Looking for some more info on John Sbarra

[Cordslatwalled]

I was just curious to find some more information about John R Sbarra. Some music credited to him (and usually Timothy Johnsen Haynes) has appeared in various media, and there are some really nice tunes he composed, but no matter how hard I look I can’t find a single bit of information about him online. It’s very possible John Sbarra is just a pseudonym, but that name seems to be credited on ASCAP.

His music appears on a few library music sites (mostly megatrax) but I can’t seem to find any information about which library released it originally, or when any of the music was actually released (although it’s pretty clearly from the 70s-early 80s just based on the sound and style). Some deeper searches say it was originally released by “Mufson Music Co.” I can’t find anything on them either.

I know a lot of the time there’s very little information on some of these library composers, so I might never find anything, but I figured maybe some people here might know where to look or even know who he actually is. I’d just be interested to find out some more info on who this guy was/is, and if there’s anywhere to find a more comprehensive collection of his music.

Here’s a couple of songs attributed to him, but there seem to be loads out there:

https://youtu.be/iQI04l9BaU4
https://youtu.be/56cyaFM3c5I

[stackjackson]

I moved this to our General Discussion section. I think it fits better here

[Mr]

John R. Sbarra, Jr. (Robert?)
November 13th, 1932-May 11th, 2009 (Bath, PA)
(Obituaries: 1 / 2)

There's not a whole lot of info on the man himself, but the LP "Lovely Ladies" has a short bio on him which sums up pretty much everything I have found online:

John R. Sbarra, composer of ten of the selections included in this album, has been writing music for more than 25 years. In fact Maureen was originally composed in 1957 and waited until now to be recorded. John, with his longtime friend and supporter, Joe DiBuono, co-composed the popular theme for Huckleberry Finn and contributed to a holiday theme Come to [t]he Stable along with other concert favorites which have been performed and conducted by Richard Hayman during his regular concert tours with [t]he St. Louis and Detroit Symphony Orchestras, Pop Series. Richard, in fact, recorded an album of their music which was released last year. John, in his early career, studied composition under Alfred Newman, one of the foremost screen composers of all time.

The cues featured in the SIMS which I'm assuming is what lead you here, were sourced from Megatrax CD "Orchestral Archives Volume 1" (MX53).
I don't think these were sourced from prior library releases, but 'regular' commercial easy listening LPs. I'm no expert in this field, but I believe these cues were sourced and retitled from at least one or more of the following LPs:

Lovely Ladies - Norrie Paramor and His Orchestra (Haynes & Sbarra H & S 1001, 1978?)
(front / rear)   

Now's the Time... Love Will Always Matter - Frank Barber and His Orchestra (Haynes & Sbarra H & S 1002, 1979)
(front / rear)

Manhattan Rhapsody: John Fox Plays the Music of John Sbarra (Duramore DMC 3003, 1985?)

As you may have picked up on, the first two LPs were both issued on the Haynes & Sbarra label, itself under Haynes & Sbarra Music Publishing & Production Co., based in Rockaway, NJ - and presumably named after Tom Haynes and John Sbarra. The publishing rights for the company are now under Timothy J. Haynes Publishing, which would explain his co-writing credits.


A later compilation CD titled All My Best... Love Will Always Matter (Duramore Music Co. JS-001, 1990) also compiles compositions from these LPs and an unidentified Syd Dale LP(?).
(front / rear)




Hope that gives you a bit more to go on

[Lord Thames]

Sbarra was an American composer whose work was featured on the 'beautiful music' radio stations over there. He died in the late noughties, but that's all I can really add to what Mr has written!

There's a piece on the Megatrax CD called 'Sine Me Up' which Norrie Paramor also recorded for the BBC with the Midland Radio Orchestra - I have an alternate version on a BBC transcription disc, so it must have been broadcast on Radio 2 at some point.  There are several pieces on the Megatrax CD which sound like it's the MRO performing them.

[Klimis]

John R. Sbarra, Jr. (Robert?)
November 13th, 1932-May 11th, 2009 (Bath, PA)
(Obituaries: 1 / 2)

There's not a whole lot of info on the man himself, but the LP "Lovely Ladies" has a short bio on him which sums up pretty much everything I have found online:

John R. Sbarra, composer of ten of the selections included in this album, has been writing music for more than 25 years. In fact Maureen was originally composed in 1957 and waited until now to be recorded. John, with his longtime friend and supporter, Joe DiBuono, co-composed the popular theme for Huckleberry Finn and contributed to a holiday theme Come to [t]he Stable along with other concert favorites which have been performed and conducted by Richard Hayman during his regular concert tours with [t]he St. Louis and Detroit Symphony Orchestras, Pop Series. Richard, in fact, recorded an album of their music which was released last year. John, in his early career, studied composition under Alfred Newman, one of the foremost screen composers of all time.

The cues featured in the SIMS which I'm assuming is what lead you here, were sourced from Megatrax CD "Orchestral Archives Volume 1" (MX53).
I don't think these were sourced from prior library releases, but 'regular' commercial easy listening LPs. I'm no expert in this field, but I believe these cues were sourced and retitled from at least one or more of the following LPs:

Lovely Ladies - Norrie Paramor and His Orchestra (Haynes & Sbarra H & S 1001, 1978?)
(front / rear)   

Now's the Time... Love Will Always Matter - Frank Barber and His Orchestra (Haynes & Sbarra H & S 1002, 1979)
(front / rear)

Manhattan Rhapsody: John Fox Plays the Music of John Sbarra (Duramore DMC 3003, 1985?)

As you may have picked up on, the first two LPs were both issued on the Haynes & Sbarra label, itself under Haynes & Sbarra Music Publishing & Production Co., based in Rockaway, NJ - and presumably named after Tom Haynes and John Sbarra. The publishing rights for the company are now under Timothy J. Haynes Publishing, which would explain his co-writing credits.


A later compilation CD titled All My Best... Love Will Always Matter (Duramore Music Co. JS-001, 1990) also compiles compositions from these LPs and an unidentified Syd Dale LP(?).
(front / rear)




Hope that gives you a bit more to go on

Would you happen to have those discs?

They available here too https://search.upright-music.com/album/7509859b-a9b9-4e29-ae43-9615f3e70bf2/nojs?orderby=album&order=asc but I don't have access to the site.

I was trying to get that disc but somebody outbid me without me noticing.

[ChunYinZi]

John R. Sbarra, Jr. (Robert?)
November 13th, 1932-May 11th, 2009 (Bath, PA)
(Obituaries: 1 / 2)

There's not a whole lot of info on the man himself, but the LP "Lovely Ladies" has a short bio on him which sums up pretty much everything I have found online:

John R. Sbarra, composer of ten of the selections included in this album, has been writing music for more than 25 years. In fact Maureen was originally composed in 1957 and waited until now to be recorded. John, with his longtime friend and supporter, Joe DiBuono, co-composed the popular theme for Huckleberry Finn and contributed to a holiday theme Come to [t]he Stable along with other concert favorites which have been performed and conducted by Richard Hayman during his regular concert tours with [t]he St. Louis and Detroit Symphony Orchestras, Pop Series. Richard, in fact, recorded an album of their music which was released last year. John, in his early career, studied composition under Alfred Newman, one of the foremost screen composers of all time.

The cues featured in the SIMS which I'm assuming is what lead you here, were sourced from Megatrax CD "Orchestral Archives Volume 1" (MX53).
I don't think these were sourced from prior library releases, but 'regular' commercial easy listening LPs. I'm no expert in this field, but I believe these cues were sourced and retitled from at least one or more of the following LPs:

Lovely Ladies - Norrie Paramor and His Orchestra (Haynes & Sbarra H & S 1001, 1978?)
(front / rear)   

Now's the Time... Love Will Always Matter - Frank Barber and His Orchestra (Haynes & Sbarra H & S 1002, 1979)
(front / rear)

Manhattan Rhapsody: John Fox Plays the Music of John Sbarra (Duramore DMC 3003, 1985?)

As you may have picked up on, the first two LPs were both issued on the Haynes & Sbarra label, itself under Haynes & Sbarra Music Publishing & Production Co., based in Rockaway, NJ - and presumably named after Tom Haynes and John Sbarra. The publishing rights for the company are now under Timothy J. Haynes Publishing, which would explain his co-writing credits.


A later compilation CD titled All My Best... Love Will Always Matter (Duramore Music Co. JS-001, 1990) also compiles compositions from these LPs and an unidentified Syd Dale LP(?).
(front / rear)




Hope that gives you a bit more to go on

Would you happen to have those discs?

They available here too https://search.upright-music.com/album/7509859b-a9b9-4e29-ae43-9615f3e70bf2/nojs?orderby=album&order=asc but I don't have access to the site.

I was trying to get that disc but somebody outbid me without me noticing.

Hi, I can download this album Hope this helps you

htXXs://mega.nz/file/xOkWWYaT#PzmUTKXWR_gjEC_rDz8XOE1FFTCk52LLCxAb8aIdtjg


(Please change the link prefix from HTXXS to HTTPS Thank you)

[Klimis]

Would you happen to have those discs?

They available here too https://search.upright-music.com/album/7509859b-a9b9-4e29-ae43-9615f3e70bf2/nojs?orderby=album&order=asc but I don't have access to the site.

I was trying to get that disc but somebody outbid me without me noticing.

Hi, I can download this album Hope this helps you

htXXs://mega.nz/file/xOkWWYaT#PzmUTKXWR_gjEC_rDz8XOE1FFTCk52LLCxAb8aIdtjg


(Please change the link prefix from HTXXS to HTTPS Thank you)

Once again you save the day! Thank you so much!
I wonder why are they upsampling them to 48Khz? Also they seem to have been mastered louder than the physical version.
This loudness-war era is so weird!
I wonder if there are alternative sources to tracks 1, 3 and 16. (possibly with different track names)
I love this kind of research!

[Herring Gull]

I stumbled upon this thread when looking for music by The Midland Radio Orchestra - my request from a few days ago: https://librarymusicthemes.com/index.php?topic=6657.0
This has been a very interesting read, which has also helped in my search for music from the MRO.  Some of my findings so far:-

-Annother library album from 615 music entitles "Sbarra's Golden Age"
https://www.musou.gr/music/album/warner-chappell-pm/615-platinum-series/SFL1073-sbarras-golden-age
quite a few of the tracks seem to have been recorded by the MRO, but a few certainly sound like the Syd Dale orchestra

-Starborne Library - again, quite a few of the tracks sound like the MRO, some tracks also appear to have come from this album https://www.discogs.com/release/15423311-John-Fox-His-Orchestra-Manhattan-Rhapsody-John-Fox-Plays-The-Music-Of-John-Sbarra
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCquQbrOrTE1yuw7clWlmrPA

My theory is that John Sbarra was tasked with composing countless tracks - originals and covers for the Muzak library, back in the late 1970s and very early 80s, with the Midland Radio Orchestra performing.  My discovery that Rod Baum, who for a number of years was the Vice President of programming for Muzak, was involved with the "Lovely Ladies" album adds weight to this theory.