Singers.com

In Celebration of the Human Voice - The Essential Musical Instrument

Home | Doo Wop | Barbershop | World | Contemporary | Christian | Vocal Jazz | Choral | Christmas | Instructional | Arrangements

Classical | Opera | Musicals | Personality | Young Singers | Disney | Videos | Songs | The Artists

Gene Puerling

Arranger

Gene Puerling

There certainly is no more influential and revered a cappella arranger than the brilliant Gene Puerling. From his auspicious beginnings as a founding member of the vocal jazz group the Hi-Lo's, with whom he recorded thirteen albums between the years of 1953-1964, Gene revealed the talent and promise that would later be fully realized with his work as director, arranger and performer with the Singers UnLimited.

Gene was born in Wisconsin in 1929. Though his family was musically inclined (various members of the family played violin, piano and clarinet) Gene himself had no formal musical training! He was a working professional musician from the age of seventeen, and simply did not have the time to devote to a formal musical education.

The Hi-Lo's, who recorded their first record in 1953 when Gene was 24, garnered accolades for popular renditions of classic jazz tunes such as "Fascinatin' Rhythm" and "Skylark." Gene was developing the trademark style with which he would become so uniquely identified. Subsequent to the demise of the Hi-Lo's, Gene was working in the busy recording studios of Chicago's commercial and jingle industry, where he met studio vocalists Len Dresslar and Bonnie Herman. Len and Bonnie, along with fellow ex-Hi-Lo Don Shelton, joined together under the moniker of "Singer's Unlimited" in 1967.

The group's purpose was to garner lucrative commerical work, and to that end they produced a demo including the Beatles song, "Fool On the Hill." This demo ultimately came to the attention of German producer Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer, via pianist Oscar Peterson. Schwer had founded MPS Records, and had, in his studio in Villengen, Germany, the only sixteen track recording console in Germany at the time. Schwer was immediately taken with the Singers Unlimited and proposed that they come to Germany to record.

The results of that recording, which took place in 1971, were released as the album "In Tune." The group went on to record fourteen albums, the last of which was "Easy To Love." The group's extensive studio experience was vital, as Gene's arrangements would employ all of their range and skill, and utilized the burgeoning studio techniques of overdubbing and mixing to create their inimitable sound. Given the complexity of the arrangements, the The Singers Unlimited did not perform live, feeling that the studio was their ideal medium of expression.

Arrangers - Vocal Jazz | Barbershop | Contemporary Christian | Gospel | Contemporary Pop | Choral

Songbooks and Collections (See Individual Arrangements)

Displaying 1-7 of 7 items.


Gene Puerling : The Best Of Gene Puerling : Mixed 5-8 Parts : Songbook :  : 029156057072  : 00-SVB00105

Gene Puerling : The Best Of Gene Puerling

Review: There certainly is no more influential and revered a cappella arranger than the brilliant Gene Puerling. From his auspicious beginnings as a founding member of the vocal jazz group the Hi-Lo's, with whom he recorded thirteen albums between the years of 1953-1964, Gene revealed the talent and promise that would later be fully realized with his work as director, arranger and performer with the Singers UnLimited. SATB, accompanied with optional rhythm section

Songlist: Button Up Your Overcoat, Georgia On My Mind, Rockin' Chair, The Shadow of Your Smile, Small Fry

More details
4407b | Songbook $5.95 | Mixed 5-8 Parts add item to cart Vocal Jazz Arrangements


Gene Puerling : Puerling Charts I : Mixed 5-8 Parts : Sheet Music : 

Gene Puerling : Puerling Charts I

Review: A collection of mostly a cappella arrangements from quite possibly the greatest vocal jazz arranger ever.

Songlist: The Fool On The Hill, Here, There And Everywhere, Michelle, We've Only Just Begun, Yesterday, Try to Remember, On a Clear Day, Emily, Where Is Love?, The Sound of the Singers Unlimited

More details
4210b | Sheet Music $14.95 | Mixed 5-8 Parts add item to cart Vocal Jazz Arrangements


Gene Puerling : Puerling Charts II : Mixed 5-8 Parts : Sheet Music : 

Gene Puerling : Puerling Charts II

Review: Includes the Grammy Award winner "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square" as recorded by The Manhattan Transfer. The note-for-note arrangement matches the original recording!

Songlist: Deck The Halls, The Gene Puerling Sound, Silent Night, Snowfall, A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, April in Paris, Autumn in New York, Dancing in the Dark, Indian Summer

More details
4211b | Sheet Music $15.50 | Mixed 5-8 Parts add item to cart Vocal Jazz Arrangements


Singers Unlimited : The Complete A Cappella Sessions

Review: It doesn't get any better than this! After years of being available only on the box set here is a 2 CD release of all 33 a cappella recordings (not including Christmas) of quite probably the best vocal jazz group ever. The arrangements of Gene Puerling are simply exquisite and his ability to transform a song to completely new heights is astounding. We carry many thousands of a cappella CDs and this release is, in our opinion, the most essential CD for the collection of any serious fan of a cappella music!

Songlist: Both Sides Now, London By Night, Here, There And Everywhere, Lullabye, Michelle, The Fool On The Hill, Emily, Since You Asked, More I Cannot Wish You, Try To Remember, Clair, Killing Me Softly with His Song, Yesterday, My Romance, Lost In The Stars, April In Paris, Girl Talk, Nature Boy, I Don't Know Where I Stand, Autumn In New York, and more.

More details
7612c | 2 CDs $29.95 add item to cart Sweet Adelines Music


Singers Unlimited : Christmas

Review: This 1972 recording continues to set musical precedent almost thirty years later. The combined voices of Don Shelton, Len Dresslar, Bonnie Herman and Gene Puerling are a sound so distinctive and recognizable that they have yet to be improved. From the six Alfred Burt carols to "Deck The Halls," "Good King Wenceslas" and Oh, Come All Ye Faithful," each song is beautifully constructed, a marriage of the traditional with the inimitable personality of Gene Puerling's arrangements. The result is accessible enough for the mainstream listener, and will also satisfy those hungry for heartier fare. Bonnie Herman frequently assumes the lead vocal duties, as on "Carol For Russian Children," her warm tone a sunbeam on a wintry day - listen to the pedal note (uncharacteristically in the treble part) she holds during the coda - amazing color and control. One of our most recommended selections.

Songlist: Deck The Halls, Ah Bleak & Chill The Wintry Wind, Bright, Bright The Holly Berries, Jesu Parvule, Caroling, Caroling, What Are The Signs, Nigh Bethlehem, While By My Sheep, It Came Upon A Midnight Clear, Silent Night, Joy To The World, Wassail Song, Carol Of The Russian Children, Good King Wenceslas, Coventry Carol, Oh Come All Ye Faithful, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

More details
4203c | 1 CD $14.95 add item to cart Vintage Christmas


Singers Unlimited : Feelings : 1 CD : 

Singers Unlimited : Feelings

Review: Happiness is listing to a Gene Puerling arrangement as sung by these maestros. Sit back and soak it in. Enough said!

Songlist: Sleep Loved, We Could Be Flying, I'm Shadowing You, Where and When, Feelings, Impossible, Wave, So Many Stars, Ecstasy, She Was Too Good To Me, Look Around, Invitation, You've Got A Friend, The Trouble with Hello is Goodbye, Laura, Where Is The Love?, Eventide, We've Only Just Begun

More details
7629c | 1 CD $16.95 add item to cart Vocal Jazz CDs


Singers Unlimited with Oscar Peterson : In Tune : 1 CD :  : VRVB000539802.2

Listen to
Sesame Street

Singers Unlimited with Oscar Peterson : In Tune

Review: A Classic Reissued! Legendary vocal group The Singers Unlimited, for their third album on Germany's MPS label, recorded a collaboration with the Oscar Peterson Trio. Grammy-winning arranger Gene Puerling wrote the charts and the musicians recorded this remarkable session in 1971 at the storied Villingen studios in the Black Forest. The then latest breakthroughs in studio technology, and the masterful engineer and MPS Records owner Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer, allowed the artists to overdub vocals creating the layered vocals the Singers Unlimited are famous for. Using a sixteen-track deck Brunner-Schwer had bought for the occasion, the group layered on chords, melody lines and solos which we often sung in four or eight part pieces that were later assembled almost magically. The CD sleeve includes rare photos from the session plus both the original LP liner notes and extensive new notes, including many new quotes from Puerling, by noted jazz musicologist James Gaven. A gem of a recording!

Songlist: Sesame Street, It Never Entered My Mind, Children's Game, The Gentle Rain, A Child Is Born, The Shadow of Your Smile, Catherine, Once Upon a Summertime, Here's That Rainy Day

More details
4753c | 1 CD $11.95 add item to cart Vocal Jazz CDs

Individual Arrangements (See Songbooks and Collections)

Displaying 1-15 of 15 items.

Song NameArrangerComposerArtistItem TitleFormatTrax
A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley SquareGene PuerlingManning SherwinManhattan TransferManhattan Transfer Complete Vol 2Sheet Music (SATB)MORE DETAILS 
A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley SquareGene PuerlingManning SherwinGene PuerlingPuerling Charts IISheet Music (SATB)MORE DETAILS 
Deck The HallsGene PuerlingTraditional Welsh CarolGene PuerlingPuerling Charts IISheet Music (SSAATTBB)MORE DETAILS 
Goodnight, Sweetheart, GoodnightGene PuerlingCalvin CarterDeke Sharon / Anne RaughUnder The BoardwalkSongbook (SAB)MORE DETAILS 
Here, There And EverywhereGene PuerlingGene PuerlingPuerling Charts ISheet Music (SATB)MORE DETAILS 
MichelleGene PuerlingJohn LennonGene PuerlingPuerling Charts ISheet Music (SSAATTBB)MORE DETAILS 
Over the RainbowGene PuerlingGene PuerlingOver the RainbowSheet Music (SATB)MORE DETAILS 
Silent NightGene PuerlingFranz Xaver GruberGene PuerlingPuerling Charts IISheet Music (SSATBB)MORE DETAILS 
SnowfallGene PuerlingGene PuerlingPuerling Charts IISheet Music (SSATBB)MORE DETAILS 
The Christmas SongGene PuerlingVarious ArrangersClassic Vocal Jazz ChristmasSheet Music (SATB)MORE DETAILS 
The Fool On The HillGene PuerlingPaul McCartneyGene PuerlingPuerling Charts ISheet Music (SSAATTBB)MORE DETAILS 
The Gene Puerling SoundGene PuerlingGene PuerlingPuerling Charts IISheet Music (SSAATTBB)MORE DETAILS 
The Gene Puerling SoundGene PuerlingGene PuerlingThe Gene Puerling SoundSongbook (SSAATTBB)MORE DETAILS 
The Sound of the Singers UnlimitedGene PuerlingGene PuerlingPuerling Charts ISheet Music (SSAATBB)MORE DETAILS 
YesterdayGene PuerlingPaul McCartneyGene PuerlingPuerling Charts ISheet Music (SSATTBB)MORE DETAILS 
Back

Choral Composers | Songwriters | Arrangers | Performers


Select a Category






Hear about Local A Cappella Events and Auditions

Enter your email address and zip code to be informed about local a cappella performances.

Email Address: ZIP code (5 digit):


Want to Sing? - Find a Chorus Near You


List of Choruses by State | List of Choruses by City

Specialty Arrangements


Find a Song