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Johnny Frigo

Johnny Frigo was born in 1916 on the south side of Chicago. His earliest gigs were playing string bass and tuba in nightclubs and amusement parks. In the early 1940's, Johnny played bass in the Chico Marx Orchestra.

During WWII, Johnny joined the Coast Guard and played with Al Haig and Kai Winding. After the war, Johnny was called to play with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. Afterward, he formed a group to play at the Stuyvesant Hotel in Buffalo, the Soft Winds Trio with Herb Ellis on guitar and Lou Carter on piano.

"That became a phenomenal trio. We were all single, rehearsing like crazy, and were playing that George Shearing sound before George even had it. We wrote songs like I Told Ya I Love Ya, Now Get Out! Cybill Shepard later sang that in the season opening episode of Moonlighting. And I wrote Detour Ahead that became a jazz standard." (Johnny Frigo)

Frigo went home to Chicago in 1951 and spent the next 35 years as a studio bass player. Settling into a busy post-war jingle scene, Frigo quickly became the Windy City's first-call studio bassist, a position bolstered by his songwriting abilities.

In the early 1980's, he decided to devote his energies fully to the violin. After sitting in one night with Herb Ellis, Monty Alexander, and Ray Brown, he was invited to record two live albums with them in LA, Triple Treat II and Triple Treat III on Concord records. He became Johnny Carson's favorite fiddler, appearing twice on the Tonight Show. When Carson asked Frigo why it had taken so long to get his jazz violin career going, he said, "I don't know Johnny. I probably waited as long as I could so I wouldn't have any time left to become a has - been"

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114
Album Review

Johnny Frigo: Johnny Frigo's DNA Exposed!

Read "Johnny Frigo's DNA Exposed!" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Funny how somethings are so stereotyped that they surprise you when they break the mold.

Take the violin, for instance. A beautiful instrument to say the least. One of the best 'supporting actors' so-to-speak in a musical setting--particularly a Jazz ensemble. The Johnny Frigo comes along and shows what a violin can be with the right person at the bow. I am sure many of us have watched Sherlock Holmes movies/episodes where the famed detective pulls ...

110
Album Review

Johnny Frigo: Johnny Frigo's DNA Exposed!

Read "Johnny Frigo's DNA Exposed!" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Funny how somethings are so stereotyped that they surprise you when they break the mold.

Take the violin, for instance. A beautiful instrument to say the least. One of the best 'supporting actors' so-to-speak in a musical setting--particularly a Jazz ensemble. The Johnny Frigo comes along and shows what a violin can be with the right person at the bow. I am sure many of us have watched Sherlock Holmes movies/episodes where the famed detective pulls out a ...

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69

Recording

New release from the late swing violinist Johnny Frigo

New release from the late swing violinist Johnny Frigo

Source: Solitaire Miles

Vocalist Solitaire Miles will be releasing a new recording with Chicago swing violinist Johnny Frigo on her new CD Melancholy Lullaby which is dated to release on September 21, 2011 in Chicago at the Jazz Showcase. The track, “I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" was recorded for their first release in 1996, but was never released and has been remixed and remastered for Miles' new album. “I'm very pleased to present this unreleased recording from the late swing violinist Johnny Frigo ...

154

Obituary

Johnny Frigo 1916 - 2007

Johnny Frigo 1916 - 2007

Source: All About Jazz

Jazz legend switched from bass to violin Chicago musician also played background for commercials, co-wrote songs and penned 'Hey, Hey, Holy Mackerel' in honor of '69 Cubs Johnny Frigo, 90, a musician whose skill, encyclopedic song recall and late career switch from bass to violin made him a legend in jazz joints from Chicago to Europe, died Wednesday, July 4, of complications related to a fall, his family said. Born on Chicago's South Side, Mr. Frigo took up the violin ...

91

Event

Johnny Frigo and Oscar Brown, Jr. Days in Chicago

Johnny Frigo and Oscar Brown, Jr. Days  in Chicago

Source: All About Jazz


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