served on its Board of Directors for over 27 years, and was a recipient of the ASMAC Honors Our Own Award.