Charles Curtis Berghofer (born June 14, 1937) is an American double bassist and electric bassist, who has worked in jazz and as a session musician in the film industry for more than 60 years,[1] including working on more than 400 movie soundtracks.[2][3]
Early life
Chuck Berghofer was born in Denver, Colorado, and moved with his family to Arcadia, California when he was eight.[4] With a lineage of musicians in the family (his grandfather had played with John Philip Sousa, and his uncle played tuba with the Saint Louis Symphony),[5] 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.[2][5]
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."[2]
Professional career
Two years after he took up the bass, Berghofer, joined an orchestra, led by Skinnay Ennis for a tour of the midwest[6] and then joined with Bobby Troup.[5] 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.[7] In the 1960s he became a member of Shelly Manne's band,[5] 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.[2] During this time, he also recorded with popular singers such as Elvis Presley and The Everly Brothers.[8]
He was a member of the Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra around 1967 when Frank Zappa recorded the orchestral parts for Lumpy Gravy.[9]
In 2019, Berghofer, along with fellow Wrecking Crew members Don Randi and Don Peake and in conjunction with Denny Tedesco (producer and director of the 2008 film The Wrecking Crew), performed around the Los Angeles area with their The Wrecking Crew's Farewell to Glen Campbell live shows.[10]