Chuck Berghofer


Charles Curtis Berghofer is an American jazz double bassist who has worked as a studio musician and in the film industry.

Early life

Berghofer was born in Denver, Colorado, and he moved with his family to Arcadia, California when he was eight. With a lineage of musicians in the family, Berghofer took interest in music at an early age, playing trumpet at the age of eight. He also played the tuba in grade school and high school until moving to the double bass at the age of 18. As a young adult, as he began venturing out to jazz night clubs, he came to admire bassist Ralph Peña and was able to persuade Peña to take him on as a student.
According to Berghofer he always felt as though his music was heavily influenced by Leroy Vinnegar, Paul Chambers and Ray Brown. He also admired the work of Scott LaFaro and told musician and journalist Gordon Jack, "The best soloist on the instrument was Red Mitchell... I loved to hear him solo."

Professional career

Two years after he took up the bass, Berghofer, joined an orchestra, led by Skinnay Ennis for a tour of the midwest and then joined with Bobby Troup. As his career progressed he eventually replaced his former tutor, Peña, in a duo with Pete Jolly which later expanded into a trio with the addition of drummer Nick Martinis. In the 1960s he became a member of Shelly Manne's band, taking on a bassist position at Manne's night club Shelly's Manne-Hole and had the opportunity to play alongside numerous leading jazz musicians of the era including Jack Sheldon, Conte Candoli, Frank Rosolino, Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Philly Joe Jones.
He was a member of the Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra around 1967 when Frank Zappa recorded the orchestral parts for Lumpy Gravy.
Despite a lengthy career in film, Berghofer was also quite accomplished as a house jazz musician. He formed a semi-regular house band at Donte's in Los Angeles with pianist Frank Strazzeri and drummer Nick Ceroli and was videotaped having played with Roger Kellaway and drummer Larry Bunker as they backed Zoot Sims. Among others he accompanied were Ray Charles, Bob Cooper, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz, Peggy Lee, Shelly Manne, Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper, Frank Rosolino, Seth MacFarlane, and Frank Sinatra.
In 2019, Berghofer, along with fellow Wrecking Crew members Don Randi and Don Peake and in conjunction with Denny Tedesco, performed around the Los Angeles area with their The Wrecking Crew's Farewell to Glen Campbell live shows.

Film

As Berghofer made his career as a jazz musician, he landed a prominent role recording with Nancy Sinatra in "These Boots Are Made For Walkin". He also worked on television with Glen Campbell, recorded with Frank Sinatra, and played with Barbra Streisand, in which they did a recording of Funny Lady. His film work extends to 400 appearances leading to his being awarded in the mid-1980s the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Award as the most valuable bass player for four consecutive years. In that decade he recorded with Mel Tormé and later recorded again with Sinatra on Duets. Just a few of the films he worked on include Rocky I & II, On Golden Pond, Matrix, Majestic, Clint Eastwood’s Bird, and True Crime. He also worked on such television shows as Barney Miller on which he played the opening bass line, Charlie’s Angels, The Carol Burnett Show, The Simpsons and Star Trek Enterprise.

Discography

With Irene Kral
With Barry Manilow
With Melissa Manchester
With Paul McCartney
With Rosemary Clooney
With Seal
With Blake Shelton
With Natalie Cole
With Diana Krall
With Michael Nesmith
With Martina McBride
With Liza Minnelli
With Peggy Lee
With Vince Gill
With Joni Mitchell
  • Both Sides Now
  • Travelogue
With Josh Groban
  • Stages
With Diane Schuur
  • Love Songs
  • Music Is My Life
  • Friends for Schuur
  • Midnight
With Adam Cohen
  • Adam Cohen
With George Benson
With Aaron Neville
With Michael Bublé
With Sarah Vaughan
With Barbra Streisand
With B.B. King and Diane Schuur
  • Heart to Heart
With Paul Anka
  • Songs Of December
With Patti Austin
  • The Real Me
With Diana Ross
  • Take Me Higher
With Rita Coolidge
  • And So Is Love
With Rod Stewart
With Bette Midler
  • Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook
With Shelly Manne
  • Live! Shelly Manne & His Men at the Manne-Hole
  • Shelly Manne & His Men Play Checkmate
With Dionne Warwick
  • Dionne Warwick sings Cole Porter
With Carmen McRae
  • Can't Hide Love
With Nancy Sinatra
  • Sugar
  • Nancy
With Seth MacFarlane
  • No One Ever Tells You
With Ruth Price and Shelly Manne
  • Ruth Price with Shelly Manne & His Men at the Manne-Hole
With Zoot Sims
With Robbie Williams
  • Swing When You're Winning
With Bobby Darin
  • Venice Blue
With Howard Roberts'