Vido Musso
Musso (middle) performs with Benny Goodman (left) and Sid Catlett (right) in the 1940s.
Musso (middle) performs with Benny Goodman (left) and Sid Catlett (right) in the 1940s.
Background information
Birth nameVito Gugliermo Musso
Born(1913-01-16)January 16, 1913[1]
Palermo, Sicily[1]
DiedJanuary 9, 1982(1982-01-09) (aged 68)
Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Saxophone
Years active1930–1975

Vido William Musso (January 16, 1913 – January 9, 1982) was an American jazz saxophonist.

Biography

Musso and his family relocated from Sicily to the U.S. in July 1920, arriving at the Port of New York aboard the Italian steamship Patria. They settled in Detroit, where Musso began learning to play the clarinet. Ten years later, he moved to Los Angeles and co-founded a big band with Stan Kenton in 1935.[1][2] Musso left the band the following year to collaborate with Gus Arnheim, Benny Goodman, and Gene Krupa. He accompanied Billie Holiday and pianist Teddy Wilson on recordings in the late 1930s. Later, he took over leadership of his own band from Bunny Berigan but struggled to establish himself as a successful big band leader during the 1930s and 1940s. However, he spent most of his career as a sideman. After returning to Goodman, he was a member of big bands led by Harry James, Woody Herman, and Tommy Dorsey. He returned to perform with Kenton in the mid-1940s before retiring around 1975 after relocating to California.[1]

As a leader, Musso recorded for Savoy (1946), Trilon (1947), Arco, Fantasy (1952), RPM, Crown, and Modern.[2]

The Santa Monica Daily Press, (25th. March, 2016), mentioned that Shecky Greene married Musso's daughter, Marie Musso, in 1985.

Discography

As leader

Singles

Albums

As sideman

With Wardell Gray

With Stan Kenton

With Jess Stacy

References

  1. ^ a b c d Kernfeld, Barry (2002). Kernfeld, Barry (ed.). The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. Vol. 2 (2nd ed.). New York: Grove's Dictionaries. p. 857. ISBN 1-56159-284-6.
  2. ^ a b Yanow, Scott. "Vido Musso". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 December 2018.


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