Milt Holland

Milton Holland (born Milton Olshansky; February 7, 1917 – November 4, 2005) was an American drummer, percussionist, ethnomusicologist and writer in the Los Angeles music scene. He pioneered the use of African, South American, and Indian percussion styles in jazz, pop and film music, traveling extensively in those regions to collect instruments and learn styles of playing them.

Early life
Holland was born Milton Olshansky in Chicago, Illinois where he attended Theodore Roosevelt High School. His first instrument was the violin. He pursued a passion for percussion, playing in clubs and shows and on CBS Radio in Chicago. By the age of twelve, he was playing at speakeasies for the likes of Al Capone.

Career
In the early 1940s, Holland toured and recorded with The Raymond Scott Orchestra.

He studied tabla at University of California, Los Angeles and from 1963 through 1978 with tabla master Chatur Lal, Ramnad Easwaran and others. He traveled through India extensively in the early 1960s and 1970s, then spent many years in Africa studying tribal rhythms. He was among the first to introduce the instruments to western recording.

After moving to Los Angeles in 1946, he played on countless jazz and pop albums, film and TV scores. A sampling of the artists he worked with includes Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker, Chaka Khan, John Williams, Leonard Bernstein, Elmer Bernstein, Quincy Jones, Nat King Cole, Henry Mancini, Loggins and Messina, James Taylor, Ella Fitzgerald, Laurindo Almeida, Ry Cooder, Bonnie Raitt, Seals and Crofts, Ray Manzarek, Michael Dinner, Gordon Lightfoot, Ringo Starr, Kenny Loggins, Jim Messina, Poco, Captain Beefheart, David Blue, Rita Coolidge, Carly Simon, Cal Tjader, the Doobie Brothers, Little Feat, Maria Muldaur, Randy Newman, and Joni Mitchell. He played pandeiro, congas and triangle on Mitchell's hit Big Yellow Taxi and congas and percussion on Light My Fire with José Feliciano.

As part of the so-called "Wrecking Crew," Holland won several gold and platinum records for his contributions. He was perhaps most proud of having helped desegregate the Los Angeles Musicians Union. Eventually, Holland became the first choice for exotic percussion among Los Angeles freelance session musicians.

In films, Holland played bongos on the soundtrack of West Side Story and timpani the soundtrack of Silent Running, to name only a tiny fraction of his output. He was one of seven illustrious percussionists, including Shelly Manne, Jack Sperling, and Larry Bunker, who contributed to the soundtrack of the John Wayne film Hatari!, playing African instruments on the soundtrack album, The Sounds of Hatari, and its title track. He played for the soundtrack of the TV miniseries Roots. He also played the musical accompaniment for Tinker Bell in the 1953 Disney cartoon film Peter Pan and for the nose tinkle in the TV series Bewitched.

Death and personal life
Holland died in Los Angeles at the age of 88. He was survived by his wife Mildred Holland, his sons, Richard Holland and Robert Holland, his grandchildren, Damien and Chloe, and Richard's wife Seiko.

His widow Mildred died on October 21, 2015.

As leader

 * Perfect Percussion: The 44 Instruments of Roy Harte & Milt Holland (World-Pacific Records, 1961)

As sideman
With Karen Alexander With Gregg Allman Band With Laurindo Almeida With Hoyt Axton With Burt Bacharach With Joan Baez With David Batteau With Captain Beefheart With Louis Bellson With Elmer Bernstein With Elvin Bishop With David Blue With Bonaroo With Delaney Bramlett With Brewer & Shipley With Charlie Byrd With Glen Campbell With Buddy Childers With Stanley Clarke With Joe Cocker With Ray Conniff With Ry Cooder With Rita Coolidge With Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney With Patti Dahlstrom With Bobby Darin With Ron Davies With Jackie Davis With Buddy DeFranco With Doug Dillard With The 5th Dimension With The Doobie Brothers With Don Everly With Percy Faith With Little Feat With Victor Feldman With José Feliciano With Jerry Fielding With Ella Fitzgerald With The Free Movement With Four Freshmen With Art Garfunkel With Jackie Gleason With Graham Central Station With Arlo Guthrie With John Hall With Lani Hall With Richard Harris With Joni James With Pete Jolly With Quincy Jones With Barbara Keith With Stan Kenton With Al Kooper With Peggy Lee With Claudia Lennear With Ketty Lester With Gordon Lightfoot With Kenny Loggins With Henry Mancini With Johnny Mandel With Herbie Mann With Mark-Almond With Dean Martin With Melanie With Jim Messina With Loggins & Messina With Joni Mitchell With The Monkees With Howdy Moon With Chris Morris With Johnny Nash With Randy Newman With Harry Nilsson With Anita O'Day With Gabby Pahinui With Van Dyke Parks With Linda Perhacs With Oscar Peterson With Ray Peterson With Bill Plummer With Poco With Bonnie Raitt With Helen Reddy With Martha Reeves With Johnny Rivers With Shorty Rogers With Rufus with Chaka Khan With Pete Rugolo With Sanford & Townsend With Lalo Schifrin With Seals and Crofts With John Sebastian With Neil Sedaka With Bud Shank With Ravi Shankar With Carly Simon With Frank Sinatra With Tom Snow With Phil Spector With Ringo Starr With Barbra Streisand With James Taylor With Bill Thomson With Cal Tjader With Various Artists With Wendy Waldman With Jennifer Warnes With Nancy Wilson With Paul Winter
 * Isn't It Always Love (Asylum, 1975)
 * Playin' Up a Storm (Capricorn, 1977)
 * Ole! Bossa Nova (1962)
 * Acapulco '22 (Tower, 1963)
 * Brazil & Beyond (1981)
 * Brazilian Soul (Concord, 1981)
 * Life Machine (A&M, 1974)
 * Blue Note Plays Burt Bacharach (Blue Note, 2004)
 * Gracias a la Vida (A&M, 1974)
 * Happy in Hollywood (A&M, 1976)
 * Safe As Milk (Buddah, 1967)
 * Clear Spot (Reprise, 1972)
 * Louis Bellson Swings Jule Styne (1960)
 * The Man with the Golden Arm (Decca, 1956)
 * Rock My Soul (Epic, 1972)
 * Stories (Asylum, 1971)
 * Bonaroo (Warner Bros., 1975)
 * Some Things Coming (Columbia, 1972)
 * Down in L.A. (A&M, 1968)
 * Best Of The Concord Years (2000)
 * Southern Nights (Capitol, 1977)
 * Sam Songs (1955)
 * School Days (1976)
 * Joe Cocker! (A&M, 1969)
 * Friendly Persuasion (1965)
 * Ry Cooder (Reprise, 1970)
 * Into the Purple Valley (Reprise, 1971)
 * Boomer's Story (Reprise, 1972)
 * Paradise and Lunch (Reprise, 1974)
 * Chicken Skin Music (Reprise, 1976)
 * Bop Till You Drop (Warner Bros., 1979)
 * Fall Into Spring (A&M, 1974)
 * Fancy Meeting You Here (RCA Victor, 1958)
 * Your Place or Mine (20th Century, 1975)
 * Bobby Darin Sings The Shadow of Your Smile (Atlantic, 1966)
 * U. F. O. (A&M, 1973)
 * Hammond Goes Cha-Cha (1959)
 * I Hear Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw
 * Wholly Cats
 * The Banjo Album (Together, 1969)
 * The Age of Aquarius (Soul City, 1969)
 * Individually & Collectively (Bell, 1972)
 * Living Together, Growing Together (Bell, 1973)
 * What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits (Warner Bros., 1974)
 * Don Everly (Ode, 1970)
 * Black Magic Woman (CBS, 1971)
 * Sailin' Shoes (Warner Bros., 1972)
 * Dixie Chicken (Warner Bros., 1973)
 * Secret Of The Andes (Nautilus, 1982)
 * Feliciano! (RCA Victor, 1968)
 * Souled (RCA Victor, 1968)
 * 10 to 23 (RCA Victor, 1969)
 * And the Feeling's Good (RCA Victor, 1974)
 * Jerry Fielding and his Orchestra (1953)
 * Get Happy! (Verve, 1959)
 * Hello Love (Verve, 1960)
 * I've Found Someone of My Own (1972)
 * Voices In Latin (1958)
 * The Freshman Year (1958)
 * Angel Clare (Columbia, 1973)
 * The Now Sound For Today's Lovers (1969)
 * Graham Central Station (1975)
 * Running Down the Road (Reprise, 1969)
 * Arlo Guthrie (Reprise, 1974)
 * Amigo (Reprise, 1976)
 * John Hall (Asylum, 1978)
 * Sun Down Lady (A&M, 1972)
 * Sweet Bird (A&M, 1976)
 * The Yard Went On Forever (Dunhill, 1968)
 * Like Three O'Clock In The Morning (MGM, 1963)
 * After Hours (MGM, 1963)
 * Seasons (A&M, 1970)
 * The Hot Rock OST (Prophesy, 1972)
 * Roots (A&M, 1977)
 * Barbara Keith (Reprise, 1973)
 * Retrospective
 * Easy Does It (Columbia, 1971)
 * Bridge Over Troubled Water (Capitol, 1970)
 * Phew (Warner Bros., 1973)
 * Love Letters (ERA, 1962)
 * Sundown (Reprise, 1974)
 * Cold on the Shoulder (Reprise, 1975)
 * Keep the Fire (Columbia, 1979)
 * The Latin Sound Of Henry Mancini (1965)
 * Mancini '67 (1966)
 * Mancini Salutes Sousa (1972)
 * I Want to Live (United Artists, 1958)
 * The Magic Flute of Herbie Mann (1957)
 * Sound of Mann (Verve, 1963)
 * To The Heart (ABC, 1976)
 * Young Dino (Proper, 2006)
 * Photograph (Atlantic, 1976)
 * Seventh Wave (Neighborhoud, 1983)
 * Oasis (Columbia, 1979)
 * Sittin' In (Columbia, 1971)
 * Loggins and Messina (Columbia, 1972)
 * Full Sail (Columbia, 1973)
 * Mother Lode (Columbia, 1974)
 * So Fine (Columbia, 1975)
 * Native Sons (Columbia, 1976)
 * Ladies of the Canyon (Reprise, 1970)
 * Court And Spark (Asylum, 1974)
 * The Birds, The Bees & the Monkees (Colgems, 1968)
 * Instant Replay (Colgems, 1969)
 * Howdy Moon (A&M, 1974)
 * Christopher Morris Band (MCA, 1977)
 * Celebrate Life (CBS, 1974)
 * 12 Songs (Reprise, 1970)
 * Sail Away (Reprise, 1972)
 * Good Old Boys (Reprise, 1974)
 * Little Criminals (Reprise, 1977)
 * Pandemonium Shadow Show (RCA Victor, 1967)
 * Aerial Ballet (RCA Victor, 1968)
 * Harry (RCA Victor, 1969)
 * The Point! (RCA Victor, 1970)
 * Aerial Pandemonium Ballet (RCA Victor, 1971)
 * Son of Schmilsson (RCA Victor, 1972)
 * Anita Sings the Most (Verve, 1957)
 * Complete Signature & London Recordings (The Jazz Factory, 2001)
 * Best Of The Gabby Band (1979)
 * Discover America (Warner Bros., 1972)
 * Parallelograms (Kapp, 1970)
 * Oscar Peterson and Friends (1952)
 * Tell Laura I Love Her (1960)
 * Cosmic Brotherhood (1968)
 * Pickin' Up the Pieces (Epic, 1969)
 * Poco (Epic, 1970)
 * Rose of Cimarron (ABC, 1976)
 * Takin' My Time (Warner Bros., 1973)
 * Helen Reddy (Capitol, 1971)
 * Martha Reeves (MCA, 1974)
 * Road (Atlantic, 1974)
 * Outside Help (Big Tree, 1977)
 * Bossa Nova (1962)
 * Ask Rufus (ABC, 1977)
 * The Original Music of Thriller (1961)
 * Duo-Glide (Warner Bros., 1977)
 * Gone with the Wave (1964)
 * Jazz Suite on the Mass Texts (1965) with Paul Horn
 * There's a Whole Lalo Schifrin Goin' On (1968)
 * Summer Breeze (Warner Bros., 1972)
 * Get Closer (Warner Bros., 1976)
 * Tarzana Kid (Reprise, 1974)
 * Sedaka's Back (Rocket, 1974)
 * Laughter in the Rain (Polydor, 1974)
 * The Hungry Years (Rocket, 1975)
 * Bossa Nova Jazz Samba (1962) with Clare Fischer
 * Brasamba! (1963) with Clare Fischer and Joe Pass
 * Charly: Original Soundtrack Recording (1968)
 * Another Passenger (Elektra, 1976)
 * The Capitol Years (Capitol, 1990)
 * Taking It All in Stride (Capitol, 1975)
 * Tom Snow (Capitol, 1976)
 * Back to Mono (1958–1969) (ABKCO, 1991)
 * Ringo (Apple, 1973)
 * Stoney End (Columbia, 1971)
 * Gorilla (Warner Bros., 1975)
 * In the Pocket (Warner Bros., 1976)
 * Fantabulous (1957)
 * West Side Story (Fantasy, 1961)
 * Cal Tjader Plays the Contemporary Music of Mexico and Brazil (Verve, 1962)
 * A Jazz Tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim (2004)
 * Samba do Avião (Rhino, 2005)
 * The Main Refrain (Warner Bros., 1976)
 * Jennifer (Reprise, 1972)
 * Today, Tomorrow, Forever (Capitol, 1964)
 * Icarus (1972)

Soundtracks

 * Peter Pan (1953) (Tinker Bell's Twinkle)
 * The Man with the Golden Arm (1955)
 * Around The World In 80 Days (1956)
 * The King And I (1956)
 * Hot Rod Girl (1956)
 * I Want to Live! (1958)
 * Johnny Staccato (1959) (Actor – role "Musician" Episode title  "The Parents")
 * Westside Story (1961) (Bongo soloist)
 * Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
 * To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)
 * Hatari! (1962) (Featured African Drum Ensemble)
 * Bonanza (1962)
 * Bewitched (1964) (Samatha's Nose Twitch)
 * The Party (1968)
 * Paradise, Hawaiian Style (1966)
 * Mission Impossible (1968)
 * The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964)
 * Help! (1965)
 * Charly (1968)
 * Performance (1970)
 * Things Fall Apart (1971)
 * Dollars (1972)
 * The Hot Rock (1972)
 * Roots (1977)
 * The Long Riders (1980)
 * Southern Comfort (1981)
 * Blue Collar (1995)
 * Kissing Jessica Stein (2002)
 * Honey West (2005)
 * CBS Studio Orchestra (1941–1946)