Camarata was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, United States,[1] and studied music at Juilliard School in New York[1] as a student of Bernard Wagenaar, Joseph Littau, Cesare Sodero, and Jan Meyerowitz.
[2] He also did arranging for Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra, Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Nancy Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and many others.
His popular songs and instrumentals included "Mutiny in the Brass Section", "Story of the Stars", "Hollywood Pastime", "Dixieland Detour", "Moonlight Masquerade", "Louis", and "No More".
Additional compositions include "Rumbalero," "Rhapsody for Saxophone," "Fingerbustin'," "Pizzicato Rhumba," "Tall Trees," "Evening Mist," and "Brasiliero."
Like the Sunset Sound studios, the Sound Factory is one of the top recording studios in Hollywood, and has been used by many top artists, including Jackson Browne, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Linda Ronstadt, Ringo Starr, T Bone Burnett, Belle and Sebastian, Bette Midler, Richie Furay, Warren Zevon, Dolly Parton, Elvis Costello, Sam Phillips, Tonio K., Neil Diamond, Cher, Los Lobos, The Wallflowers, KISS, Van Halen, Kenny Rogers, Beck, Brian Wilson, Victoria Williams, Ben Folds Five, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Danny Elfman, among others.
Once completing the arrangements, Camarata returned to England (St. John's, Smith Square) to conduct a large orchestra and choir for the recording of the album, which he had noted in one of his last interviews to be one of his most important works.