Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Salvatore Nistico was born on April 2, 1940 in Syracuse, New York. He started playing alto saxophone, switching to tenor in 1956, and briefly played baritone saxophone. From 1959 to 1961, he played with the Jazz Brothers band, with Chuck Mangione and Gap Mangione.

Nistico played in the 1962–65 Woody Herman group, considered one of his best bands, with Bill Chase, Jake Hanna, Nat Pierce, and Phil Wilson. In 1965, he joined Count Basie but returned on many occasions to play with Herman. Around that time he was also a member of Dusko Goykovich’s sextet with other musicians associated with the Herd, such as Carl Fontana, Nat Pierce, and Michael Moore.

He also played with Nat Adderley, Don Ellis, Buddy Rich, and Stan Tracey. Moving to Europe in his latter years he worked with mostly European musicians as Joe Haider, Isla Eckinger, Billy Brooks, Fritz Pauer. He went on to record with the Larry Porter/ Allan Praskin Band and Three Generations Of Tenor Saxophone with Johnny Griffin, Roman Schwaller, Paul Grabowsky, Roberto DiGioia, Thomas Stabenow, Joris Dudli and Mario Gonzi. The first live performance from 1985 was released under the band’s name on JHM Records Switzerland.

Nistico’s solo work is a contrast to his big band work, with his solo work more oriented towards bebop, as heard on the Heavyweights recording on Riverside Records. Tenor saxophonist Sal Nistico, who was associated for many years with Woody Herman’s Herd, passed away on March 3, 1991, in Berne, Switzerland.

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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

Fourteen months and the end of social distancing and mask wearing is not in sight, and remains the fare for the times as does my continual joy of listening to music. So going into my music room I’ve selected for this week’s enjoyment from the shelves the album Good Gracious!. The studio album was recorded on January 24, 1963 at the Van Gelder Studios in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersy and released on the Blue Note label by saxophonist Lou Donaldson. The album was produced by Alfred Lion and released in the early part of June 1964.

If you’re a fan of Donaldson’s you will notice that his tone is richer and fuller than it is on many of his early-’60s records. He connects with the laid-back R&B grooves and soul-jazz vamps and it remains one of his best soul-jazz sessions.

Track List | 41:59

All compositions by Lou Donaldson except where noted

1. Bad John ~ 8:18
2. The Holy Ghost ~ 8:38
3. Cherry (Don Redman) ~ 5:17
4. Caracas ~ 7:19
5. Good Gracious ~ 6:52
6. Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me (Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler) ~ 5:35

Personnel

• Lou Donaldson – alto saxophone
• Grant Green – guitar
• Big John Patton – organ
• Ben Dixon – drums

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Kamil Běhounek was born March 29, 1916 in the Southern Bohemian section of  Blatná, Czech Republic. An autodidact on accordion, having learned to play by imitating recordings and BBC broadcasts, he studied law in Prague, Czech Republic and began performing in clubs. His first recordings on solo accordion date from 1936 and in the late 1930s he worked with the Blue Music Orchestra, Rudolf Antonin Dvorsky, Jiří Traxler, and Karel Vlach.

In 1943, he was forcibly compelled by the Nazis to go to Berlin, Germany where  he created arrangements for the bands of Lutz Templin and Ernst van’t Hoff. Upon returning to Czechoslovakia in 1945, he used some of these arrangements for his own band. Kamil returned to Germany the following year and continued arranging for bandleaders Adalbert Luczkowski, Willy Berking, Heinz Schönberger, and Werner Müller.

He played with his own ensemble in Bonn, Germany and, after 1948, in West Germany for American soldiers’ clubs. Between 1968 and 1977, Běhounek recorded several albums of folk music, but continued to play swing with his own groups. He wrote an autobiography, Má láska je jazz (Jazz Is My Love), which was published posthumously in 1986.

Accordionist, bandleader, arranger, composer, and film scorer Kamil Běhounek, who also occasionally played tenor saxophone, passed away on November 22, 1983 in Bonn.

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Requisites

Neo/Nistico ~ Sal Nistico | By Eddie Carter

This morning’s choice from the library is another recent acquisition that introduced me to tenor saxophonist, Sal Nistico. Salvatore was born on April 2, 1938, in Syracuse, New York, and began playing the alto sax, before switching to tenor in 1956. He also played baritone sax for a few years. Sal was a member of Count Basie’s and Woody Herman’s bands and also played with Nat Adderley, Chet Baker, Don Ellis, Curtis Fuller, Dusko Goykovich, Johnny Griffin, The Jazz Brothers Band, Buddy Rich, and Stan Tracey to name a few. Neo/Nistico (Bee Hive Records BH 7006) finds him leading a world-class sextet, Ted Curson on flugelhorn (tracks: A1, B3), trumpet (tracks: B1, B2), Nick Brignola (tracks: A1, B2) on baritone sax, Ronnie Matthews on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums. My copy used in this report is the original 1978 Mono release.

Side One takes off with Anthropology by Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker set at a blistering pace with both saxes backed by Roy presenting the melody. Nick applies searing heat to the opening statement, then Ted gives a high-energy reading that ascends to an exciting climax. Sal sizzles like a firecracker about to explode on the third solo, and Ronnie stirs it all together in an exhilarating statement preceding the front-line’s exchange and ensemble’s abrupt close. The beat slows down for You Don’t Know What Love Is by Gene de Paul and Don Raye. The quartet opens with a sensuous theme. Nistico begins the first reading with a delicately elegant conversation. Matthews begins the second statement with a soothing, almost seductive quality that’s beautifully tender. Nistico swings briefly on a robust return culminating in a gorgeous ending.

The quartet continues with a brisk workout of Be My Love by Nicholas Brodsky and Sammy Cahn. It was written in 1949 for Mario Lanza who sang it in the 1950 film, The Toast of New Orleans. The trio makes a feisty introduction to Sal’s lively theme and enthusiastic lead solo. Ronnie follows with a jubilant reading, then Sam cuts into the next statement like a hot knife through butter.  Roy engages in a satisfying exchange with Sal that doesn’t stop swinging until the upbeat ending.  Blues For K.D. is a Nistico original written to honor trumpeter Kenny Dorham that charges out of the gate on a vigorous melody. The leader is up first and delivers a torrid solo, then Curson ignites a mighty fire with his trumpet.  Matthews keeps the flame burning next, and Haynes does some heavy cooking on the closer amid an interchange of ideas with all three soloists.

Sal’s Bambu is a festive tune he composed while playing around on the piano in Europe. It’s a danceable mix of Afro-Calypso and Latin that’s highly rhythmic, infectious, and fun. The solo order is Brignola, Curson, Matthews, Haynes, and all four soloists invite us to party with them until an abrupt halt. Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum by Wayne Shorter was first recorded by its composer on Speak No Evil (1966). The quintet starts with a stroll on the opening chorus at a leisurely tempo. Nistico starts the first solo conveying a light mood that’s joyously carefree and happy.  Curson begins the next reading with an easy-going attitude, building steadily into an enjoyable groove. Matthews adds a great finishing touch with a briskly efficient finale cooking over a mild flame from Jones and Haynes ahead of the quintet’s closing chorus.

Neo/Nistico was produced by Joe Neumann, founder of Bee Hive Records, and engineered by Fred Norsworthy. I was very impressed with the record’s sound quality. It has an excellent soundstage with crystal-clear highs, a sharp midrange, and solid bass. Sal’s career as a musician lasted nearly three decades, and he spent a lot of time performing in Europe. He passed away on March 3, 1991, at age fifty-three. If you’re a fan of the tenor sax, Post-Bop, or are just discovering him as I have, I offer for your consideration, Neo/Nistico by Sal Nistico, an album of six performances that sparkle and swing from start to finish.  I’m very happy I found it and have it in my library.  After one audition, I’m sure you’ll feel the same!

~ Speak No Evil (Blue Note BLP 4194/BST 84194) – Source: Discogs.com ~ Anthropology, You Don’t Know What Love Is, Be My Love – Source: Wikipedia.org © 2021 by Edward Thomas Carter

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Maurice James Simon was born March 26, 1929 in Houston, Texas. Studying the saxophone in high school he was a classmate of Eric Dolphy during the 1945-46 school year. He appeared on an early 1945 Los Angeles, California recording led by Russell Jacquet along with Teddy Edwards, Charles Mingus, Bill Davis and Chico Hamilton.

1948 saw him again with Jacquet as leader, in an all-star band recording in Detroit, Michigan along with Sonny Stitt, Leo Parker, Sir Charles Thompson, Al Lucas and Shadow Wilson.

He went on to join the Gerald Wilson Orchestra that also had Snooky Young, Red Kelly and Melba Liston as members. In 1950 he recorded for Savoy Records backing Helen Humes in a big band with Dexter Gordon, Ernie Freeman, Red Callender and J.C. Heard.

He also played with Fats Domino, Papa John Creach, Big Maybelle, Faye Adams, Bumble Bee Slim, Percy Mayfield and B. B. King. In the 1970s he worked with the Duke Ellington orchestra. Baritone and tenor saxophonist Maurice Simon passed away on August 6, 2019.

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