Paul Severson (August 18, 1928 – May 20, 2007 ) was an American music arranger and composer who wrote some of the most recognizable commercial music of our time. While he may be best known for the Doublemint gum jingle and compositions for Marlboro, Ford, McDonald's, Kellogg's, KFC & Chicken of the Sea, his jazz work in "The Cry of Jazz" is preserved in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry and his Hal Leonard arrangements of Dixieland titles are played by people worldwide. During his long career he received 15 Clio Awards. Severson has been called "one of the most famous arrangers/composers you've never heard of".
Early life and career Severson, a 1946 graduate of Fargo Central High School, settled in Chicago after obtaining a master's degree in music from Northwestern University. He performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and composed for a number of top advertising agencies.
Wherever he went Severson was involved in writing music. As a performer, he played trombone or keyboards with various bands and orchestras in the 1950s and 1960s, including the CBS Chicago Staff Orchestra, the Stan Kenton Orchestra and the Chicago Civic Symphony. Severson also performed with jazz musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Stan Getz as well as created film scores for director Madeline Tourtelot (The Poet's Return & Two Cats- One Chick 1962).
Through the 1980s and 1990s Paul Severson was head of the Minnesota State University of Moorhead's music industry program .
Later career Back in Fargo in later years Paul Severson helped found several local jazz groups, arranged compositions for the Red River Dance and Performing Co. and served as music director for Trollwood Performing Arts School. All along, he mentored, encouraged and enlightened.
Severson composed music for a number of national commercials in the early 1990s.
Bill Robinson, who headed the Mesa State Theater department from 1960 to 1988, also had an opportunity to work with Severson. Severson composed the music for the musical Princess, which Robinson produced. "He was quite a jazz man," Robinson said. "He was a very sweet man, truly a gentleman.".
Severson was a moderator and lay minister of two Unitarian Universalist fellowships in Grand Junction and in Fargo, North Dakota. His spiritual search led him to study eastern religions, Native American spirituality, science, philosophy and mysticism. After four years of study, he became a Church of Religious Science practitioner.
Death Paul Severson died on May 20, 2007, after a long struggle with prostate cancer.
Discography +TitleArtistLabelYearJingle Bells/ Buffy the Jingle Bell ManDreamdusters & Paul Severson QuartetCustom Sound1953When You Comin' Baby/Wildcat StompJimmy Reid & Paul Severson QuartetAcademy1955Academy Records presents the Paul Severson QuartetPaul Severson QuartetAcademy1956Sounds... CrazyPaul Severson QuartetOmegatape1956JazzPaul Severson SeptetReplica1957Misty Island/Please Love MePaul Severson OrchestraAltair1957LullabiesConnie Mitchel, Billy Leach & Paul Severson EnsembleEva Tone1958Your Heart's In the Wrong Place/Hot Dog PolkaLen Dresslar & Paul Severson OrchestraAcademy1959Music of the West Orchestral Suites Disk 1Gary Smith & Paul SeversonGRS West2007Orchestral Disk 2Gary Smith & Paul SeversonGRS West2007Orchestral Disk 3Gary Smith & Paul SeversonGRS West2007Pastoral and Electoral Disk 1Gary Smith & Paul SeversonGRS West2007Jazz Disk 1Gary Smith & Paul SeversonGRS West2007Jazz Disk 2Gary Smith & Paul SeversonGRS West2007The Paul Severson Quartette featuring Kenny SoderblomPaul Severson Quartette ft Kenny SoderblomGRS West2007Transparent to the LightPaul SeversonSelf-released2008Midwest Jazz + Jazz Young BloodPaul Severson & Chuz AlfredFresh Sounds2022 As Sideman (trombone):
With Ralph Marterie
1949 Sweet and Lovely- With Strings 1951 Dance Band in Town 1952 Dancing on the Downbeat 1953 Pennsylvania Turnpike 1954 Alone Together Music for Smoochin 1955 Salute to the Aragon Ballroom 1955 Hits That Made Him Famous 1959 Marvelous Marterie
With Stan Kenton
1953 By Request Vol. 5 1953. The Creep/Tenderly
With The Four Freshmen
1953 Tenderly/I'll Be Seeing You
With Hal Kartun
1955 WBBM Live Showmanship
With Bill Russo
1956 The World of Alcina
With David Carroll
1960 Solo Encores 1960 Latin Percussion With Tony Marterie/ Tony Martell
1961 Jungle Drums/April & The Winds
1962. Play For You 1963 Folk Tunes Swingin’ Band Style
References
External links
The Jazz disc recordings