Interview: Jerry Vivino
|
Photo credit: Joan Mallotides |
KELL: Thanks so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talkwith us Jerry. We really appreciate it!
JERRY: It will be my pleasure to talk to you, Kelly.
KELL: I guess first of all we'd like to hear about your life growing up. We've heard that music was always a big part of it.
JERRY: Yes, growing up in the Vivino household was indeed filled with music and art. My father was and still is (at age 73) a pretty darn good trumpeter. Although he never played professionally, it was his true passion. Dad, (Jerry Sr.) was born in Calabria, Italy on September 30th 1927. His father, Florio, was a master cabinet maker (carpenter ). My grandfather was determined to see his son become a carpenter, so that's what my father did indeed become.
KELL: Why not a musician?
JERRY: A musician? Not a chance! His parents wouldn't hear of such a thing. He came to America at the tender age of 2 and started playing the trumpet in grade school... fifth or sixth grade. He learned in school, as my grandparents would not allow him to study privately. Dad excelled throughout high school and was drafted into the army one week after his high school graduation. The trumpet kept him off of the front lines, as he was placed into THE ARMY BAND. Remember it was 1945 and the war was still going on in Japan. THE ARMY BAND was the best band in the military. If you were good enough to place in that band you were to stay in Washington D.C. and perform for officers and higher ups.
KELL: Wow!
JERRY: Yeah, pretty good for an 18 year old kid! When he was discharged in 1947, he reluctantly went to work in the family business and became a tremendous carpenter. He continued to play the trumpet, but not professionally.
KELL: So how did he teach you about music?
JERRY: His love for music flowed throughout our home. He exposed us to all types of music, especially jazz and blues. The likes of Louis Armstrong, Sam The Man Taylor and Dinah Washington were musical staples in our home. He never pushed us into music, but when we gravitated to it, he was there for us 100%.
KELL: And what about your Mom?
JERRY: Yes, let's not leave out Mom! She was and still is our greatest fan! Mom, Emily, born March 6th 1933, is a pretty good singer, actress and piano player. Her forte is cooking.
KELL: Yeah, so we heard!
JERRY: Her specialty is the obvious....Italian food. The incredible thing is that she doesn't have any recipes. She does all of her cooking by feel. She's a natural. I think most great chefs are naturals.
KELL: It sounds like your parents gave you a tremendous amount of support.
JERRY: I am so grateful that my parents let me pursue my dream. Without their support...I just couldn't imagine what would be.
KELL: That's so nice to hear! Jerry, the Sons & Daughters of Paramus heard all about how you, Jimmy and Floyd were tap dancers at the World's Fair!
JERRY: How in the world did you find out about the tap dancing years?
KELL: <giggle> We have our ways! Hee-hee! It's a great story!! Can you tell us more about it?
JERRY: Well, when Jimmy was 8 years old he couldn't stop jumping around.
He was fidgety or hyperactive. So Mom suggested that Jimmy might want to be a tap dancer. He loved the idea and Floyd and I didn't want to be left out....so we danced!
We told our parents that if any of our friends found out about the tap dancing that we would quit. Well, we danced at The 1964 World's Fair at the New Jersey Pavilion. Of course, there was press on hand and there we were onthe front page of every newspaper in Jersey!!
KELL: <laughing> Oh, that is soooo funny!!
JERRY: But even though we were ridiculed by our buddies, we continued dancing until 1967. At that point in time we had started playing musicalinstruments and we decided to spend all of our practicing time on music. You can't do both. Besides, our love for music far outweighed the tap dancing phase. We actually danced before we played an instrument and thinking about it now, I guess our dancing helped our sense of rhythm and time!
KELL: Okay, back to when you were growing up.
JERRY: Growing up? I'm 46 years old and I've yet to grow up!
KELL: <Giggle> Okay, okay. So let me rephrase that. When you were ummm,younger <giggle>, who were some of your favorite musicians and whoinfluenced your taste in music?
JERRY: My influences were as follows and in this order.....Elvis Presley, Little Richard, The Beatles ( my favorite Beatle was Paul) The Stones, Sly Stone, Chicago, Blood Sweat and Tears, The Who, Ian Anderson, James Taylor and Elton John. Those were the commercially successful influences....you know main stream pop and rock stars. I started playing the clarinet at 10 years old. My first Jazzinfluence was dixie pop clarinetist, Aker Bilk. At 15 I started the tenor sax. My first saxophone influence was Boots Randolph. At age 17 it was Stan Getz, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Sil Austin, Sam Taylor, Charlie Parker....the list goes on and on.
I started playing the flute at age 17. I fell in love with the flute and at one point considered becoming a jazz flutist. I practiced for hours and hours. My influences on flute are divided between two worlds...classical and jazz. Jean Pierre Rampal, Julius Baker and James Galway head my classicalinfluences. Joe Farrell, Eric Dolphy and Hubert Laws molded my improvisational skills on the flute. Hubert plays both jazz and classicalwith tremendous capacity. He has got it all going on. You should hear my wife Laura play!
KELL: Really?
JERRY: Yeah, she's a wonderful classical flutist and most definitely atremendous influence on me. After all, I married her! You know, it takes a very strong and special person to be married to a celebrity or a musician. My wife Laura is my soul mate. She is my everything.
KELL: Oh swoooon! That is so beautiful! Now just one more question about you when you were a little boy. We know a little about the band you and Jimmy put together in school. Can you tell us all about that?
JERRY: Jimmy and I started playing together in 1966 and our very first band was Jimmy on trumpet, yours truly on clarinet and a drummer who to this day occasionally plays with us. His name is Frank Pagano. We were all students at the same elementary school in Glen Rock, NJ. And it's still there to this day....Central School! We played the theme from Bat Man, which at the time was a new smash television series staring Adam West. We first played for our music director and he then had us play for the Principal, Mr. Ritz, who thought we were so good that he took it upon himself to escort us from class to class!
KELL: That's so cute! Now for those who might not know the story, can you tell us how you got to be part of the Max Weinberg 7?
JERRY: In 1989 or 90 I was asked to play on a record with an unknown band called Killer Joe. Joe Delia and Max Weinberg decided to round up a few session musicians in the NYC area and make a record. The record was recorded and released in 90 or 91. The project never really got off the ground, but this was how Max came to know me. He must have liked my playing because in 1993 he called and asked if I would be willing to make an audition for a T.V. show. I agreed to give it a shot and here we are 8 years later!
KELL: How do you like working at Late Night, being part of the band?
JERRY: My day at the Conan show is always a joy. The music is different every day. This keeps it fresh and challenging. I also get to play over 10 different woodwinds. It keeps me on top of my instruments. The people on the show are all so wonderful: Conan, the band, the producers, the writers...I'm having the time of my life. I love it!
KELL: We'd love to know what life is like outside of Late Night for you!
JERRY: My life outside of Late night.... I guess you want to know about my musical life out side of Late Night?
KELL: Yup!
JERRY: It's extremely busy!
KELL: We've heard you work on a lot of commercials. Is that right?
JERRY: Kell, let's just say I'm a very busy studio musician. I'm heard on countless commercials, recordings and sound tracks. For instance....I recorded a record with Son Seals in Feb. 2000. The disc came out this past April, so he uses me on as many live dates as he can. He took Jimmy and me to L.A. this past weekend to perform at the Long Beach Blues Festival. Bette Midler heard we would be in town so she had both of us play on the theme for her new series! Her show will air on C.B.S. this October. We also played on a track for her new CD, which will probably come out this December. Things tend to snowball. By the way, check out the new smash comedy, The Tao of Steve. Joe Delia scored the music and I play sax and flute on the sound track. They actually gave me a credit!
KELL: O.K., we will! And do you have a band of your own?
JERRY: I have a jazz quartet.
KELL: Oh, cool. Where do you play?
JERRY: We play most every Thursday night at a restaurant/club called Luxia. It's located at 315 West 48th St. N.Y.C. We play from 8:30- 12:30. Mike Merritt and James Wormworth are usually with me.
KELL: Wow, that's great! Hey Jerry, The Sons & Daughters of Paramus alllove your SOMETHING BORROWED SOMETHING BLUE CD. We especially love "Sax Shack Boogie" and "A Rockin' Good Way To Mess Around And Fall In Love"!!
JERRY: Thank you for the compliment. I'm very happy with the disc myself. Itfeatures many talented New York musicians and the positive reviews of the CD are a reflection of that talent. I'm working on a quartet release which will feature Mike Merritt on upright bass, James Wormworth on drums and Brian Charrette on Organ.
SOMETHING BORROWED,SOMETHING BLUE was recorded as a spin off from CHITLINS PARMIGIANA. Both discs are dmp products.
KELL: And SOMETHING BORROWED got good reviews, didn't it!
JERRY: Yes, it made the Rolling Stone Jazz and Blues Album Guide. They gave it 3 and 1/2 stars. I'm very pleased on the feedback and positive reviews it received.
KELL: And Jimmy plays on it too.
JERRY: Yes, Jimmy played on 3 cuts. He was sensational!
KELL: How did your relationship with DMP begin?
JERRY: My relationship with dmp started in the late 80's. I was a sidemanfor a Jazz group called Bob's Diner. I recorded 2 records with Bob's Diner. The label, dmp decided to sign me as an artist. Thus, I introduced dmp to Jimmy and we recorded Chitlins. Something Borrowed Something Blue followed Chitlins and we finally got together for another Brothers Album. It will be out within the next couple of weeks. I can't really talk about it until it is released. I will say this....Jimmy and I are excited about the new album. It rocks. Soon enough you will be able to obtain our new disc. I hope you'll like it!
KELL: Well, you can be sure all the Sons & Daughters of Paramus will be buying it. We can't wait!! Jerry, thanks again for spending this time with me talking. It's been a lot of fun getting to know more about you and Jimmy!!
KELL: And from all the Sons & Daughters of Paramus, we say THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH to FRANKIE ZINO! <giggle>
JERRY: Who is Frankie Zino? <Grin>
KELL: <giggle> Umm, the brother ofJOEY VINO!!! Hee-hee!!
This is Kell saying goodbye for now and thanks again to Jerry Vivino aka FRANKIE ZINO! Please make sure to go out and buy THE VIVINO BROTHERS new CD, BLUES BAND!!!
"Blues Band" is available now from DMP Records. The Sons & Daughters of Paramus would like to thank Jerry Vivino for participating in this interview.
- Go to Jerry Vivino's Main Page .
Discography .