Harvey Cohen
Composer, orchestrator and arranger, active in film, television, recording and live performance. He was a native of Boston (Brookline), Massachusetts and a graduate of the Hartt College of Music, University of Hartford. Harvey went on to graduate studies at Brooklyn College, New York. Pursuing his career in Los Angeles, he enrolled at the Grove School of Music, and also studied with noted film/TV composer Earle Hagen. Harvey R. Cohen was the recipient of two Emmy Awards for his work on both Batman, The Animated Series (Warner Bros.) and Disney’s Aladdin, and was also nominated for a second episode of Batman, a Patti LaBelle Special, and two nominations for Casper (Universal), for which he was also nominated for an Association International du Film d’ Animation Award (ASIFA). Harvey’s television repertoire included some of that medium’s most successful primetime series – Dallas, Knot’s Landing, and Murphy Brown; plus the 69th, 70th, 72nd, 76th and 77th Annual Academy Awards. Harvey was selected by writer-director Steve Oedekerk to score Santa vs. the Snowman 3-D, the first animated feature in the newly developed IMAX 3-D process which premiered in 2002. He also scored Walt Disney’s Belles Magical World, a two million copy direct-to-video success.
A highlight of Harvey’s film career was the request by John Williams for his collaboration on the Academy Award nominated score for Sabrina, which subsequently led to later working with Mr. Williams on The Patriot. Recent projects included King Kong (with James Newton Howard), Mission:Impossible III, Scary Movie 4, and Happy ‘Never’ After. In the recording arena, Harvey arranged for multi-platinum recording artist Kenny G’s Grammy-nominated holiday CD success Wishes; Monica Mancini’s Cinema Paradiso; Grammy award-nominated jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelong, Billy Crystal, Bernadette Peters, Michael Feinstein’s Gershwin CD, Nice Work If You Can Get It, and many more. Concert arranging credits include Patti Austin, Bette Midler, Nathan Lane, Doc Severinsen, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra to name a few. Harvey’s current CD release is Kenny Ellis: Hanukkah Swings! In the symphonic arena, Columbia Suite for Orchestra was commissioned and premiered in San Diego in November 2003 – a tribute to the astronauts of the US Space Shuttle Columbia. Harvey was the leader of his own eighteen piece Big Band. He passed away Sunday evening, January 14, 2007, the result of a heart attack. He was 55.
FROM SCL PRESIDENT DAN FOLIART: To say that Harvey Cohen was a brilliant arranger, orchestrator and composer touches on only a small facet of this wonderful man’s life. Harvey demonstrated the qualities that all of us strive for, not only as musicians, but specifically as people. Harvey was the consummate musician, but more importantly, he was an honest, good, person. His gentle soul and sprit were an inspiration to all of us who served with him on the board of the SCL. Harvey was passionately involved with the betterment of our profession as exemplified by the active role he was taking in the formation of an SCL Awards program. Several of us sat with him three days ago and were moved by the energy and enthusiasm he brought to this endeavor. Our profession will be better off because of his contributions and those who knew Harvey will be better for having his presence in their life.
FROM SCL MEMBER BRUCE BABCOCK: Harvey Cohen has been my friend and colleague for close to thirty years. A musician of tremendous accomplishment, his many honors included two Emmy awards. It was my great pleasure and privilege to work with him many times over the years. I’ve known many associates and acquaintances in the music business, but very few true friends. Harvey was a true friend. As much as I admired him for his professional accomplishments, I admired Harvey’s humanity even more. He was devoted to Marilynn and her four children, and also somehow found time, for many years, to be a mentor in the Big Brother program. He was a loving son to his mother, Flora, who was so proud to see Harvey honored by his peers at ASMAC just a few weeks ago. He and I spoke at length by phone only two days ago and planned to see each other tonight. I will miss his talent, his humor, his kindness and his friendship.
FROM SCL MEMBER IRA HEARSHEN: I met Harvey in the mid ’70’s when he came out here from Boston via NYC. We shared the stage many times as sidemen playing casual dates, he on saxes, while I played trumpet. We had a lot of good times together, both professionally and socially. Even as our careers grew and our paths diverged, Harvey never lost his passion for the thing he loved most in life, making music, whether by playing it, conducting it, or writing it. That passion and enthusiasm will be sorely missed.
