In 1963, vibraphonist Terry Gibbs teamed with tenor saxophonist Sal Nistico to record a terrific little-known swinger for New York's Time Records known as Gibbs & Nistico. I say “known as" because the album cover, as you can see below, doesn't distinctly project a title.
Produced by Bob Shad, the LP featured Sal Nistico (ts), Terry Gibbs (vib), Nat Pierce (org), Turk Van Lake (g), Charlie Andres (b) and Jake Hanna (d). At the time, Nistico and the rhythm section were all members of Woody Herman's new band in 1963, which recorded for the Philips label. All nine tracks were composed by Terry and will definitely get your right foot going. I couldn't moving both legs.
Time was started by Shad in 1960. He'd already had an extensive career in the record business and worked for several labels, including Savoy and National in the 1940s. In 1951, he became director of A&R at Mercury Records, where he founded the EmArcy jazz label.
Terry and Nistico were both high-energy jazz players, and the rhythm section here was aces. It's fascianting to hear Pierce groove on organ, and you'll marvel at Van Lake's rhythm guitar. Gibbs bounces beautifully on the vibes and Nistico sizzles, making this a nifty pairing of cool vibes and a hot sax.
Terry will turn 99 on October 13. He's had a stunning career, recording bebop throughout the 1940s starting in 1946 and playing in some of the best bands of the era led by Chubby Jackson, Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman and others. He began leading recording sessions in the early 1950s, when he gave pianist and vibraphonist Terry Pollard her break in his working quartet from 1953 to 1956.
Throughout the 1950s, Terry recorded as a sideman on superb sessions and as a leader. He formed a big band in the late 1950s that recorded numerous albums into the early 1960s as Terry Gibbs's Dream Band. During the 1960s, he recorded Latin records as well as albums with clarinetist Buddy DeFranco. He also was close with Steve Allen, a relationship that began during TV's infancy in the mid-1950s.
It's still a mystery to me why Terry hasn't been named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Fellow when virtually every other living jazz legend has been awarded this honor. Maybe next year.
JazzWax clips: Here's 7F...
Here's The Tweaker...
And here's Setting Down Slow...
Bonus: Here's Terry Gibbs with Terry Jean Pollard on piano and vibes on The Tonight Show hosted by Steve Allen. Herman Wright is on bass and Jerry Segal is on drums. The quartet plays a Terry Gibbs original, Gibberish, and then two Terrys work together on the vibes on Now's the Time. Pollard was so remarkable...
Here's Sal Nistico (far right in the reeds) and the album's rhythm section in Woody Herman's band in 1963 playing The Days of Wine and Roses...
And here's Nistico soloing on Horace Silver's Sister Sadie, with Woody Herman on tour in London in 1964...
Produced by Bob Shad, the LP featured Sal Nistico (ts), Terry Gibbs (vib), Nat Pierce (org), Turk Van Lake (g), Charlie Andres (b) and Jake Hanna (d). At the time, Nistico and the rhythm section were all members of Woody Herman's new band in 1963, which recorded for the Philips label. All nine tracks were composed by Terry and will definitely get your right foot going. I couldn't moving both legs.
Time was started by Shad in 1960. He'd already had an extensive career in the record business and worked for several labels, including Savoy and National in the 1940s. In 1951, he became director of A&R at Mercury Records, where he founded the EmArcy jazz label.
Terry and Nistico were both high-energy jazz players, and the rhythm section here was aces. It's fascianting to hear Pierce groove on organ, and you'll marvel at Van Lake's rhythm guitar. Gibbs bounces beautifully on the vibes and Nistico sizzles, making this a nifty pairing of cool vibes and a hot sax.
Terry will turn 99 on October 13. He's had a stunning career, recording bebop throughout the 1940s starting in 1946 and playing in some of the best bands of the era led by Chubby Jackson, Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman and others. He began leading recording sessions in the early 1950s, when he gave pianist and vibraphonist Terry Pollard her break in his working quartet from 1953 to 1956.
Throughout the 1950s, Terry recorded as a sideman on superb sessions and as a leader. He formed a big band in the late 1950s that recorded numerous albums into the early 1960s as Terry Gibbs's Dream Band. During the 1960s, he recorded Latin records as well as albums with clarinetist Buddy DeFranco. He also was close with Steve Allen, a relationship that began during TV's infancy in the mid-1950s.
It's still a mystery to me why Terry hasn't been named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Fellow when virtually every other living jazz legend has been awarded this honor. Maybe next year.
JazzWax clips: Here's 7F...
Here's The Tweaker...
And here's Setting Down Slow...
Bonus: Here's Terry Gibbs with Terry Jean Pollard on piano and vibes on The Tonight Show hosted by Steve Allen. Herman Wright is on bass and Jerry Segal is on drums. The quartet plays a Terry Gibbs original, Gibberish, and then two Terrys work together on the vibes on Now's the Time. Pollard was so remarkable...
Here's Sal Nistico (far right in the reeds) and the album's rhythm section in Woody Herman's band in 1963 playing The Days of Wine and Roses...
And here's Nistico soloing on Horace Silver's Sister Sadie, with Woody Herman on tour in London in 1964...
This story appears courtesy of JazzWax by Marc Myers.
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