Sal Nistico

Salvatore Nistico was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.

Career

Nistico was born in Syracuse, New York, United States.
Associated for many years with Woody Herman's Herd, from 1962 to 1965 Nistico played with Bill Chase, Jake Hanna, Nat Pierce, and Phil Wilson in the group that was considered one of Herman's best bands.
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.
In 1965, he joined Count Basie 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. He also played with Nat Adderley, Don Ellis, Buddy Rich, and Stan Tracey. Living in Europe in his latter years, he worked with mostly European musicians such as Joe Haider, Isla Eckinger, Billy Brooks, and Fritz Pauer, and recorded with the Larry Porter/Allan Praskin Band and Three Generations of Tenor saxophone with Johnny Griffin, 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, in 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.
He died in Bern, Switzerland, in March 1991, at the age of 50.

1961: Heavyweights
1962: Comin' On Up
1975: Jazz A Confronto
1978: East of Isar, The Sal Nistico–Benny Bailey Quintet
1978: Neo/Nistico
1981: Woody Herman Presents, Vol. 2: Four Others Al Cohn, Sal Nistico, Bill Perkins, Flip Phillips
1981: Live at Carmelo's 1981
1985: Three Generations Of Tenorsaxophone – Johnny Griffin, Sal Nistico, & Roman Schwaller
1988: Empty Room
1995: Sal Nistico Live
2001: Jazz Friends with Tullio De Piscopo
2010: Swiss Radio Days, Vol. 21 with Tony Scott
As sideman or guest

With Chet Baker

With Count Basie

With Sammy Davis Jr. & Count Basie

With Curtis Fuller

With Woody Herman

With The Jazz Brothers

With Helen Merrill

With Pony Poindexter

With Larry Porter–Allan Praskin Quartet

With Buddy Rich

With Sarah Vaughan