Al Viola

Biography
News

Viola studied guitar and followed jazz guitarists Charlie Christian and Oscar Moore before he was drafted in 1941. The Army placed him in a trio with a pianist and bassist, billed as "The Three Sergeants." Page Cavanaugh replaced the original pianist and after discharge, the trio won a recording contract with RCA under his name. In 1946, the Page Cavanaugh Trio accompanied Frank Sinatra to New York where they played nightly behind Sinatra at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. During this same period the Cavanaugh Trio made a couple of recordings with Sinatra That's How Much I Love You and You Can Take My Word For It Baby, both of which enjoyed broad distribution due to Sinatra's popularity. And, like the Cavanaugh Trio recordings the Sinatra recordings included a solo by Al Viola. Viola settled in the LA area and worked as a studio musician and in an occasional trio with Bobby Troup and Lloyd Pratt. He played with Ray Anthony, Harry James, and Nelson Riddle, and backed Julie London and Frank Sinatra on several tours. Viola was the guitarist in the sextet that accompanied Frank Sinatra on his legendary 1962 tour. His greatest notoriety as a studio musician came from his mandolin work on Nino Rota's great score for The Godfather. Viola took up the classical guitar in the late 1940's and in the next three decades made the solo guitar recordings for which he was best known; Solo Guitar, Guitar Lament and Alone Again. The solo recordings showed the remarkable versatility and musicianship of Al Viola. And, when taken in the total context of 50 plus years of music making, they completed the picture of a musician who was an early pioneer of the electric guitar, was able to swing with the best of them, check out his comping on Riviera from the 1958 Flute In Hi-Fi, provided backup for the best singers of the day, and could stay in the background providing solid rhythm for other soloists.

Amelia Hollander Ames Performs Contemporary Chamber Music for Viola on Sunday, February 14 at the Sixth Street Synagogue

Source: Braithwaite & Katz Communications
February 5, 2010

PART OF “6TH STREET SUNDAYS" CONCERT SERIES

The Max D. Raiskin Center for the Arts at the Sixth Street Community Synagogue continues its monthly afternoon concert series of world and chamber music, on Sunday, February 15 with Con Vivo featuring violist Amelia Hollander Ames.“6th Street Sundays" features the work of leading small ensembles exploring the nexus of chamber music and world music. The series highlights music that reflects Middle Eastern and Jewish influences on contemporary music, as well ...
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156

Recording

New Release on Impressus Records! Ulysses, Frantz Loriot (Viola), Tonino Miano (Piano)

Source: All About Jazz
February 6, 2009

Frantz Loriot and Tonino Miano met on MySpace not long ago and decided to have a session of improvised music. They immediately found an open channel of communication and understood that it needed to be investigated further. They did so by meeting almost regularly with the intent of developing a discourse that went beyond the immediacy of the moment, but firmly grasped an idea using the tools of improvisation. A framework was found, and they soon proceeded with the recording ...
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307

Award / Grant

Ariana Solotoff South Pasadena Teen Wins State Viola Championship

Source: All About Jazz
December 1, 2008

15-year-old Ariana Solotoff won the state viola championship at the prestigious California ASTA (American String Teachers Association) State Solo Competition, junior division (through age 18) at UC Davis.

The competition brought together the finest young strings players from throughout California.

The win entitles her to participate in ASTA's 2009 National Solo Competition, which will be held in Atlanta, Georgia next March. Joshua Bell is a past winner of this important national competition.

Solotoff has played violin since she was in ...
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118

Recording

New group String Planet Releases self-titled debut CD with Viola Improv

Source: All About Jazz
November 10, 2004

Novi Novog and Larry Tuttle have created a brave new world of music. Their group, String Planet (and similarly-titled debut album), combines two stringed instruments seldom in the spotlight -- viola and The Stick -- for a jazz-fusion sound that brings jazz improvisation together with hints of classical, new age, pop and world musics. The CD is available at www.stringplanet.com as well as online stores such as amazon.com. Novi, a top viola session musician, and Larry, a longtime proponent of ...
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Education

Berklee's Annual Winds Day To Pay Tribute To Joe Viola

Source: All About Jazz
October 23, 2002

Memorial Concert to Feature Bill Pierce, George Garzone, Dino Govoni, Jim Odgren, Frank Tiberi, Matt Marvuglio, and Tommy Ferrante

BOSTON -- Monday, November 4, 2002, has been designated Winds Day, Berklee College of Music's annual, all-day event that features Brass and Woodwind Department faculty and students plus guest artists. This year's Winds Day is dedicated to the memory of the late Joe Viola, who was a master woodwind player and Founding Chair of the Berklee College of Music Woodwind Department. ...
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207

Education

Joe Viola Memorial Concert To Feature Berklee's Stellar Woodwind Faculty, Plus The Rainbow Band

Source: All About Jazz

Robert Joseph Viola, Jr. to Play Saxophone in Concert that Benefits Scholarship Named for His Grandfather

BOSTON, October 30, 2002 -- Next Monday, November 4th, is Winds Day, Berklee College of Music's annual, all-day event that features Brass and Woodwind Department faculty and students plus guest artists. This year's Winds Day is dedicated to the memory of the late Joe Viola, who was a master woodwind player and founding chair of the Berklee College of Music Woodwind Department. The day's ...
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Recording

Sam Most & Al Viola sparkle in this new, live! recording

Source: All About Jazz

Two vital but often overlooked virtuosi, in the relaxed atmosphere of a “lounge gig," put on a dazzling display of melodic and rhythmic brilliance in “Pacific Standard Time, the new CD from UFO-BASS records. In a program of nine standards, the pair, backed by bassist Richard Simon, deliver chorus after wonderful chorus of mature yet playful improvisations, relfecting their combined experience of over a century of sophisticated music-making. Long acknowledged as one of the pioneers of jazz flute (along with ...
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Music Industry

Joe Viola dead at 80

Source: All About Jazz

Joseph E. Viola of Stoneham, a master woodwind player, and teacher of many of the most significant saxophonists in jazz, died Wednesday at the Arnold House in Stoneham. The Founding Chair of the Berklee College of Music Woodwind Department was 80.

Mr. Viola was born and grew up in Malden, where he began his musical career with lessons from his brother Tony, one of two older brothers who were active musicians in the Boston area. At 13, Mr. Viola had ...
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