Carl Fontana

Carl Charles Fontana (July 18, 1928 - October 9, 2003) was an American jazz trombonist. After working in the big bands of Woody Herman, Lionel Hampton, and Stan Kenton, he devoted most of his career to playing music in Las Vegas.

Carl Fontana
Fontana at Ball State University, 1989
Background information
Birth nameCarl Charles Fontana
Born(1928-07-18)July 18, 1928
Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.
DiedOctober 9, 2003(2003-10-09) (aged 75)
Las Vegas, Nevada
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician
InstrumentsTrombone
Years active1940–2000
Associated actsSupersax

Career

His first break into the professional jazz scene came in 1951 when he was hired to stand in for one of Woody Herman's regular trombonists, Urbie Green. When Green returned, Herman kept Fontana on as a permanent member of the band.

After three years with Herman, Fontana joined Lionel Hampton's big band in 1954. In early 1955 he played briefly with Hal McIntyre and Chicago pianist and Playboy executive, Sam Distefano at Sam's Miami nightclub, The Stut 'n' Tut. He later joined Stan Kenton's big band. Fontana recorded three albums with Kenton and worked with trombonist Kai Winding during this period.

After 1958, Fontana would tour rarely, such as a 1966 tour of Africa with Herman's band sponsored by the U.S. State Department. He primarily performed with house orchestras in Las Vegas during the 1960s, particularly Paul Anka's band (with Frank Rosolino). He also performed in bands backing Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Bennett, Wayne Newton, and the Benny Goodman orchestra.

In the 1970s, he continued performing in house orchestras and lounges in Las Vegas. He also recorded with Louie Bellson, Bill Watrous, and Supersax. It was not until 1975 that Fontana recorded an album as an ensemble co-leader. He shared the billing for this record, The Hanna-Fontana Band: Live at Concord (Concord Jazz) with drummer Jake Hanna. Fontana toured in Japan with this ensemble. In 1978 he was featured on the jazz trombone recording Bobby Knight's Great American Trombone Company, with Charles Loper, Lew McCreary, Frank Rosolino, Phil Teele, and Bobby Knight.

In the 1980s, he appeared regularly on National Public Radio's Monday Night Jazz program. His first album as a headliner was The Great Fontana (Uptown Jazz, 1985).

In 2001 he joined The West Coast All Stars and played a concert in Stuttgart, Germany. He was joined by Conte Candoli, Teddy Edwards, Pete Jolly, Chuck Berghofer, and Joe LaBarbera. He was featured on the song "If I Only Had a Brain", from the movie The Wizard of Oz.

Fontana died October 9, 2003, in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age of 75 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease.[1]

Discography
  • Live at Concord, Hanna-Fontana Band (Concord Jazz, 1975)
  • The Great Fontana (Uptown, 1985)
  • A 5 Star Edition with the Brass Connection (The Jazz Alliance, 1991)
  • Live at the Royal Palms Inn Volume 1 with Conte Candoli (Woofy, 1994)
  • Live at the Royal Palms Inn Volume 2 with Buddy Childers (Woofy, 1994)
  • Live at the Royal Palms Inn Volume 3 with Bob Cooper (Woofy, 1994)
  • Live at the Royal Palms Inn Volume 6 with Steve Huffsteter, (Woofy, 1994)
  • Live at the Royal Palms Inn Volume 9 with Bill Perkins, Pete Candoli (Woofy, 1994)
  • Live at Capozzoli's with Arno Marsh (Woofy, 1997)
  • Nice 'n' Easy with Jiggs Whigham (TNC, 1997)
  • Keepin' Up with the Boneses with Jiggs Whigham (TNC, 2001)
  • The Jazz Trombone with Allen Hermann (Sea Breeze, 2004)
  • Trombone Heaven with Frank Rosolino (Uptown, 2007)
  • Trombone Titans with Andy Martin, (DrewBone, 2013)

With Louie Bellson

  • Thunderbird (Impulse!, 1966)
  • Don't Stop Now (Bosco, 1984)

With Max Bennett

  • Max Bennett Plays (Bethlehem, 1957)
  • Max Bennett Vol. II (Bethlehem, 1957)

With Conte Candoli

  • The Complete Phoenix Volume 1 of 6 (Woofy, 2002)
  • The Complete Phoenix Volume 2 of 6 (Woofy, 2002)
  • The Complete Phoenix Volume 3 of 6 (Woofy, 2002)
  • The Complete Phoenix Volume 4 of 6 (Woofy, 2002)
  • The Complete Phoenix Volume 5 of 6 (Woofy, 2002)
  • The Complete Phoenix Volume 6 of 6 (Woofy, 2002)

With Woody Herman

  • The Jazz Swinger (Columbia, 1966)
  • Concerto for Herd (Verve, 1968)
  • Hey! Heard the Herd? (Verve, 1963)
  • The Third Herd Vol. 1 (Discovery, 1981)
  • The Third Herd Vol. 2 (Discovery, 1982)
  • Woody Herman and His Orchestra (Joker, 1983)
  • Scene, Herd in 1952 (Jazz Band, 1995)

With Stan Kenton

  • Contemporary Concepts (Capitol, 1955)
  • Kenton in Hi-Fi (Capitol, 1956)
  • Cuban Fire! (Capitol, 1956)
  • By Request Volume II (Creative World, 1972)
  • Stan Kenton and His Orchestra in Stockholm 1956 (Swedish Radio Jazz Years 1990)
  • Kenton Plays Holman Live! (Artistry, 1996)
  • The 1950's Birdland Broadcasts (Jazz Band, 1998)

With Yank Lawson, Bob Haggart

  • The World's Greatest Jazzband of Yank Lawson and Bob Haggart (Project 3 Total Sound, 1969)
  • Extra! (Project 3 Total Sound, 1970)
  • Plays Cole Porter (World Jazz, 1975)
  • Plays George Gershwin (World Jazz, 1977)
  • Plays Cole Porter and Rodgers, Hart (Jazzolog, 1998)

With Tommy Vig

  • The Tommy Vig Orchestra (Take V, 1965)
  • Encounter with Time (Discovery, 1977)

With Kai Winding

With others

References
  1. "Carl Fontana, 75; Innovative Jazz Trombonist". The Los Angeles Times. October 11, 2003. Retrieved December 20, 2015.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.