Wikipedia

Jack Nimitz

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

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

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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