Claude Thornhill (August 10, 1909 - July 1, 1965) was an American pianist, arranger, and bandleader.
After playing for Paul Whiteman, Benny Goodman, Ray Noble, and Billie Holliday, and arranging "Loch Lomond" for Maxine Sullivan, in 1938 he took over a band from Gil Evans and renamed it the Claude Thornhill Orchestra. Although the Thornhill band was originally a dance band it became known for its many superior jazz musicians and for Thornhill's innovative arrangements; its "Portrait of a Guinea Farm" has become a classic jazz recording.
The band played without vibrato so that the timbres of the instruments could be better appreciated, and Thornhill encouraged the musicians to develop cool-sounding tones. The band was popular with both musicians and the public; the Miles Davis Nonet was modelled in part on Thornhill's cool sound. The band's most successful records were "Snowfall," "A Sunday Kind of Love," and "Love for Love."
The band ceased operation in 1942 when Thornhill entered the military, where he performed with Artie Shaw's United States Navy band, then was revived from 1946 to 1948. In the 1950s Thornhill became Tony Bennett's musical director, then toured with small groups.
