John Carisi born in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, February 23, 1922, died New York, October 8, 1992. Studied trumpet and theory in high school, composition with Stephan Wolpe (1948-1950), trumpet with Carmine Caruso (1953-1954). Played in his youth with Babe Russin, George Handy, Herbie Fields and joined Glenn Miller's army band in 1943. Played with Skitch Henderson, Claude Thornhill and Charlie Barnet. Aside of that also active in the classical field, writing compositions for chamber groups and also composed a jazz piece called "Israel" that was recorded by Miles Davis. In the 60's he continued to write compositions for jazz as well as classical performers. Three of his compositions were recorded on Impulse with an orchestra under direction of Gil Evans. Carisi himself played on this recording some of the trumpet parts. *Walter Bruyninckx*
Johnny Carisi is destined to be chiefly remembered for composing "Israel," a complex blues that was recorded by Miles Davis' Birth Of The Cool nonet. Otherwise his career was primarily spent in obscurity. Carisi, who was mostly self-taught on trumpet, played early on with little-known groups although he had a stint in 1943 with Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Band. Starting in the mid-40's, Carisi's writing was sophisticated and advanced enough for him to contribute arrangements to the books of Ray McKinley, Charlie Barnet and Claude Thornhill. Never a major soloist, Carisi played trumpet with Claude Thornhill's Orchestra a bit during 1949-1950. Although he worked fairly steadily as a writer, Johnny Carisi recorded only a few albums under his own name. He had an opportunity to remake "Israel" in 1956 for a Bluebird set not released until the CD era, and he utilized a "Guitar Choir" in an unusual reworking of the music from Showboat (playing trumpet on "Nobody Else But Me"). In 1961 Carisi shared an Impulse LP (Into The Hot) with Cecil Taylor and in 1968 he wrote the arrangements for trumpeter Marvin Stamm's Machinations album. Otherwise Johnny Carisi wrote for the studios, was involved part-time with classical music and was a music educator. *Scott Yanow*
Johnny Carisi
The Music Of Johnny Carisi
Israel
One of the most important movements in the late 40s and early 50s jazz, was the conscious effort of well-schooled, classically informed, creative jazz musicians to reflect not only their training but also a greater sense of structure and order in the jazz music they played and improvised on. It was a movement led by writers like Gil Evans, Gerry Mulligan, Ralph Burns, Tiny Kahn and Johnny Carisi, among others. Some, like Mulligan and Kahn, were also celebrated instrumentalists, but they all embraced both large and small group music.
Trumpeter Johnny Carisi (1922-1992), whose name endures as a notable one in this groundbreaking general movement, worked originally for bands such as Ray McKinley's and, more significantly, Claude Thornhill's, in which he also played at a period when the band was famed for its contemporary, boppish book written by Evans and Mulligan.
Appropriately, this compilation contains Carisi's own 1956 recordings as a leader, as well some of his most celebrated compositions and arrangements played by other great groups, all fine examples of his contribution to this development in jazz. But, apart from his extensive and varied background as both player and writer, the one composition that made him a jazz legend is Israel, one of Miles Davis' loveliest record arrangements, and for which Johnny Carisi will always be remembered. *Jordi Pujol*
Johnny Carisi name will always be associated with Israel — his highly original take on the 12-bar form premiered by the ground-breaking Miles Davis nonet in 1949. He revisits it here with his own Jazz Workshop as well as on a chart for Gerry Mulligans CJB. Miles original solo has been transcribed for both ensembles. A few years ago Ray Passman added a lyric which has been recorded by the delightful Meredith d'Ambrosio among others under the title Its Your Dance.
The opening tracks have plenty of Eddie Wassermans fine Prez-inspired tenor especially on "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Lestorian Mode". The latter was also recorded by Brew Moore, Mulligan and Kai Winding in 1949 but it has yet to be reissued on CD. That doyen of the New York recording scene Barry Galbraith shows on "Barry's Tune" just why Mulligan once described him as an altogether beautiful musician. "Springsville" (misspelt on the sleeve) was recorded by the composer a year before Miles Davis and Gil Evans gave it their seal of approval on Miles Ahead. There are also two of Carisis dramatic excursions into 12-tone territory - "Moon Taj" and "Angkor Wat". As a trumpet soloist he has some notable Phil Sunkel-like statements especially on "How About You?" and "Hips".
This comprehensive retrospective of Johnny Carisi — one of the most unsung people in the history of music according to Bob Brookmeyer — is most welcome. It should help focus attention on a vital but sometimes overlooked contributor to the celebrated Birth Of The Cool project. *Gordon Jack*
1 - Israel
(Johnny Carisi)
2 - Honeysuckle Rose
(Razaf, Waller)
3 - Lestorian Mode
(Johnny Carisi)
4 - Barry's Tune
(Johnny Carisi)
5 - How About You?
(Freed, Lane)
6 - Hips
(Johnny Carisi)
7 - Springville
(Johnny Carisi)
8 - Breakfast With Joe
(Johnny Carisi)
9 - Walkin' On Air
(Johnny Carisi)
10 - Little John
(Johnny Carisi)
11 - Springville
(Johnny Carisi)
12 - Plain Bill From Bluesville
(Johnny Carisi)
13 - Israel
(Johnny Carisi)
14 - Angkor Wat
(Johnny Carisi)
15 - Barry's Tune
(Johnny Carisi)
16 - Moon Taj
(Johnny Carisi)
17 - Israel
(Johnny Carisi)
#1 to #7 were recorded for the album RCA Victor Jazz Workshop Johnny Carisi that was scheduled as LPM 1371 but never released.
#1:
Johnny Carisi (trumpet), Urbie Green (trombone), Ray Beckenstein (clarinet, alto sax), Eddie Wasserman (tenor sax), Danny Bank (baritone sax), Barry Galbraith (guitar), Russ Saunders (bass), Herb Wasserman (drums).
Recorded at Webster Hall Studio, New York City, April 21, 1956
#2 to #7:
Johnny Carisi (trumpet), Urbie Green (trombone), Ray Beckenstein (clarinet, alto sax), Eddie Wasserman (tenor sax), Sol Schlinger (baritone sax), Barry Galbraith (guitar), Milt Hinton (bass), Osie Johnson (drums).
Recorded at Webster Hall Studio, New York City, May 5 (#2 to #4) and May 11 (#5 to #7), 1956.
#8: Al Cohn Octet, from the album Al Cohn - Mr. Music (RCA Victor LJM1024)
Joe Newman (trumpet); Billy Byers (trombone); Gene Quill (alto sax); Al Cohn, Sol Schlinger (tenor saxes); Sanford Gold (piano); Buddy Jones (bass); Osie Johnson (drums).
Recorded at Webster Hall Studio, New York City, December 23, 1954.
#9: Tony Scott Tentet, from the album The Touch of Tony Scott (RCA Victor LPM 1353)
Johnny Carisi, Joe Wilder (trumpets); Jimmy Cleveland, Urbie Green (trombones); Tony Scott (clarinet); Danny Bank (baritone sax); Bill Evans (piano); Barry Galbraith (guitar); Milt Hinton (bass); Osie Johnson (drums).
Recorded at Webster Hall Studio, New York City, July 5, 1956.
#10 to #12, from the album All About Urbie Green and His Big Band (ABC-Paramount ABC137)
#10:
Johnny Carisi, Nick Travis, Joe Wilder (trumpets); Urbie Green, Jack Green, Chauncey Welsch (trombones); Bill Barber (tuba); Ray Beckenstein, Hal McKusick (alto saxes); Al Cohn (tenor sax); Sol Schlinger (baritone sax); Dave McKenna (piano); Jack Lesberg (bass); Osie Johnson (drums).
Recorded at Beltone Studios, New York City, August 5, 1956.
#11, #12:
Doc Severinsen, Phil Sunkel, Johnny Carisi (trumpets); Urbie Green, Lou McGarity, Rex Peer (trombones); Bill Barber (tuba); Ray Beckenstein, Hal McKusick (alto saxes); Al Cohn (tenor sax); Danny Bank (baritone sax); Dave McKenna (piano); Vinnie Burke (bass); Osie Johnson (drums).
Recorded at Beltone Studios, New York City, August 23, 1956.
#13: Gerry Mulligan And The Concert Jazz Band, from the album A Concert in Jazz (Verve V6-8415)
Don Ferrara, Nick Travis, Doc Severinsen (trumpets); Bob Brookmeyer (valve trombone); Willie Dennis (trombone); Alan Raph (bass trombone); Gene Quill, Bob Donovan (alto saxes); Gerry Mulligan, Gene Allen (baritone saxes); Bill Crow (bass); Mel Lewis (drums); John Carisi (arranger).
Recorded at Webster Hall Studio, New York City, July 10, 1961.
#14 to 16: Johnny Carisi And His Orchestra, from the Gil Evans' album Into the Hot (Impulse AS-9)
[Note: Though Gil Evans's Out Of The Cool for Impulse in late 1960 was well-received by critics, he decided to leave the new label when Impulse founder Creed Taylor left to head Verve. In addition, Evans didn't have enough material for a followup, so he turned over his remaining Impulse recording dates to Carisi and Cecil Taylor. Here are Carisi's three beautiful compositions that he arranged and conducted for the album, which came out under Gil Evans's name anyway in 1962.]
#14:
Johnny Carisi, Johnny Glasel, Doc Severinsen (trumpets); Urbie Green (trombone); Jimmy Buffington (French horn); Harvey Phillips (tuba); Phil Woods, Gene Quill (alto saxes); Eddie Costa (piano, vibes); Barry Galbraith (guitar); Milt Hinton (bass); Osie Johnson (drums).
Recorded at Beltone Studios, New York City, September 14, 1961.
#15:
Johnny Carisi, Johnny Glasel, Clark Terry (trumpets); Urbie Green (trombone); Bob Brookmeyer (valve trombone); Harvey Phillips (tuba); Phil Woods, Gene Quill (alto saxes); Eddie Costa (piano, vibes); Barry Galbraith (guitar); Art Davis (bass); Osie Johnson (drums).
Recorded at Beltone Studios, New York City, October 1, 1961
#16:
Johnny Carisi, Johnny Glasel, Joe Wilder (trumpets); Urbie Green (trombone); Bob Brookmeyer (valve trombone); Harvey Phillips (tuba); Phil Woods, Gene Quill (alto saxes); Eddie Costa (piano, vibes); Barry Galbraith (guitar); Art Davis (bass); Osie Johnson (drums).
Recorded at Beltone Studios, New York City, October 31, 1961.
#17: from the 78 rpm disc Miles Davis And His Orchestra (Capitol 57-60011)
Miles Davis (trumpet), J.J. Johnson (trombone), Sandford Siegelstein (French horn), Bill Barber (tuba), Lee Konitz (alto sax), Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax), John Lewis (piano), Nelson Boyd (bass), Kenny Clarke [aka L.A. Salaam] (drums).
Recorded at WOR Studios, New York City, April 22, 1949.
***
John Carisi
The New Jazz Sound Of Show Boat
Carisi's sole album recorded under his name that gave us a glimpse of his inventive arranging skills and trumpet playing was The New Jazz Sound Of "Show Boat". Recorded for Columbia over three sessions in September 1959, the album featured Carisi arranging, conducting and playing trumpet. What's remarkable about the album is how orchestral it sounds with relatively few instruments featured. At first, too few.
The September 8th recording date was something of a washout. Only one track out of four was accepted by producer Teo Macero —"Nobody Else But Me". The personnel featured Carisi (tp,arr,cond), Barry Galbraith, Jimmy Raney, Billy Bauer, Howard Collins and Allan Hanlon on guitars; Milt Hinton on bass; and Osie Johnson on drums.
Upon hearing the playback, Macero likely felt the album needed a couple of additional horns to give the album greater variety, either because Carisi wasn't a big enough name to drive jazz-album sales or because Carisi's trumpet wasn't flashy enough.
So on September 18, the same group assembled in the studio with the addition of alto saxophonist Phil Woods as the soloist. The tracks were Make Believe, Why Do I Love You? and I Have the Room Above Her. Woods sat out on two of the tracks — "It Still Suits Me" and "Bill".
Then on September 24, the same core group returned but this time valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer replaced Woods on "Ol' Man River", "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" and "I Might Fall Back On You". Brookmeyer sat out on "Life Upon the Wicked Stage".
The three tracks handed over to Carisi by Woods and Brookmeyer gave him three solo trumpet tracks he lost when Macero rejected the three from September 8.
The resulting album is a masterpiece of arranging and among only a handful of jazz interpretations of Broadway musicals that elevated the original scores to something way more interesting.
*Marc Myers*
Side 1
1 - Make Believe
2 - Nobody Else But Me
3 - I Might Fall Back On You
4 - I Have The Room Above Her
5 - Bill
Side 2
6 - Can't Help Lovin' That Man
7 - Life Upon The Wicked Stage
8 - Ol' Man River
9 - Why Do I Love You?
10 - I Still Suits Me
(All compositions by Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern)
John Carisi And The Guitar Choir:
John "Johnny" Carisi (trumpet, conductor); Phil Woods (alto sax [#1, #4, #9]); Bob Brookmeyer (valve trombone [#3, #6, #8]); Jimmy Raney, Tommy Kay, Barry Galbraith, Billy Bauer, Howard Collins [#1, #2, #4, #5, #9, #10], Allen Hanlon [#3, #6, #7, #8] (guitars); Milt Hinton [#1, #2, #4, #5, #9, #10], Teddy Kotick [#3, #6, #7, #8] (basses); Osie Johnson [#1, #2, #4, #5, #9, #10], Mousey Alexander [#3, #6, #7, #8] drums).
Recorded at Columbia Studios, 30th St., New York City, September 8 (#2, #5), September 18 (#1, #4, #9, #10) and September 24 (#3, #6, #7, #8), 1959.
