Pete Candoli
Pete Candoli | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Walter Joseph Candoli |
Born |
Mishawaka, Indiana, U.S. | June 28, 1923
Died |
January 11, 2008 84) Studio City, California, | (aged
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instruments | Trumpet |
Years active | 1936–2008 |
Associated acts | Glen Gray, Candoli Brothers |
Website |
www |
Pete Candoli (born Walter Joseph Candoli; June 28, 1923 – January 11, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter and the brother of trumpeter Conte Candoli. He played with the big bands of Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, and many others, and worked extensively in the studios of the recording and television industries.
Career
Candoli's professional career began at the age of 13, when he became a member of the American Federation of Musicians. He quickly found a spot as lead trumpeter, and by 1940 had become a part of Sonny Dunham's band. In 1941 he left the band to replace Ziggy Elman of the Tommy Dorsey band. During this time the band performed in three films, Las Vegas Nights (1941), Girl Crazy (1943) and Upbeat in Music (1943). In 1944 Candoli joined the Teddy Powell band.
After 1945, Candoli worked with several bands including notably that of Stan Kenton. Later, he drifted into the "West Coast Jazz" and studio scenes. Despite his range, he rarely played lead, reserved instead for feature roles. He became a favorite collaborator of many influential musicians and performers, including Peggy Lee, Henry Mancini, and Frank Sinatra, and was widely sought for studio work. In 1957, Pete and Conte reunited to form the Candoli Brothers band.[1] Candoli was also featured prominently on the DePatie-Freleng Enterprises cartoon series The Ant and the Aardvark, which utilized a jazz score for its theme and musical cues.[2] He made a guest appearance on a 1952 episode of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, during which Ozzie, Harriet, David, and Ricky all sang in a vocal quartet.
Awards
He was inducted into The International Jazz Hall of Fame in 1997. He was inducted into the "Big Band Hall of Fame" in 2003. He won the Down Beat, Metronome, Esquire "All American Band Trumpet Bronze Award".
Look magazine named him one of the seven all-time outstanding jazz trumpet players—the others being Louis Armstrong, Bix Biederbecke, Harry James, Bunny Berigan, Dizzy Gillespie and Bobby Hackett.
Musical style
Candoli's use of staccato was rare among modern jazz trumpeters. Despite his reputation for his high-note ability, he rarely used it unless called for by the conductor, band leader, or composer. More often, his solos began with low-to-mid-register staccato riffs which built into rolling cadenzas and ending, when appropriate, in high-note, bravura climaxes.
Strong evidence of his restraint can be found in his work on Peggy Lee's "Black Coffee", one of the first 33⅓ rpm long-play vocal albums. He appears on all of the original 10" tracks (recorded in 1953; expanded in 1956 to 12" with a different set of musicians).
Personal life
Candoli married several times, typically to other musicians, including singer-actress Betty Hutton and singer Edie Adams. While married to Adams and musical director of her Las Vegas shows, Candoli appeared paired with her in an episode of Celebrity Bowling alongside Adrienne Barbeau and Jack Carter, the comedian. (This would be Candoli's only appearance on that show; Adams would appear quite a few more times with other celebrities). He had two daughters, Tara Clair from another marriage, and Carolyn with Betty Hutton. In 1980, the trumpeter Jack Sheldon said, "I get a lot of my work playing at Pete Candoli's weddings. He's married a lot of people. Hardly fair, because Pete was married no more than three times and had lived his last 18 years loyally with his partner Sheryl."His younger brother, Conte, achieved an arguably stronger critical reputation. They often worked together in anonymous recording gigs and in several joint albums on minor labels.
Both brothers were diagnosed with prostate cancer in later life. Pete Candoli died of complications from prostate cancer on January 11, 2008, at the age of 84. Conte Candoli died of the disease in 2001.[1]
Band memberships
Band Years Sonny Dunham 1940–1941 Will Bradley 1941 Ray McKinley 1942 Benny Goodman 1942 Tommy Dorsey 1943–1944 Teddy Powell 1944 Woody Herman's First Herd 1944–1946 Tex Beneke 1947–1949 Jerry Gray 1950–1951 Les Brown 1952 Stan Kenton 1954–1956 Glen Gray 1956–1963 Candoli Brothers 1957–1962
Discography
With Elmer Bernstein
- The Man with the Golden Arm (Decca, 1956)
- Sweet Smell of Success (Decca, 1957)
With Buddy Bregman
- Swinging Kicks (Verve, 1957)
With Bob Cooper
- Coop! The Music of Bob Cooper (Contemporary, 1958)
With Fred Katz
- Folk Songs for Far Out Folk (Warner Bros., 1958)
- Fred Katz and his Jammers (Decca, 1959)
With Stan Kenton
- Popular Favorites by Stan Kenton (Capitol, 1953)
- This Modern World (Capitol, 1953)
- Kenton in Hi-Fi (Capitol, 1956)
With Junior Mance
- Get Ready, Set, Jump!!! (Capitol, 1964)
- Straight Ahead! (Capitol, 1964)
With Gerry Mulligan
- Gene Norman Presents the Original Gerry Mulligan Tentet and Quartet (GNP, 1953 [1997])
With Shorty Rogers
- Cool and Crazy (RCA Victor, 1953)
- Shorty Rogers Courts the Count (RCA Victor, 1954)
- Martians Come Back! (Atlantic, 1955 [1956])
- Way Up There (Atlantic, 1955 [1957])
- Shorty Rogers Plays Richard Rodgers (RCA Victor, 1957)
- Portrait of Shorty (RCA Victor, 1957)
- Chances Are It Swings (RCA Victor, 1958)
- The Wizard of Oz and Other Harold Arlen Songs (RCA Victor, 1959)
With Pete Rugolo
- Introducing Pete Rugolo (Columbia, 1954)
- Adventures in Rhythm (Columbia, 1954)
- Rugolomania (Columbia, 1955)
- New Sounds by Pete Rugolo (Harmony, 1954-55, [1957])
- Music for Hi-Fi Bugs (EmArcy, 1956)
- Out on a Limb (EmArcy, 1956)
- An Adventure in Sound: Brass in Hi-Fi (Mercury 1956 [1958])
- The Music from Richard Diamond (EmArcy, 1959)
- Behind Brigitte Bardot (Warner Bros., 1960)
- Ten Trumpets and 2 Guitars (Mercury, 1961)
With Mel Torme
- Mel Torme Sings Fred Astaire (Bethlehem, 1956)
Under the direction of D.L. Miller
- Blues, when your lover has gone (Somerset, 1961 [1961])
References
- 1 2 Keepnews, Peter (23 January 2008). "Pete Candoli, Trumpeter and Studio Musician, Dies at 84". The New York Times.
- ↑ Beck, Jerry (2006). Pink Panther: The Ultimate Guide to the Coolest Cat in Town. New York: Dorling Kindersley. p. 39. ISBN 0-7566-1033-8.
External links
- Memorium on AllAboutJazz.com
- Pete Candoli at AllMusic
- Pete Candoli discography at Discogs
- Pete Candoli at the Internet Movie Database
- Pete Candoli at Find a Grave