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.

Discography

As leader or co-leader

  • 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
  • 1992: Live at Renaissance II
  • 1994: Nightbird
  • 1997: In a Soulful Mood
  • 2001: Round Midnight
With Count Basie
  • 2005: NEA Jazz Masters–Count Basie
With Sammy Davis Jr. & Count Basie
  • 1965: Our Shining Hour
With Curtis Fuller
  • 1978: Fire and Filigree
With Woody Herman
With The Jazz Brothers
  • 1960: The Jazz Brothers
  • 1961: Hey Baby!
  • 1961: Spring Fever
With Helen Merrill
  • 1980: Casa Forte
With Pony Poindexter
  • 1962: Pony's Express
With Larry Porter–Allan Praskin Quartet
  • 1994: Sonnet for Sal
With Buddy Rich
  • 1974: Very Live at Buddy's Place
  • 1974: Transition – Buddy Rich & Lionel Hampton
  • 1989: Tuff Dude
With Sarah Vaughan
  • 1984: ''The Mystery of Man''