Johnny Carisi

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Johnny Carisi · John Carisi (1922 to 1992) was an American trumpeter and composer. He grew up in Jamaica, a neighbourhood in Queens, New York, and taught himself trumpet while playing in dance bands. He worked in Herbie Fields's orchestra and in Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Band. After the war he played with Ray McKinley, Claude Thornhill, Charlie Barnet, Urbie Green and Benny Goodman, among others. He also took lessons from the composer Stefan Wolpe.

Music and breakthrough

His best-known piece is Israel, a minor blues that Miles Davis recorded during the sessions that later became known as Birth of the Cool. Bill Evans and Gerry Mulligan's Concert Jazz Band also recorded it. A second well-known piece is Springsville, which Miles Davis played in Gil Evans's arrangements on the album Miles Ahead. In 1957 Carisi wrote the arrangements for All About Urbie Green. He shared an album with Cecil Taylor, which appeared in 1961 on Impulse! as Into the Hot under Gil Evans's name, and in 1960 his own album The New Jazz Sound of Show Boat appeared. In 1968 he arranged Machinations by Marvin Stamm.

Influence

Carisi was not a bandleader with many recordings, but a composer whose few pieces went on resonating for a long time. Israel is regarded as a unique piece of jazz from the movement known as Cool Jazz. He also taught, first at Queens College and then at the Manhattan School of Music. He died in 1992 after heart surgery.

Listening

Discography

Studio albums

• 1960The New Jazz Sound of Show Boat

In School of Rock

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• After Hours: Session 2^NL Reader