Vinnie Riccitelli, a jazz composer-arranger, pianist and alto saxophonist who recorded one superb album as a playing leader in 1956 and then became a leading fixture in Broadway pit bands and jazz combos that played gigs and events in New York's tri-state area, died on July 9. He was 99.
Riccitelli's desire to stay local in his native Yonkers in suburban Westchester County rather than tour as a leader was motivated by his close family ties, especially to his wife, Jean Krupa. Drummer Gene Krupa had a home in Yonkers and died there in 1973, but there was no family connection.
In the late 1970s and early '80s, Riccitelli played and recorded on piano in groups led by saxophonist Carmen Leggio at local schools. He also recorded with the swinging Dick Meldonian-Sonny Igoe Big band. In the late 1980s and '90s, he recorded with the hard-charging Lew Anderson Big Band and with the Four Freshmen in the early 1990s.
In 2021, he supervised the recording of the Vinnie Riccitelli Octet: For the Record, a superb album of musicians assembled to play his compositions and arrangements.
But his big debut album as a leader was Unique Jazz: Vinnie Riccitelli & The Westchester Workshop. Recorded in 1956 for Unique, the octet featured Joe Shepley (tp), Eddie Bert (tb), Vinnie Riccitelli (as), Carmen Leggio (ts), Gene Allen (bs), Dolph Castellano (p), Eddy Tone (b) and Joe Venuto (d).
Unique Records launched in New York in 1955. To introduced its jazz LP line, Unique screened young composers, arrangers and musicians for its first album. The Westchester Workshop was selected. Of the album's tracks, all but one (Cole Porter's Love For Sale) were Riccitelli originals and he wrote all of the arrangements.
As you'll hear, Riccitelli was a master of harmony and swing with a gift for cool jazz. As Fresh Sound's Jordi Pujol notes, he had a knack for merging the muscular straight-ahead sound of East Coast jazz with the melodic and relaxed counterpoint of West Coast.
The octet that recorded on his For the Record in 2021 also was first-rate: Leo Ursini: (as) on tracks 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 13, 16 and Nathan Childers (as) on tracks 01, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17; Joe Stelluti (ts), Chris Stelluti (bs); Glenn Drewes (tp,flghrn); Bruce Bonvissuto (tb); Eddie Monteiro (p,accordion on track 07); Lou Stelluti (b) and Tony Tedesco (d).
From Bill Kirchner over the weekend...
“I knew Vinnie quite well and did a lot of jazz and local gigs with him over the years. A sweet man. By choice, he spent most of his career doing commercial work in the New York area. I visited with him at his home in Yonkers recently."
From Bruce Bonvissuto in an email to me yesterday:
“Vinnie did not play on For the Record but was at the sessions overseeing. We recorded many of the octet arrangements that were not previously recorded. It was such a joy to bring those charts to life."
Bruce this on Facebook in August 2021:
“Vinnie Riccitelli is a hero of mine and continues to be an inspiration. When I was a young New York musician breaking into the scene, he was one of the many established players who encouraged me and helped me to believe that I belonged. I am so honored to have been a part of the CD we recorded, pre-pandemic, For The Record, and to have once again recorded six arrangements of his music yesterday. Thanks, Vinnie!!!"
And this from saxophonist David Demsey...
“I sat next to Vinnie for a number of years in the sax section of Dick Meldonian's band. Vinnie was a great musician and a beautiful player. His all-too-rare solos had the kind of melodic West Coast sound that caused us all to say, 'They don't make them like that any more.' Vinnie always spoke proudly about that Westchester album, with good reason. Not only did it feature superb playing but wonderful tunes and arrangements.
“Vinnie and Dick Meldonian had a true love-hate relationship that I'm sure went back generations. Vinnie would have none of Dick's onstage lines. Dick (in front of the band) would say, 'We've had a request from the audience, but we are going to continue anyway.' Vinnie (loud enough so we all could hear):n 'Oh, for Chrissake.' “
JazzWax clips: Here's Key Chain, in 1956...
Here's Fruity Tutti...
Here's No Coast at All...
Here's Riccitelli on No Sweat from the Dick Meldonian-Sonny Igoe Big Band's The Jersey Swing Concerts...
And here's Riccitelli with the Lew Anderson Big Band in 1998...
Riccitelli's desire to stay local in his native Yonkers in suburban Westchester County rather than tour as a leader was motivated by his close family ties, especially to his wife, Jean Krupa. Drummer Gene Krupa had a home in Yonkers and died there in 1973, but there was no family connection.
In the late 1970s and early '80s, Riccitelli played and recorded on piano in groups led by saxophonist Carmen Leggio at local schools. He also recorded with the swinging Dick Meldonian-Sonny Igoe Big band. In the late 1980s and '90s, he recorded with the hard-charging Lew Anderson Big Band and with the Four Freshmen in the early 1990s.
In 2021, he supervised the recording of the Vinnie Riccitelli Octet: For the Record, a superb album of musicians assembled to play his compositions and arrangements.
But his big debut album as a leader was Unique Jazz: Vinnie Riccitelli & The Westchester Workshop. Recorded in 1956 for Unique, the octet featured Joe Shepley (tp), Eddie Bert (tb), Vinnie Riccitelli (as), Carmen Leggio (ts), Gene Allen (bs), Dolph Castellano (p), Eddy Tone (b) and Joe Venuto (d).
Unique Records launched in New York in 1955. To introduced its jazz LP line, Unique screened young composers, arrangers and musicians for its first album. The Westchester Workshop was selected. Of the album's tracks, all but one (Cole Porter's Love For Sale) were Riccitelli originals and he wrote all of the arrangements.
As you'll hear, Riccitelli was a master of harmony and swing with a gift for cool jazz. As Fresh Sound's Jordi Pujol notes, he had a knack for merging the muscular straight-ahead sound of East Coast jazz with the melodic and relaxed counterpoint of West Coast.
The octet that recorded on his For the Record in 2021 also was first-rate: Leo Ursini: (as) on tracks 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 13, 16 and Nathan Childers (as) on tracks 01, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17; Joe Stelluti (ts), Chris Stelluti (bs); Glenn Drewes (tp,flghrn); Bruce Bonvissuto (tb); Eddie Monteiro (p,accordion on track 07); Lou Stelluti (b) and Tony Tedesco (d).
From Bill Kirchner over the weekend...
“I knew Vinnie quite well and did a lot of jazz and local gigs with him over the years. A sweet man. By choice, he spent most of his career doing commercial work in the New York area. I visited with him at his home in Yonkers recently."
From Bruce Bonvissuto in an email to me yesterday:
“Vinnie did not play on For the Record but was at the sessions overseeing. We recorded many of the octet arrangements that were not previously recorded. It was such a joy to bring those charts to life."
Bruce this on Facebook in August 2021:
“Vinnie Riccitelli is a hero of mine and continues to be an inspiration. When I was a young New York musician breaking into the scene, he was one of the many established players who encouraged me and helped me to believe that I belonged. I am so honored to have been a part of the CD we recorded, pre-pandemic, For The Record, and to have once again recorded six arrangements of his music yesterday. Thanks, Vinnie!!!"
And this from saxophonist David Demsey...
“I sat next to Vinnie for a number of years in the sax section of Dick Meldonian's band. Vinnie was a great musician and a beautiful player. His all-too-rare solos had the kind of melodic West Coast sound that caused us all to say, 'They don't make them like that any more.' Vinnie always spoke proudly about that Westchester album, with good reason. Not only did it feature superb playing but wonderful tunes and arrangements.
“Vinnie and Dick Meldonian had a true love-hate relationship that I'm sure went back generations. Vinnie would have none of Dick's onstage lines. Dick (in front of the band) would say, 'We've had a request from the audience, but we are going to continue anyway.' Vinnie (loud enough so we all could hear):n 'Oh, for Chrissake.' “
JazzWax clips: Here's Key Chain, in 1956...
Here's Fruity Tutti...
Here's No Coast at All...
Here's Riccitelli on No Sweat from the Dick Meldonian-Sonny Igoe Big Band's The Jersey Swing Concerts...
And here's Riccitelli with the Lew Anderson Big Band in 1998...
This story appears courtesy of JazzWax by Marc Myers.
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