Jack Nimitz

Jack Nimitz
Birth name	Jerome Nimitz
Born	(1930-01-11)January 11, 1930 Washington, D.C.
Died	(2009-06-10)June 10, 2009 Los Angeles, California
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instrument(s)	Baritone saxophone

Jack Nimitz (January 11, 1930 – June 10, 2009) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist. He was nicknamed "The Admiral."

He played in a variety of genres including jazz and rock. He appeared on many jazz albums as sideman and rock albums as session musician, including The Beach Boys singles "Sloop John B", "Please Let Me Wonder, and "The Girl from New York City".

Biography

Nimitz was born in Washington, D.C., and began playing clarinet at the age of twelve. Two years later, he started playing alto saxophone and worked in local bands. He switched to baritone sax and found work in the territory bands of Willis Conover, Johnny Bothwell, Bob Astor, and Daryl Harpa. During the 1950s, he spent two years with the Woody Herman band and worked intermittently for Stan Kenton. He had steady work as a member of the house band at the Savoy.

Nimitz moved to Los Angeles and became a studio musician. He played with Bill Berry, Benny Carter, Bill Perkins, Bud Shank, Frank Strazzeri, Gerald Wilson, Supersax, and the Lighthouse All-Stars. He released his first album as a leader in 1995 for Fresh Sound when he was sixty-five. He recorded with vocalists Johnny Hartman, June Christy, Peggy Lee, Carmen McRae, Anita O'Day, and Diane Schuur.

The Jack Nimitz Quintet played their final performance on May 10, 2009, in Northridge, California. Nimitz died in Los Angeles at the age of 79 from complications due to emphysema.

Discography

As leader

• Confirmation (Fresh Sound, 1995)
• Live at Capozzoli's (Woofy Productions, 1997)

As sideman

With Gene Ammons

• Free Again (Prestige, 1971)

With Kenny Burrell

• Both Feet on the Ground (Fantasy, 1973)

With Nat King Cole

• L-O-V-E (Capitol, 1965)

With Clare Fischer

• Extension (Pacific Jazz, 1963)

With Gil Fuller

• Gil Fuller & the Monterey Jazz Festival Orchestra featuring Dizzy Gillespie (Pacific Jazz, 1965)

With Woody Herman

• Songs for Hip Lovers (Verve, 1957)

With Stan Kenton

• Kenton in Hi-Fi (Capitol, 1956)
• Standards in Silhouette (Verve, 1957)
• Road Show (Capitol, 1959) with June Christy and The Four Freshmen
• Artistry in Bossa Nova (Capitol, 1963)
• Kenton / Wagner (Capitol, 1964)
• Hair (Capitol, 1969)

With Steuart Liebig

• No Train (Cadence, 1997)
• Antipodes (Cadence, 2000)

With Herbie Mann

• Sultry Serenade (Riverside, 1957)

With Shelly Manne

• My Fair Lady with the Un-original Cast (Capitol, 1964)
• Manne–That's Gershwin! (Capitol, 1965)

With Les McCann

• Les McCann Sings (Pacific Jazz, 1961)

With Carmen McRae

• Can't Hide Love (Blue Note, 1976)

With Oliver Nelson

• Live from Los Angeles (Impulse!, 1967)
• Stolen Moments (East Wind, 1975)

With Bill Perkins

• Our Man Woody (Jazz Mark, 1991)

With Bud Shank

• New Gold! (Candid, 1993)

With Lalo Schifrin

• Music from Mission: Impossible (Dot, 1967)
• Mannix (Paramount, 1968)
• Bullitt (soundtrack) (Warner Bros., 1968)

With Bud Shank

• Bud Shank & the Sax Section (Pacific Jazz, 1966)

With Gerald Wilson

• You Better Believe It! (Pacific Jazz, 1961)
• Moment of Truth (Pacific Jazz, 1962)
• Portraits (Pacific Jazz, 1964)
• On Stage (Pacific Jazz, 1965)
• Feelin' Kinda Blues (Pacific Jazz, 1965)
• The Golden Sword (Pacific Jazz, 1966)
• Lomelin (Discovery, 1981)
• Jessica (Trend, 1982)
• State Street Sweet (MAMA, 1995)
• Theme for Monterey (MAMA, 1997)