Geoff Love

Not to be confused with Jeff Love, guitarist for The Rule.

Geoff Love (4 September 1917 – 8 July 1991) was a British easy-listening, and disco orchestra leader. He was born in the industrial town of Todmorden in the West Riding of Yorkshire.^[1] His father was a mixed race American-born guitarist and dancer, and his mother an actress. As a child, Love began to learn to play the violin but then switched to the trombone. He played with Jan Ralfini's band and then embarked on a solo career before military service during World War II in the King's Royal Rifles. After the war he played with Harry Gold.

He recorded at least two albums with Shirley Bassey in 1959 and 1960.

Love also recorded under the name 'Manuel & The Music of The Mountains', in which guise he released several works on EMI's Studio 2 Stereo record label including a single entitled "Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto De Aranjuez (Theme from 2nd Movement)", an interpretation of the "Concierto de Aranjuez". This reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart in 1976.^[2] He recorded many albums for MFP, often featuring film or television themes such as: 'Big Movie Western Themes' (1969), 'Great T.V. Western Movie Themes' (1970) or other instrumental or disco music. "Big Bond Movie Themes" (1975) featuring a selection of instrumental versions of music & songs from The James Bond film series from 'Dr.No' up to 'The Man With The Golden Gun' (including Burt Bacharach's 'Casino Royale' from the 1967 spoof Bond film) has since become one of Love's most sought after MFP albums. One of these MFP sets was called Glad with Love – featuring the pianist Mrs Mills and Geoff Love on a singalong together – with studio audience participation.

Geoff Love also worked as accompaniment director & arranger on many UK chart hit singles by fifties & sixties British recording artists including Peter & Gordon (including their 1964 UK chart-topping 'A World Without Love'), Ken Dodd, Russ Conway, Des O'Connor, Frankie Vaughan, etc., plus American artists such as Johnny Mathis and Connie Francis.

Love also was a prolific composer, writing the Theme music for the ITV Comedy series 'Bless This House' which starred Sidney James, among other compostitions.

In the 1970s, Love appeared with the singer Max Bygraves in the Thames Television music show (for ITV) SingalongaMax.^[1] Also, in the early 1970s, under the name 'Mandingo', Love worked with session musicians to produce a lively approximation of African rhythms, according to a plan by record label executives intended to capitalise on a surge of interest in African music.

Love, who died in London at the age of 73, was married to Joy and had two sons, Adrian and Nigel. His son Adrian Love was a successful DJ on BBC Radio and commercial radio.

Geoff Love's original albums as "Manuel & The Music of The Mountains"

• The Music of the Mountains (1960)
• Mountain Carnival (1961)
• Ecstasy (1963)
• Mountain Fiesta (1964)
• Exotica (1965)
• Blue Waters (1966)
• Sunrise, Sunset (1967)
• Beyond the Mountains (1967)
• Mirage (1968)
• Magic Fountains (1968)
• Reflections (1969)
• Manuel and the Music of the Masters (1969)
• Manuel and the Music of the Movies (1970)
• Cascade (1971)
• Carnival (1971)
• Manuel Meets Pepe Jaramillo (1971)
• Mardi Gras (1972)
• The Sun, the Sea and the Sky (1972)
• Horizons (1973)
• Shangri-La (1973)
• Y Viva España (1974)
• El Bimbo (1975)
• Masquerade (1976)
• Mountain Fire (1977)
• The Music of Manuel (1978)
• The Magic of Manuel (1978)
• Super Natural (1979)
• Viva Manuel (1979)
• Fiesta (1980)
• Fantasy (1981)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Larkin, Colin, ed (2009). "Love Geoff (subscription required)". Encyclopedia of Popular Music (online ed.). Muze Inc and Oxford University Press. http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/epm/16816. Retrieved 8 September 2010 
2. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 348. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 

External links

• The Geoff Love Appreciation Website
• Photograph of Geoff Love – The National Portrait Gallery

Persondata
Name	Love, Geoff
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	4 September 1917
Place of birth
Date of death	8 July 1991
Place of death