Jack Costanzo - Afro Cuban Jazz North-Of-The-Border

Jack James Costanzo was born in Chicago (September 24, 1919), to Matteo and Virginia Sances Costanzo, both immigrants from Italy. A composer and drummer, Costanzo is best known for having been a bongo player, and was nicknamed "Mr. Bongo". He visited Havana three times in the 1940s and learned to play Afro-Cuban rhythms on the bongos and congas.

Costanzo started as a dancer, touring as a team with his wife before World War II. After his discharge from the Navy, he worked as a dance instructor at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where Latin band leader Bobby Ramos heard Costanzo playing bongos in a jam session and offered him a job. Throughout the 1940s, Costanzo worked with several Latin bands, including a revived version of the Lecuona Cuban Boys, Desi Arnaz, and Rene Touzet.

Costanzo toured with Stan Kenton from 1947 to 1948 and occasionally in the 1950s, and played with Nat King Cole from 1949 to 1953. He also played with the Billy May Orchestra, Peggy Lee, Danny Kaye, Perez Prado, Charlie Barnet, Pete Rugolo, Betty Grable, Harry James, Judy Garland, Patti Page, Jane Powell, Ray Anthony, Martin & Lewis, Frances Faye, Dinah Shore, Xavier Cugat, Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, and Eddie Fisher.

Costanzo formed his own band in the 1950s which recorded and toured internationally. Many Hollywood stars studied bongos with him, including Marlon Brando, Rita Moreno, Carolyn Jones, Hugh O'Brian, Keenan Wynn, Van Johnson, Tony Curtis, Betty Grable, Vic Damone, James Dean, and Gary Cooper.

Costanzo was in retirement until 1998 when he decided to make a comeback and in 2001 recorded Back From Havana under the Ubiquity Records umbrella. This album featured the likes of Black Note's Gilbert Castellanos, Steve Firerobing and the Panamanian singer Marilu. In 2002 he released another album with the same cast called Scorching The Skins this time he also added Quino from Big Mountain. Costanzo has continued to tour and perform in California and abroad.

Costanzo died of complications from a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm at his home in Lakeside, California, on August 18, 2018, aged 98.

***

This album represents a milestone for me. Since my days with Stan Kenton and Nat King Cole my aim has been to make acceptable the Conga and Bongo Drums as percussion instruments for all types of music.

To think as a Jazz musician, after having worked exclusively with Latin type orchestras previous to the Kenton crew, and to curb the natural instinct to exploit the instruments so they fit in with all the different types of music and rhythms, and still not interfere with the already established format of a Jazz rhythm section were two of the most important adjustments.

I think on most of these records an example is made, whereby a Conga Drum is used for Jazz and still does not make the listener think in terms of Latin music. We do have a Mambo in the album, however, because I still love to play Latin style arrangements.

Having been the first Bongo man to join a Jazz group was thrilling, but the drawback was in having no idea what to play that would fit the so-called swing or Jazz Bands. Fortunately, I was given complete freedom in the Kenton organization and was able to experiment. At first I used Bongos only for effects — then gradually felt my way thru to a position where I was noticeably helping to change the sound of the rhythm section without getting in the way.

On the solo Drum number, which is titled "Mambo Costanzo", I took the liberty of playing what I felt. These are the sounds I hear when I play, influenced, of course, by what I’ve heard and know of Cuban and African music.

The record is simply a Drum-vocal expression — a one man jam session for my own pleasure.

This is my first recorded efforts with my own group and I think the spirit of how the tunes are played represents the attitude of musicians playing for the sheer love of playing.

*Jack Costanzo (liner notes)*

Side 1

1 - Bottlabud

(Holman)

2 - Satin Doll

(Ellington)

3 - Mambo Costanzo

(Costanzo)

Side 2

4 - Yukon Mambo

(Costanzo)

5 - Maggie

(P.D.)

6 - G & J Blues

(Wiggins, Costanzo)

Jack Costanzo (bongos) with

#1, #2:

Rolf Ericson (trumpet), Herbie Steward (alto sax), Bill Holman (tenor sax), Gerald Wiggins (piano), Joe Comfort (bass), Lawrence Marable (drums).

#4. #5, #6:

John Anderson (trumpet); Herbie Steward (alto sax); Tom Brown (tenor sax); Gerald Wiggins (piano); Jack Coughlan (bass); Al Bartee [#4. #5], Jackie Mills [#6] (drums).

Recorded in Los Angeles, California, December 17, 1954.