king ubu Posted June 12, 2009 Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 This is sad news - baritone saxophonist Jack Nimitz seems to have died (no news items on the web yet). This comes from saxophonist Kim Richmond, mailed to me by a friend: I just heard that Jack Nimitz passed away about 4:30 this morning. He ha been in the hospital for pneumonia, but had been sent home about a week ago. I'll spin this beauty over the weekend: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tapscott Posted June 12, 2009 Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 (edited) Sad news, indeed. R.I.P Jack. Yesterday and Today is a really fine CD. Edited June 12, 2009 by John Tapscott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValerieB Posted June 12, 2009 Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 very sad but not surprising. i think he had been suffering with respiratory problems for years. even performed wearing his oxygen. a huge loss for our music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted June 12, 2009 Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 Real great baritone player. Sad news, really very sad news - always liked his playing very much. R.I.P. ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted June 12, 2009 Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 Sorry to hear this - first heard him on LP with Supersax and saw him in person with the Gerald Wilson Orchestra. RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted June 13, 2009 Report Share Posted June 13, 2009 another huge loss for west coast jazz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebop Posted June 16, 2009 Report Share Posted June 16, 2009 From the Los Angeles Times Jack Nimitz, baritone sax player, dies at 79 Nimitz played with Woody Herman, Stan Kenton and Herbie Mann and had a busy career as a studio musician in Hollywood. From A Times Staff Writer 8:08 PM PDT, June 15, 2009 Jack Nimitz, a jazz baritone saxophonist who played in the Woody Herman and Stan Kenton big bands and in the group "Supersax," died Wednesday of complications from emphysema at his home in Studio City. He was 79. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1930 Nimitz began playing clarinet at an early age and alto saxophone at 14. He was still a teenager when he began playing professional gigs at Howard Theatre in Washington. He soon fell in love with the baritone saxophone. "It sounded so warm and nice and dark and rich," he told The Times some years ago. "The bottom notes are the best notes in the whole orchestra, because if you don't have a good bottom, nothing really works." He bought his first baritone saxophone at the age of 20 and three years later was playing baritone in Herman's band. Through the 1950s, he played with Herman, Kenton and, later, Herbie Mann. On the advice of colleagues in Kenton's band, he came to Los Angeles in the early 1960s and established himself as a first-rank studio musician for scores of film soundtracks and recording sessions. He worked frequently for songwriter Johnny Mandel. He also played with such jazz luminaries as Benny Carter, Gerald Wilson and the Lighthouse All-Stars. In the early 1970s, he added his baritone to the Charlie Parker tribute band "Supersax." His first album as a leader was the 1995 session on Fresh Sound records called "Confirmation," which focused heavily on bebop tunes. "Bebop is the most sophisticated form of jazz," he told The Times. "It's very challenging but also rewarding because it feels so good when it happens." A memorial service will be held Saturday at 3 p.m. at Chapel of the Hills, Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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