Jimmy Mulidore - The Gripper (2015)

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Jimmy Mulidore - The Gripper (2015)

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Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Jimmy took up the saxophone at the age of ten. Shortly thereafter, he added the classical clarinet, studying with one of the best teachers around, Albert Calderone. He spent his high school years frequenting the Cleveland jazz clubs soaking up the influences of such greats as James Moody, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins and Clifford Brown. When he was old enough, his summers were spent on tour with Billy May, Hal McIntyre and Ralph Marterie. At Ohio State University, he was chosen solo clarinetist for their orchestra.
Impatient with his progress at Ohio State, Jimmy took off for New York’s Julliard School of Music where he studied theory and composition with Hall Overton. While studying, he often sat in with Phil Wood’s group at the Pink Elephant. In the late fif ties, Jimmy and bassist Scotty La Faro began a trip to Los Angeles that included a stop in Las Vegas. It proved to be a turning point in Jimmy’s life —he stayed on in Vegas while Scotty went on to L.A.

Jimmy’s career blossomed in his new home. He worked with the Red Norvo Quintet; Carl Fontana’s group; a band that included Sweets Edison, Leroy Vinegar and Jackie Wilson; and with Georgie Auld. He also lent his talents to some very special recordings — “Louie Bellson ‘Live At The Thunderbird, ”Red Rodney’s “Super Bop,” albums by Sinatra, Streisand and Nat King Cole and, the one of which he’s most proud, a flute solo on Elvis Presley’s “American Trilogy.”

Jimmy met Presley through Joe Guercio, then the Las Vegas Hilton’s musical director. When Guercio left the Hilton, Jimmy was chosen to succeed him as musical director for both the Hilton and Flamingo Hotels. Through those years of conducting for such stars as Louis Armstrong, Ann Margaret, Gladys Knight and Olivia Newton-John, Jimmy kept in touch with his old friend Phil Woods. In 1974 and ‘75, when Woods was based in L.A., Jimmy commuted regularly from Las Vegas to study with him.
So, while his first love is still the sax (alto and soprano), Jimmy’s impeccable style comes through just as lovingly on the English horn, flute, clarinet and bassoon. His rainbow of talents is exciting displayed on this first solo album.

Now, get comfortable at your ringside table and, no matter what instrument he’s playing, let JIMMY MULIDORE take the lead.

"It is the quality of exploration, of stretching out into new, uncharted territory, that characterizes the work of Jimmy Mulidore on The Gripper, his second CD. Searching, absorbing, experimenting, analyzing - Mulidore is in a constant state of artistic reflection and expansion." - Joe Delaney - Columnist: Las Vegas Sun