Alfred Viola (June 16, 1919 – February 21, 2007) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

guitarist who worked with

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

for 25 years. He played the mandolin on the soundtrack of the film ''

The Godfather ''The Godfather'' is a 1972 American Epic film, epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling The Godfather (novel), 1969 novel. The film stars an ensemble cast inc ...

''.

Biography

Viola grew up in an Italian family in Brooklyn and learned to play the guitar and mandolin as a teenager. He enlisted in the

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and played in an Army jazz band from 1942 to 1945. He started a trio with Page Cavanaugh and bassist Lloyd Pratt. The band appeared in several films, including ''

Romance on the High Seas ''Romance on the High Seas'' (released in the United Kingdom as ''It's Magic'') is a 1948 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Michael Curtiz, and starred Jack Carson, Janis Paige, Don DeFore and Doris Day in her film debut. Bus ...

'' with Doris Day, and played a few dates in 1946 and 1947 with

. Viola continued to work with Sinatra regularly, accompanying him on several hundred studio recordings and concert dates between 1956 and 1980. Viola was a

session musician A session musician (also known as studio musician or backing musician) is a musician hired to perform in a recording session or a live performance. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a reco ...

in Los Angeles, performing in films and television. His

mandolin A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...

playing can be heard on the soundtrack of ''

''. Other credits include ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a Musical theatre, musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a Book (musical theatre), book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo an ...

'' and '' Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' He continued playing jazz as well, with Bobby Troup, Ray Anthony,

Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band to great commercial success from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947, but ...

, Buddy Collette,

Stan Kenton Stanley Newcomb Kenton (December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979) was an American popular music and jazz artist. As a pianist, composer, arranger and band leader, he led an innovative and influential jazz orchestra for almost four decades. Though ...

Gerald Wilson Gerald Stanley Wilson (September 4, 1918 – September 8, 2014) was an American jazz trumpeter, big band bandleader, composer, arranger, and educator. Born in Mississippi, he was based in Los Angeles from the early 1940s. He arranged music for D ...

and

Terry Gibbs Terry Gibbs (born Julius Gubenko; October 13, 1924) is an American jazz vibraphonist and band leader. He has performed or recorded with Tommy Dorsey, Chubby Jackson,Theroux, Gary"Gibbs, Terry".''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. R ...

. He worked as a session musician on over 500 albums, including releases by

Natalie Cole Natalie Maria Cole (February 6, 1950 – December 31, 2015) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was the daughter of singer and jazz pianist Nat King Cole. She rose to prominence in the mid-1970s, with the release of her debut ...

Neil Diamond Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling musicians of all time. He has written and ...

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. (; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He helped shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player an ...

Julie London Julie London (born Julie Peck; September 26, 1926 – October 18, 2000) was an American singer and actress whose career spanned more than 40 years. A torch song, torch singer noted for her contralto voice, London recorded over thirty album ...

, Steve Lawrence,

Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is an American singer who has performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin music. Ronstadt has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three A ...

Jimmy Witherspoon James Witherspoon (August 8, 1920 – September 18, 1997) was an American jump blues and jazz singer. Early life, family and education Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas. His father was a railroad worker who sang in local choirs, an ...

, Helen Humes,

June Christy June Christy (born Shirley Luster; November 20, 1925 – June 21, 1990) was an American singer, known for her work in the cool jazz genre and for her silky smooth vocals. Her success as a singer began with The Stan Kenton Orchestra. She pursued ...

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April25, 1917June15, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter and composer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phra ...

Anita O'Day Anita Belle Colton (October 18, 1919 – November 23, 2006), known professionally as Anita O'Day, was an American jazz singer and self-proclaimed “song stylist” widely admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band appe ...

Nelson Riddle Nelson Smock Riddle Jr. (June 1, 1921 – October 6, 1985) was an American arranger, composer, bandleader and orchestrator whose career stretched from the late 1940s to the mid-1980s. He worked with many vocalists at Capitol Records, including ...

, and Joe Williams. Viola and Cavanaugh reunited in the 1980s with Phil Mallory and continued to play regularly in Los Angeles until the late 1990s.

Death

Viola died of cancer in 2007 at the age of 87.

Discography

As leader

* ''Solo Guitar'' (Mode, 1957) * ''Guitars'' (Liberty, 1959) * ''Guitars Vol. 2'' (Liberty, 1959) * ''Imagination'' (Liberty, 1960) * ''Guitar Lament'' (World Pacific, 1961) * ''Alone Again'' (Legend, 1973) * ''Salutations F.S.'' (PBR, 1977) * ''Prelude to a Kiss'' (PBR, 1980) * ''Mello as a Cello'' (Starline, 1994) * ''Stringin' the Blues'' with Howard Alden, Bucky Pizzarelli, Frank Vignola (Jazzology, 2003)

As sideman

Steve Allen Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen (December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000) was an American television and radio personality, comedian, musician, composer, writer, and actor. In 1954, he achieved national fame as the co-creator and ...

, ''Terry Gibbs, Captain'' (Mercury, 1958) * Laurindo Almeida, ''Viva Bossa Nova!'' (Capitol, 1962) * Laurindo Almeida, ''Acapulco '22'' (Capitol, 1963) *

The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their f ...

, '' The Beach Boys' Christmas Album'' (Capitol, 1964) * Hadda Brooks, ''Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere'' (DRG, 1994) * Hadda Brooks, ''Time Was When'' (Pointblank, 1996) * Roy Burns, ''Big, Bad & Beautiful'' (FPM, 1973) * Red Callender, ''Basin Street Brass'' (Legend, 1973) *

, ''Do-Re-Mi'' (Capitol, 1961) * June Christy, ''The Intimate Miss Christy'' (Capitol, 1963) *

, '' Unforgettable... with Love'' (Elektra, 1991) * Buddy Collette, ''Buddy's Best'' (Dooto, 1958) * Buddy Collette, ''Polynesia'' (Music & Sound, 1959) *

Tommy Dorsey Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombone, trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-to ...

, ''The Dorsey/Sinatra Sessions 1940–1942'' (RCA Victor, 1972) *

Michael Feinstein Michael Jay Feinstein (born September 7, 1956) is an American singer, pianist, and music Revivalist artist, revivalist. He is an archivist and interpreter for the repertoire known as the Great American Songbook. In 1988, he won a Drama Desk Spec ...

, ''Pure Imagination'' (Elektra, 1992) * Bob Florence, ''Bongos/Reeds/Brass'' (HiFi, 1960) *

, ''Ella Fitzgerald'' (Verve, 1987) * The Four Freshmen, ''First Affair'' (Capitol, 1960) * Tommy Garrett, ''50 Guitars Go South of the Border'' (Liberty, 1961) * Earl Grant, ''The End'' (Decca, 1958) * Dick Grove, ''Little Bird Suite'' (Pacific Jazz, 1963) * Al Hibbler, ''Sings the Blues: Monday Every Day'' (Reprise, 1961) *

Lena Horne Lena Mary Calhoun Horne (June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010) was an American singer, actress, dancer and civil rights activist. Horne's career spanned more than seventy years and covered film, television and theatre. Horne joined the chorus of the C ...

, '' Stormy Weather'' (RCA Victor, 1957) * Helen Humes, ''Helen Humes'' (Contemporary, 1960) * Helen Humes, ''Swingin' with Humes'' (Contemporary, 1961) * Calvin Jackson, ''Jazz Variations On Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue'' (Liberty, 1957) *

, ''Harry James and His New Swingin' Band'' (MGM, 1959) * Harry James, ''Harry James Twenty-fifth Anniversary Album'' (MGM, 1964) *

Peggy Lee Norma Deloris Egstrom (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002), known professionally as Peggy Lee, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, and actress whose career spanned seven decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local r ...

, '' Big $pender'' (Capitol, 1966) *

, ''Lonely Girl'' (Liberty, 1956) * Julie London, ''Julie...at Home'' (Liberty, 1960) * Shelly Manne, '' My Son the Jazz Drummer!'' (Contemporary, 1963) *

, ''Trav'lin' Light'' (Verve, 1961) * Frankie Ortega, ''The Piano Styling of Frankie Ortega'' (Imperial, 1956) * Frankie Ortega, ''Keyboard Caravan'' (Imperial, 1959) *

André Previn André George Previn (; born Andreas Ludwig Priwin; April 6, 1929 – February 28, 2019) was a German-American pianist, composer, and conductor. His career had three major genres: Hollywood films, jazz, and classical music. In each he achieved ...

, ''Previn at the Piano'' (RCA Victor, 1947) * André Previn, ''Skylark'' (RCA Victor, 1955) *

Terry Reid Terrance James Reid (born 13 November 1949), nicknamed "Superlungs", is an English rock vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist best known for his emotive style of singing in appearances with high-profile musicians as vocalist, supporting act and s ...

, '' Seed of Memory'' (ABC, 1976) * Rudy Render, ''If You Knew Rudy'' (Page, 1957) * Googie Rene, ''Romesville!'' (Class, 1959) * Pete Rugolo, '' The Music from Richard Diamond'' (EmArcy, 1959) * Pete Rugolo, '' Ten Trumpets and 2 Guitars'' (Mercury, 1961) *

Warren Schatz Warren Schatz, born in New York City, Brooklyn (November 3, 1945) is a prominent producer, arranger and orchestra conductor during the 1970s. Warren Schatz is famous for composing, producing, arranging, and conducting the orchestra for such mid- ...

, ''Warren Schatz'' (Columbia, 1971) *

, '' Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely'' (Capitol, 1958) * Frank Sinatra, '' No One Cares'' (Capitol, 1959) * Frank Sinatra, '' Nice 'n' Easy'' (Capitol, 1960) * Frank Sinatra, ''

Sinatra's Swingin' Session!!! ''Sinatra's Swingin' Session!!!'' is the nineteenth studio album by Frank Sinatra, released on January 3, 1961. Six of the tracks on the album are re-recordings of a batch of songs that Sinatra had previously recorded on the Columbia album, ...

'' (Capitol, 1961) * Frank Sinatra, ''

Ring-a-Ding-Ding! ''Ring-a-Ding-Ding!'' is the twentieth studio album by Frank Sinatra, released on May 7, 1961. It was the inaugural record on Sinatra's Reprise label and, as the initial concept was "an album without ballads", it consisted only of uptempo swi ...

'' (Reprise, 1961) * Frank Sinatra, '' Come Swing with Me!'' (Capitol, 1961) * Frank Sinatra, '' Swing Along With Me'' (Reprise, 1961) * Frank Sinatra, '' I Remember Tommy'' (Reprise, 1961) * Frank Sinatra, '' Sinatra and Swingin' Brass'' (Reprise, 1962) * Frank Sinatra, '' Sinatra and Strings'' (Reprise, 1962) * Frank Sinatra, '' The Concert Sinatra'' (Reprise, 1963) * Frank Sinatra, '' Sinatra Sings Days of Wine and Roses, Moon River, and Other Academy Award Winners'' (Reprise, 1964) * Frank Sinatra, '' Moonlight Sinatra'' (Reprise, 1966) * Frank Sinatra, '' Strangers in the Night'' (Reprise, 1966) * Frank Sinatra, '' Francis Albert Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim'' (Reprise, 1967) * Frank Sinatra, '' The World We Knew'' (Reprise, 1967) * Frank Sinatra, '' Cycles'' (Reprise, 1968) * Frank Sinatra, '' My Way'' (Reprise, 1969) * Frank Sinatra, '' A Man Alone'' (Reprise, 1969) * Frank Sinatra, '' Watertown'' (Reprise, 1970) * Frank Sinatra, '' Sinatra & Company'' (Reprise, 1971) * Frank Sinatra, '' Some Nice Things I've Missed'' (Reprise, 1974) * Frank Sinatra, '' Trilogy: Past Present Future'' (Reprise, 1980) * Joanie Sommers, ''Softly the Brazilian Sound'' (Warner Bros., 1964) * The Strollers, ''Swinging Flute in Hi-Fi'' (Score, 1958) * The Sugar Shoppe, ''The Sugar Shoppe'' (Now Sounds, 1968) * The Manhattan Transfer, '' Mecca for Moderns'' (Atlantic, 1981) * Bobby Troup, ''Do Re Mi'' (Liberty, 1957) * Joe Williams, ''With Love'' (Temponic, 1972) *

, ''Spoon'' (Reprise, 1961) * Weird Al Yankovic, ''Dare to Be Stupid'' (Rock 'n' Roll 1985) * Weird Al Yankovic, ''This Is the Life'' (Rock 'n' Roll 1984) *

Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American guitarist, composer, and bandleader. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed Rock music, rock, Pop music, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestra ...

, ''Lumpy Gravy'' (Verve, 1967)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Viola, Al 1919 births 2007 deaths Guitarists from New York (state) Musicians from Brooklyn Jazz musicians from New York City 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians American jazz guitarists American male guitarists American people of Italian descent Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) Deaths from cancer in California American male jazz musicians United States Army personnel of World War II