Sal Nistico

Recorded At Radio-Canada, Montreal 1964. Woody Herman and His Swinging Herd compiles television appearances by the jazz master and his acclaimed backing band. Well versed in a variety of jazz styles, Herman made these appearances in the early '60s.
Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987), known as Woody Herman, was an American jazz clarinetist, alto and soprano saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading various groups called "The Herd," Herman was one of the most popular of the 1930s and '40s bandleaders. His bands basically played jazz and blues, often including rather experimental material for their time.

Mercury Records produced a smattering of big band, dixieland and modern jazz from its inception in 1945 until 1953. Then producer Bob Shad was given a free rein to sign artists and the label began to carve a niche as a major player in the jazz world.

A fine swing clarinetist, an altoist whose sound was influenced by Johnny Hodges, a good soprano saxophonist, and a spirited blues vocalist, Woody Herman's greatest significance to jazz was as the leader of a long line of big bands. He always encouraged young talent and, more than practically any bandleader from the swing era, kept his repertoire quite modern. Although Herman was always stuck performing a few of his older hits (he played "Four Brothers" and "Early Autumn" nightly for nearly 40 years), he much preferred to play and create new music.

A fine swing clarinetist, an altoist whose sound was influenced by Johnny Hodges, a good soprano saxophonist, and a spirited blues vocalist, Woody Herman's greatest significance to jazz was as the leader of a long line of big bands. He always encouraged young talent and, more than practically any bandleader from the swing era, kept his repertoire quite modern. Although Herman was always stuck performing a few of his older hits (he played "Four Brothers" and "Early Autumn" nightly for nearly 40 years), he much preferred to play and create new music.

Francy Boland & The Orchestra - Blue Flame, Red Hot, White Heat (1976) {2CD Set, MPS–Universal rel 2008}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 712 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 264 Mb
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© 1976, 2008 MPS / Universal | 06025 1764388
Jazz / Modern Big Band / Progressive Jazz / Piano

A trio of amazing records from the legendary Francy Boland – sessions done away from his big band work with Kenny Clarke, and in a groove that breaks nicely from that group's more famous style! The sessions here are still very much in Clarke/Boland Big Band territory – as Francy's working with a large group of familiar players, and is produced by CBBB impresario Gigi Campi – but the overall sound is quite different too, and features a range of sensitive and sophisticated tones and colors!

… In 1962 Antolini went to live in Stuttgart, Germany where he spent 5 years playing with bassist Peter Witte and pianist Horst Jankowski in the SWR Bigband led by Erwin Lehn. He also played in big bands with Kurt Edelhagen, Peter Herbolzheimer and Max Greger in the NDR Bigband. In 1976 he set up his own band, "Charly Antolini's Jazz Power". … In the 80s he toured Germany, Italy and Denmark with Benny Goodman, as well as with Lionel Hampton, Barbara Dennerlein, Albert Mangelsdorff, Earl Hines, Roy Eldridge, Jimmy Giuffre, Art Farmer, Oliver Nelson, Art Van Damme, Stuff Smith, Baden Powell among others. …

The early-1960s group the Jazz Brothers featured trumpeter Chuck Mangione and pianist Gap Mangione in a quintet also including up-and-coming tenor Sal Nistico (shortly before he joined Woody Herman's Orchestra), bassist Steve Davis and drummer Roy McCurdy; lots of young talent in that band. Their second of three recordings (the first has yet to be reissued) has reappeared as this CD. Those only familiar with Chuck Mangione's later work will be surprised to hear him playing bop-oriented music and showing the strong influence of Dizzy Gillespie. Four standards (including "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" and "Just You, Just Me") alternate with an obscurity and three group originals. The music has spirit, even if it is a bit derivative and predictable.

A talented and respected jazz trumpeter who achieved popular success with his melodic, uncluttered music.
Throughout the 1970s, Chuck Mangione was a celebrity. His purposely lightweight music was melodic pop that was upbeat, optimistic, and sometimes uplifting. Mangione's records were big sellers yet few of his fans from the era knew that his original goal was to be a bebopper. His father had often taken Chuck and his older brother Gap (a keyboardist) out to see jazz concerts, and Dizzy Gillespie was a family friend. While Chuck studied at the Eastman School, the two Mangiones co-led a bop quintet called the Jazz Brothers who recorded several albums for Jazzland, often with Sal Nistico on tenor…