Conrad Gozzo
flu...@postoffice.pacbell.net
I understand was often. There was story about this guy being carried to the
bandstand, his horn literally placed into his hand, then proceeded to play
flawlessly, before passing out. NOT A GOOD THING, if it's true, but definately a
talented brass player!!!!!
WBamb83392 wrote:
> I've seen the name Conrad Gozzo pop up in almost every discussion of any
> particular lead trumpeter's influences. Why is he considered so great? What
> groups did he play with? What are the key features of his sound so that I
> might recognize his playing on an album which doesn't list personell?
>
> -Eric Bamberg
WBamb83392
Gordon
Very fast shakes on sustained high notes than are not necessarily written in
the parts or played by the other brass players. Check out "Spender in
Brass" my favorite. I don't know if it has been re-released. GS
WBamb83392 wrote in message <19981005212942...@ng03.aol.com>...
>
>-Eric Bamberg
Gordon
Gordon wrote in message ...
BSTPT
<<
I've seen the name Conrad Gozzo pop up in almost every discussion of any
particular lead trumpeter's influences. Why is he considered so great? >>
I've always thought that Gozzo had the quintessential lead trumpet sound. It
was big and fat. He could swing hard, at any tempo. I could always hear him
by his sound. His ghost notes and kisses were pretty identifiable. He
recorded a lot with Billy May and can be heard on many of Sinatra's recordings.
I all comes down to that sound. Big, brazen and cutting. I studied with John
Coppola who played with Gozzo in Billy May's band. He said that Gozzo used to
blow so hard that saliva would fly out the sides of his mouth. One time as a
gag, the whole section got some of those paper umbrellas they use for cocktails
and promptly donned them for a shout chorus. Hope that helps. He is one of my
favorites.
Brian Swartz
LA,CA
dennis
> Very fast shakes on sustained high notes than are not necessarily written in
> the parts or played by the other brass players.
any chance this was a method of covering up a missed note?
(being somewhat an expert on the subject, by necessity :^)
B.Latham
Camarata,Les Brown,Ray Anthony,Woody Herman,Stan Kenton,Boyd Raeburn,Red
Norvo,Artie Shaw[in the navy],Tex Beneke,Shorty Rogers, Pete Rugulo,Harry
James,Buddy Rich. He was a prolific studio man backing singers[includes
Four Freshmen, Anita O'Day].
Considering he was dead at the age of 42, in 1964, you got to admit he did
a lot in a short time.
Maybe you have never heard of another brilliant trumpeter, just as
ubiquitous, Ernie Royal ?
Brian
WBamb83392 <wbamb...@aol.com> wrote in article
<19981005212942...@ng03.aol.com>...
>
> I've seen the name Conrad Gozzo pop up in almost every discussion of
any
> particular lead trumpeter's influences. Why is he considered so great?
What
> groups did he play with? What are the key features of his sound so that
I
> might recognize his playing on an album which doesn't list personell?
>
> -Eric Bamberg
>
JClark
flu...@postoffice.pacbell.net wrote in message
<3619B4B8...@postoffice.pacbell.net>...
>I've heard that he just did NOT make clams. even when he was S_ _ _ -faced,
which
>I understand was often. There was story about this guy being carried to
the
>bandstand, his horn literally placed into his hand, then proceeded to play
>flawlessly, before passing out. NOT A GOOD THING, if it's true, but
definately a
>talented brass player!!!!!
>
>WBamb83392 wrote:
>
Gordon
>> Eric, I can usually identify Conrad Gozzo by his use of "lead shakes"
>> Very fast shakes on sustained high notes than are not necessarily written
in
>> the parts or played by the other brass players.
Gordon
Evans)
John Gunter
I've heard that he [Conred Gozzo] just did NOT make clams. even when
he was S_ _ _ -faced, which I understand was often.
Eric Bamberg wrote:
I've seen the name Conrad Gozzo pop up in almost every discussion of
any particular lead trumpeter's influences. Why is he considered so
great? What groups did he play with? What are the key features of his
sound so that I might recognize his playing on an album which doesn't
list personell?
Conrad Gazzo??
Good Lord, what a player! For me he remains the most musical
lead player I've ever heard (I'm 58 and have been listening since 1950
or so). His phrasing was musically flawless (he was Italian after all,
and at times sounded like a tenor flowing through an aria) and although
he certainly had sufficient range and volume, his sound pierces through
the band's block of sound and "truly leads" mainly because he played so
well in tune. His playing for me defines the difference between a lead
player who can play high and loud and one who can do that and play
musically and lead the entire or the trumpet section with unquestionable
authority. I still listen to him regularly.
It's Goz playing on most of the Sinatra-Riddle sides, most of Billy
Mays's albums (once Billy, a trumpet player himself, heard Gozzo, he
says he started writing charts with him in mind), and in a wonderful
album featuring Georgie Auld (Hi-Fi something? - somebody help me out
here - I think Maynard is also in that section).
Bob Strickland needs to weigh in here. He's working on a book about
Gozzo, is a good trumpet player, and knows a lot about Gozzo's playing
and life. Tommy Loy, a wonderful player whose melodic playing evokes
Bix and Hackett for me, needs to chime in as well. Tommy was one of
the sound engineers when Gozzo was flown to Dallas (circa 1955) at the
onset of the still thriving Dallas jingle industry. Goz showed up
drunk, literally dropped his horn on the floor, then picked it up and
blew George Cherb (sp?), Larry Skinner (19 at the time), and E.C.
Holland out of the studio. Larry and "Eace" are still great players -
I believe George is dead.
Whenever I play with younger players with potential who want to
become lead players, I whisper, "listen to Gozzo, Gozzo, Gozzo."
Later,
John Gunter
Scotmpc
If you want to hear Gozzo
catch the reruns of an olt TV show called Ironside
The trpt section was Gozzo, Klein, Maynard,Ray Lynn, and I believe Conte
Condoli.
I showed a picture of this section to Maynard once and that is what he told me
it was the Ironside trpt section.
Maynard went on to say he did a breif stint playing the studios in Hollywood.
He said he worked all the time and was feeling good about the situation there
until he found out he was working by playing Gozzo's reject jobs.
Laskey
Robert DeSavage
>particular lead trumpeter's influences. Why is he considered so great?
What
>groups did he play with? What are the key features of his sound so that I
>might recognize his playing on an album which doesn't list personell?
>
Listen to "Trumpeter's Prayer" on the Tutti's Trumpets recording.
Absolutely beautiful!
Bob
Roger Wood
Another trumpet player that I haven't heard much about was Benny Baker.
My trumpet teacher (Ralph Scafidi; stage name Ralph Fey) studied with
Ernest Williams then Baker and swore Baker was by far the most
incredible player he has ever known or heard.
Ralph was one of the original players (lead) on the tonight show when it
started in NY and one time (about 1981) told me of a book in the library
(which I found and looked through once) that has accounts of a lot of
the great trumpet p[layers ie: who they studied with, what bands they
played with, etc. If I'm not mistaken it has information on Gozzo, Doc,
Maynard, and many others. Would be great if any of you know how to
locate this book.
Well, sorry about the rambling. Just wondered if anyone knew much about
Benny Baker. Ralph played a recording of him one time at one of my
lessons but that was, I believe, the only recording he had of Baker. If
you have any info it would be great to know about. By the way, Ralph's
wife was Mary Osborne (sp), great guitar player and I believe was the
guitar player on the tonight show band in NY.
Please feel free to correct me if I've got my info mixed up.
Keep Blowin'. Blessings,
Roger
Les
Played the studio scene before Ironside! Check out M.F. Horn his
book!
Les
DECA Design Inc.
Conrad Gozzo played lead on both of Henry Mancini's Peter Gunn
soundtrack albums as well as several other jazz-oriented big-band LP's
Mancini did in the early 60's; all great. And please, don't dump on
Mancini if you haven't listened to any of these albums (especially the
second Gunn album, which I like better), I'm fully aware of the
commercial stuff that he did as well. Hank wrote some great big band
charts IMO, and Gozzo wailed on them.
Gordon
but my double C's are fine" and the glowing tributes to Conrad Gozzo. To my
knowledge he did possess extreme range above G or G#. (sections had a
designated screamer back then) Doesn't this solidify the notion that it is
not how much you have, but what you do with what you've got. I am talking
about trumpet here in case the recent goings on in Washington have your
minds wandering off subject.
Gordon Stump
gor...@cdlcorp.com
http://www.saturnrising.com/tray.html
Gordon
Gordon wrote in message ...
>but my double C's are fine" and the glowing tributes to Conrad Gozzo. To
my
EarleSlick
>To my
>knowledge he did possess extreme range above G or G#. (sections had a
>designated screamer back then) Doesn't this solidify the notion that it >is
>not how much you have, but what you do with what you've got.
A comment on "screaming" and someone I met yesterday in one of the local
instrument shops; A 17 year old was trying out trumpets by playing just about
nothing below C3. He had terrible tone, wasn't warmed up enough for what he
was trying to do and was totally obsessed with record breaking range and
especially Maynard Furguson. Since kids get on my nerves in general, I had no
qualms about giving him my unsolicited opinion...(there's real news).. anyway,
for other kids out there hard at work permanently screwing up their lips, I
thought I'd mention that Dizzy Gillespie wrote that he nailed Bflat only
several times; and he didn't need to go anywhere near that to be a legend in
his own time. Secondly, in my opinion, screaming is a gimmick. Too often it's
the only thing barely distracting the listener from noticing that the
arrangement is cheesy. Thirdly, if you can't impress a particular audience by
playing in a moderate range, you probably shouldn't feel too much better about
yourself after they applaud at that F you just "sort of" hit....just food for
thought///earl slick
all content is my opinion...I could be wrong
Gordon
.
>Since kids get on my nerves in general,......>
Why do you think I am on what I call an "indefinite leave" from my position
as trumpet prof at Wayne State University in Detroit. GS
David C. Stephens
WBamb83392 wrote:
> I've seen the name Conrad Gozzo pop up in almost every discussion of any
> particular lead trumpeter's influences. Why is he considered so great? What
> groups did he play with? What are the key features of his sound so that I
> might recognize his playing on an album which doesn't list personell?
>
> -Eric Bamberg
Listen to Conrad play "Trumpeter's Prayer" on Tutti's Trumpets. Prayer doesn't go
all that high (C# or maybe E, if I recall correctly), but Goz's tone, vibrato and
phrasing are impeccable.
Dave
dennis
> Since kids get on my nerves in general,
reminds me of a time i was in an office supply store, around christmas time,
waiting for the clerk to finish her personal phone call, and ring up my stuff. it
ended up being worth the wait, because i got a good laugh out of it. she says
to her friend, while suddenly getting loud enough for the whole store to hear,
"TOYS-R-US?? are you KIDDING??? i don't want to go THERE. they have KIDS
there!!!!!"
Albert Lilly
<gor...@driveninc.com> wrote:
Gordon,
I thought I had heard you were working on your golf game to turn pro :-))))))
AL
E-Mail Address available at <http://www.scican.net/~alilly/address.html>.
Pursuant to US Code Title 47, Cht. 5, Subchapter II, A7227, all unsolicited
E-mail sent to this address is subject to a download and archival fee of
$500 US. Sending such E-mail denotes acceptance of terms.
Barry M. Browner
RL...@webtv.net (Roger Wood) wrote:
----------------------------------------------------------------
If it's the same Benny Baker... he was with NBC and played (some) with
Toscanini.
When I was in high school... late 40s to 1951... I used to go into NYC and
studied (for a time) with Benny Baker. We would go through the books.
I'd play my lesson and he'd say... go on to the next one. He never played
and he offered little real instruction. I did learn how to turn pages,
though!
I once had a recording (78rpm) of him [playing bugle calls of the US
Army. I remember how sharp the tonguing was.
He may have been a good player... but he sure wasn't a teacher.
Of course I'm assuming that it's the same Benny Baker.
Barry
--
Barry or Linda Browner
Howard Peirce
> (sections had a
> >designated screamer back then)
I used to listen to screamers with mixture of envy and disdain. Envy because I
could never play those notes, and disdain because I didn't think it very
musical. But then one day years ago, I was listening to a band, a very good
band, but I can't remember which. The first time the screamer belted out this
ridiculously high note, something tickled me inside, and I laughed. It felt so
good, I laughed every time he screamed--not a derisive laugh, but just a
feel-good laugh.
Now I can't listen to a good high-note player without a chuckle. I really enjoy
that kind of playing now, but I'm pretty sure laughter is not the effect
they're going for....
HP
Donovan Bankhead
mouthpiece to chops! His sound and style was unbelievable! Many felt that
Gozzo could play so _loud_, however, I think it is something else. I think
Gozzo's sound had so many harmonics in it (upper and lower), that it would
all but mute everybody else. Very few players achieve this kind of sound.
There is a guy right now who gets a similar sound, and that is Scott
Englebright. No surprise that Scott lists Gozzo as his biggest influence!
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WBamb83392
>mouthpiece to chops! His sound and style was unbelievable! Many felt that
>Gozzo could play so _loud_, however, I think it is something else. I think
>Gozzo's sound had so many harmonics in it (upper and lower), that it would
>all but mute everybody else. Very few players achieve this kind of sound.
>There is a guy right now who gets a similar sound, and that is Scott
>Englebright. No surprise that Scott lists Gozzo as his biggest influence!
>
I have been analyzing the spectrums of trumpet recordings for a few months
now. There are no lead trumpet solos in any Sinatra albums I have, so I
can't really compare Gozzo's spectrum yet. His sound is a lot like the kid
who was playing lead for Citrus Community College last year at the Reno Jazz
Festival. I've heard loud players like Faddis and Sandoval from third row
center, but this kid was much louder. In fact, during the awards concert, I
could hear the lead trumpet over the deafening PA system. The concert was in a
basketball stadium and the PA consisted of 12 large JBL speakers with 10000
watts of amplification. I was about 200 feet from the stage. The members of
the trumpet section in my band were in awe of the sound level that player was
commanding.
His tone was quite a bit different than most, and it was much like Gozzo's
tone (but the vibrato was more modern). At low volumes it was normal, but the
higher harmonics kept adding as he got louder. At one point, the trumpet
itself reached a limit, and the sound became ever-so-slightly more nasal.
That's the Gozzo sound, IMO, from my limited listening to Gozzo over the past
week. It's the sound of a trumpet at its output limit.
-Eric Bamberg
WBamb83392
>Eric, I can usually identify Conrad Gozzo by his use of "lead shakes"
>Very fast shakes on sustained high notes than are not necessarily written in
>Brass" my favorite. I don't know if it has been re-released. GS
I found an album called "Splendor in the Brass" for $.99 at the local used
record store. Conrad Gozzo was listed as first trumpet, so I bought the
record. I put it on, and I heard some great lead playing, but then I heard
some incredible double B'c and C's drowning out the rest of the band. Gozzo
doesn't play like that does he? I checked the credits again and, sure enough,
laying down the 5th trumpet part was a guy by the name of A.D. Brisbois. So,
with this new information, I continued to listen. I now know what you meant by
"lead shakes".
I have a question. Who are the two trumpet players going at it in the track
entitled "The moon is yellow"? Is this Gozzo vs. Brisbois? I can put a short
sound clip on my website if anyone wants to hear.
I made a good haul at that used record store. They have a whole wall of 99
cent records which are not categorized. I found two rare Maynard LP's, four
not-so-rare Maynard LP's, a Moravian Trombone Choir LP, three Enoch Light LP's
featuring Doc Severinson and the worlds most valuable Italian violins, an
Armando Ghatala album, two Maurice Andre' albums, one Timofey Dokschizter
album, one Edward Tarr album, one Gerard Schwarz album, Splendor in the Brass,
two "21 trombones" albums, and "Pictures at an Exhibition" on the mighty
Wurlitzer (hilarious!).
From what I saw at the used record store, it looks like trouble for North
America. I think the continent is going to sink into the sea under the weight
of all the Ray Coniff and 101 Strings albums. Add that to the weight of all
the back issues of National Geographic that people stockpile. :-)
-Eric Bamberg
jacks...@mindspring.com
wbamb...@aol.com (WBamb83392) wrote:
> >Gozzo is one of the most fantastic lead trumpeter's to have ever put
> >mouthpiece to chops! His sound and style was unbelievable! Many felt that
> >Gozzo could play so _loud_, however, I think it is something else. I think
> >Gozzo's sound had so many harmonics in it (upper and lower), that it would
> >all but mute everybody else. Very few players achieve this kind of sound.
> >There is a guy right now who gets a similar sound, and that is Scott
> >Englebright. No surprise that Scott lists Gozzo as his biggest influence!
> >
>
Gozzo was able to play as well and as loud as he did because he was able
to consistently move a LOT(!!!) of air. It's as simple as that! Looking
for esoteric explanations is a waste of time and opens the door to much
misinformation. The above statement about upper and lower(???) harmonics
doesn't make sense. If you could blow up to Goz' volume & sound (probably
many couldn't) you'd be heard. If not, ...'bye. If you can find Jerry
Fielding's long out-of-print TREND album "DANCE CONCERT" of circa 1954
you'll hear one of the best-recorded monster brass sections of all-time
with CG playing lead and the other 3 trumpets holding their own very well
with him. In many trumpet sections of the past, the players often did not
blow up to the level of the lead player leaving a sometimes obvious hole
in the music. The Fielding recording is a magnificent exception and a
great lesson in brass playing and air movement. If you listen to Tommy
Dorsey recordings, you'll hear another section where the trumpets blew up
to the lead player. No sleeping in that section either. As great as Goz
was, some of the others who were his contemporaries or came later
shouldn't be overlooked: Ray Wetzel, Bob McCoy, Bernie Glow, Al Porcino
and countless others & the incredible Charlie Shavers. Apologies to those
left out....the list is endless.
jack...@mindspring.com (Jack Daney)
cjg...@gmail.com
Regards,
Conrad Gozzo Jr.
pongespob_...@yahoo.com
> That should be "SPLENDER IN BRASS" GS
Actually it should be Splendor In Brass.
Yeah, your post is 20 years old but hey never too late for gooder English. :)