Jack Nimitz

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Jack Nimitz
Birth nameJerome Nimitz
Born(1930-01-11)January 11, 1930
Washington, D.C.
DiedJune 10, 2009(2009-06-10) (aged 79)
Los Angeles, California
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Baritone saxophone
Years active1949–1990s

Jack Nimitz (January 11, 1930 – June 10, 2009) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist, nicknamed "The Admiral".[1]

Career[edit]

A native of Washington, D.C., Nimitz started on clarinet in his early teens before playing alto saxophone.[1][2] During the 1950s he played baritone saxophone with Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, and Herbie Mann.[1] He continued to play in big bands in the 1960s with Terry Gibbs and Gerald Wilson in addition to working in film and leading a quintet.[1]

Nimitz was a founding member of Supersax in the early 1970s and remained with the band into the 1990s.[1] During the 1980s and 1990s he was a member of big bands led by Oliver Nelson and Bill Berry.[1] He performed in the sextet of Frank Strazzeri and the sextet of Bud Shank in the 1990s.[1] In 1997 he worked with Buddy Childers at the PizzaExpress Jazz Club in London.[1]

A studio musician for much of his life, Nimitz recorded his first album as leader in the 1990s.[1][2]

Death[edit]

The Jack Nimitz Quintet played its final performance on May 10, 2009, in Northridge, California. Nimitz died in Los Angeles at the age of 79 from complications due to emphysema.[3]

Discography[edit]

As leader[edit]

  • Live at the Royal Palms Inn Volume 8 with Buddy Childers (Woofy, 1994)
  • Confirmation (Fresh Sound, 1995)
  • Live at Capozzoli's (Woofy Productions, 1997)

As sideman[edit]

With Terry Gibbs

  • The Exciting Terry Gibbs Big Band (Verve, 1961)
  • Explosion! (Mercury, 1962)
  • Flying Home (Volume 3) (Contemporary, 1988)
  • The Big Cat (Volume 5) (Contemporary, 1991)

With Woody Herman

  • The Woody Herman Band! Part 1 (Capitol, 1954)
  • The Woody Herman Band! Part 3 (Capitol, 1954)
  • Road Band! (Capitol, 1955)
  • The Woody Herman Band! (Capitol, 1955)
  • Woody Herman (Metro, 1965)

With Stan Kenton

With Steuart Liebig

  • No Train (Cadence, 1997)
  • Antipodes (Cadence, 2000)

With Shelly Manne

With Oliver Nelson

With Lalo Schifrin

With Diane Schuur

  • Timeless (GRP, 1986)
  • Pure Schuur (GRP, 1991)
  • In Tribute (GRP, 1992)

With Bud Shank

With Supersax

  • Supersax Plays Bird (Capitol, 1973)
  • Salt Peanuts Supersax Plays Bird, Volume 2 (Capitol, 1974)
  • Supersax Plays Bird with Strings (Capitol, 1975)
  • Chasin' the Bird (MPS, 1977)
  • Dynamite !! (MPS, 1979)
  • Supersax & L.A. Voices Volume 2 (CBS, 1984)
  • Stone Bird (Columbia, 1988)

With Gerald Wilson

With others

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Koch, Lawrence; Kernfeld, Barry (2002). Kernfeld, Barry (ed.). The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. Vol. 3 (2 ed.). New York: Grove's Dictionaries. p. 156. ISBN 1-56159-284-6.
  2. ^ a b Yanow, Scott. "Jack Nimitz". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  3. ^ Ricci, Michael (16 June 2009). "Jack Nimitz Baritone Sax Player Dies". All About Jazz. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
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