Salvatore Nistico (April 2, 1940 – March 3, 1991) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.

Career

Associated for many years with

Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) 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 roo ...

's Herd, Nistico played in the group from 1962 to 1965, considered one of Herman's best bands, with Bill Chase, Jake Hanna,

Nat Pierce Nathaniel Pierce Blish Jr., known professionally as Nat Pierce (July 16, 1925 – June 10, 1992) was an American jazz pianist and prolific composer and arranger, perhaps best known for being pianist and arranger for the Woody Herman band from 195 ...

, and Phil Wilson. He started playing alto saxophone, switching to tenor in 1956, on a Buescher before switching to a Conn 10M tenor saxophone, and briefly played baritone saxophone. From 1959 to 1961, he played with the Jazz Brothers band (

Chuck Mangione Charles Frank Mangione ( ; born November 29, 1940) is an American flugelhorn player, trumpeter and composer. He came to prominence as a member of Art Blakey's band in the 1960s, and later co-led the Jazz Brothers with his brother, Gap Mangione, ...

and Gap Mangione). In 1965, he joined

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

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 Michael Francis Moore is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and author. Moore's work frequently addresses various Social issue, social, political, and economic topics. He first became publicly known for his award-winning debut ...

. He also played with

Nat Adderley Nathaniel Carlyle Adderley (November 25, 1931 – January 2, 2000) 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. It ...

Don Ellis Donald Johnson Ellis (July 25, 1934 – December 17, 1978) was an American jazz trumpeter, drummer, composer, and bandleader. He is best known for his extensive musical experimentation, particularly in the area of time signatures. Later in his ...

Buddy Rich Bernard "Buddy" Rich (September 30, 1917 – April 2, 1987) was an American jazz drummer, songwriter, conductor, and bandleader. He is considered one of the most influential drummers of all time. Rich was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, ...

, and

Stan Tracey Stanley William Tracey (30 December 1926 – 6 December 2013) was a British jazz pianist and composer, whose most important influences were Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk. Tracey's best known recording is the 1965 album '' Jazz Suite Insp ...

. Living in Europe in his latter years he worked with mostly European musicians as Joe Haider, Isla Eckinger, Billy Brooks, Fritz Pauer and recorded with the Larry Porter/

Allan Praskin Allan Conrad Praskin (December 17, 1948, in Los Angeles) is an American jazz musician (alto saxophone player, composer and bandleader). He has been living in Europe for more than 30 years. Life and works Praskin had clarinette lessons when he ...

Band and Three Generations Of Tenor saxophone with

Johnny Griffin John Arnold Griffin III (April 24, 1928 – July 25, 2008) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Nicknamed "the Little Giant" for his short stature and forceful playing, Griffin's career began in the mid-1940s and continued until the month of ...

, Roman Schwaller, Paul Grabowsky, Roberto DiGioia, Thomas Stabenow, Joris Dudli and Mario Gonzi. The first live performance from January 1985 was released under the band's name on JHM Records Switzerland. Nistico's solo work contrasts his big band work. His solo work is more oriented towards bebop, as heard on the ''Heavyweights'' recording on

Riverside Records Riverside Records was an American jazz record company and label. Founded by Orrin Keepnews and Bill Grauer, Jr, under his firm Bill Grauer Productions in 1953, the label played an important role in the jazz record industry for a decade. Riversid ...

Discography

As leader or co-leader

* 1961: '' Heavyweights'' (

Milestone A milestone is a numbered marker placed on a route such as a road, railway, railway line, canal or border, boundary. They can indicate the distance to towns, cities, and other places or landmarks like Mileage sign, mileage signs; or they c ...

) * 1962: ''Comin' On Up'' (Milestone) * 1975: ''Jazz A Confronto'' (Horo Hill ome, Italy * 1978: ''East of Isar'', The Sal Nistico-

Benny Bailey Ernest Harold "Benny" Bailey (August 13, 1925 – April 14, 2005) was an American jazz trumpeter. Biography A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Bailey briefly studied flute and piano before turning to trumpet. He attended the Cleveland Conserva ...

Quintet (Ego) * 1978: '' Neo/Nistico'' (

Bee Hive A beehive is an enclosed structure which houses honey bees, subgenus '' Apis.'' Honey bees live in the beehive, raising their young and producing honey as part of their seasonal cycle. Though the word ''beehive'' is used to describe the nest of ...

) * 1981: ''Woody Herman Presents, Vol. 2: Four Others

Al Cohn Al Cohn (November 24, 1925 – February 15, 1988) was an American jazz saxophonist, arranger and composer. He came to prominence in the band of clarinetist Woody Herman and was known for his longtime musical partnership with fellow saxophonist ...

, Sal Nistico, Bill Perkins, Flip Phillips'' (

Concord Jazz Concord Jazz is a record company and label founded in 1973 by Carl Jefferson, the former owner of Jefferson Motors Lincoln Mercury dealership in Concord, California. The label was named after the city in the East San Francisco Bay area, and the ...

) * 1981: ''Live at Carmelo's 1981'' (

Fresh Sound Fresh Sound, or Fresh Sound New Talent, is a jazz record label established in Barcelona, Spain, by Jordi Pujol. The label was initially founded as a reissue label. The catalog includes work by musicians both major and minor that was recorded be ...

) * 1985: ''Three Generations Of Tenorsaxophone'', Johnny Griffin-Sal Nistico-Roman Schwaller (JHM Records Switzerland, JHM 3611, released 1997) * 1988: ''Empty Room'' (

RED Distribution RED Music, stylized RED MUSIC, formerly RED Distribution, LLC (Relativity Entertainment Distribution) was a Sony Music, Sony-owned sales and marketing division that merged under The Orchard (company), The Orchard in 2017. RED previously hand ...

) * 1995: ''Sal Nistico Live'' ( Culture Press) * 2001: ''Jazz Friends'' with Tullio De Piscopo ( Amiata) * 2010: ''Swiss Radio Days, Vol. 21'' with Tony Scott (TCB)

As sideman or guest

With

Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...

* 1992: ''Live at Renaissance II'' (CD Baby) * 1994: ''Nightbird'' (CLA) * 1997: ''In a Soulful Mood'' (Music Club) * 2001: ''Round Midnight'' (Fruit Tree) With

*2005: ''NEA Jazz Masters–Count Basie'' ( Verve) With Sammy Davis Jr. &

* 1965: ''Our Shining Hour'' (Verve) With

Curtis Fuller Curtis DuBois Fuller (December 15, 1932May 8, 2021) was an American jazz trombonist. He was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and contributed to many classic jazz recordings. Early life Fuller was born in Detroit on December 15, 193 ...

*1978: ''Fire and Filigree'' (

) With

* 1963: '' Woody Herman–1963'' (

Philips Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), simply branded Philips, is a Dutch multinational health technology company that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, its world headquarters have been situated in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarter ...

) * 1963: '' Encore Woody Herman–1963'' * 1964: ''Woody Herman–1964'' (Philips) * 1965: ''The Swinging Herman Herd-Recorded Live'' (Philips) * 1965: ''Woody's Big Band Goodies'' (Philips) * 1969: ''Woody Herman – Light My Fire'' (

Cadet A cadet is a student or trainee within various organisations, primarily in military contexts where individuals undergo training to become commissioned officers. However, several civilian organisations, including civil aviation groups, maritime ...

) * 1992: ''World Class'' (

) * 1994: ''Live at Newport & At the Hollywood Bowl'' (Jazz Band) With The Jazz Brothers (

Chuck Chuck () is a masculine given name or a nickname for Charles or Charlie. It may refer to: People Arts and entertainment * Chuck Alaimo, American saxophonist, leader of the Chuck Alaimo Quartet * Chuck Barris (1929–2017), American TV produce ...

& Gap) * 1960: ''The Jazz Brothers'' ( Riverside) * 1961: ''Hey Baby!'' (Riverside) * 1961: ''Spring Fever'' (Riverside) With

Helen Merrill Helen Merrill (born Jelena Ana Milcetic; July 21, 1929) is an American jazz vocalist. Her first album, the eponymous 1954 recording ''Helen Merrill (album), Helen Merrill'' (with Clifford Brown on EmArcy), was an immediate success and associat ...

* 1980: ''Casa Forte'' ( Mercury) With Pony Poindexter * 1962: '' Pony's Express'' (Epic) With Larry Porter-

Quartet * 1994: ''Sonnet for Sal'' ( Enja) With

* 1974: '' Very Live at Buddy's Place'' (LRC) * 1974: ''Transition'' Buddy Rich &

Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, percussionist, and bandleader. He worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, an ...

( Groove Merchant) * 1989: ''Tuff Dude'' (LRC) With

Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (, March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer and pianist. Nicknamed "Sassy" and "List of nicknames of jazz musicians, The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, ...

*1984: ''The Mystery of Man'' ( Kokopelli) * Source

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nistico, Sal 1938 births 1991 deaths American jazz tenor saxophonists American male saxophonists Musicians from Syracuse, New York Riverside Records artists American people of Italian descent 20th-century American saxophonists Jazz musicians from New York (state) 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians