Milton H. "Milt" Orent was born on April 3, 1918, in New York and passed away on February 26, 1975, in Florida. He was an American musician known for his work as a double bassist, arranger, and songwriter. Orent had a classical music education and worked as a studio musician and arranger for NBC in New York. Despite not being a jazz musician himself, he had a strong interest in modern jazz and was knowledgeable about 20th-century European classical music. He was a close friend of jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams from the late 1930s and collaborated with her on several projects.

Orent wrote the lyrics for Williams' composition "(In the Land Of) Oo-Bla-Dee," which was recorded by artists such as Allen Eager, Dizzy Gillespie, and Benny Goodman. He also assisted Williams with the orchestration of her Zodiac Suite in 1945. His other compositions include "Nocturne to a Somnambulist" (1945), "(Otto Make That) Riff Staccato" (with Si Schwartz and Ray Nance), "Baby Face McFall" (with Hal Graham), and "Whistle Blues" (1947, with Mary Lou Williams). Between 1945 and 1950, Orent participated in four jazz recording sessions, including work with Buddy Tate. In 1954, he contributed to recordings by pianist Fletcher Peck. Orent became a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1946.