Musso, Vido, 1913-1982

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

Biography
Musso moved with his family from Sicily to the U.S. in July 1920, having arrived at the Port of New York on the Italian steamship Patria. They lived in Detroit, where Musso started learning to play clarinet. Ten years later, he went to Los Angeles and formed a big band with Stan Kenton in 1935.[1][2] Musso dropped out the next year to work with Gus Arnheim, Benny Goodman, and Gene Krupa. He accompanied Billie Holiday and pianist Teddy Wilson on recordings in the late 1930s. He replaced Bunny Berigan as the leader of his band and tried unsuccessfully at other times during the 1930s and 1940s to be a big band leader. But most of his career was spent as a sideman. After returning to Goodman, he was a member of big bands led by Harry James, Woody Herman, and Tommy Dorsey. He went back to play with Kenton during the middle 1940s. Having moved to California, he retired around 1975.[1]

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

Tenor saxophonist Vido Musso came to eminence via radio.
Benny Goodman happened to hear a broadcast from the old Rendezvous Ballroom in Newport Beach where Musso was a featured soloist with Gil Evans.
Musso was summoned to the Palomar Club in Los Angeles where Goodman was performing, and after a 10-minute solo on "Honeysuckle Rose" -- which left the audience hollering for more -- got the job, said his wife of 48 year, Rose Musso, last week....

He played with the Goodman band that performed the famous Carnegie Hall concert of 1937, the first jazz ever heard on that classical stage. He recorded with Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Peggy Lee and left Goodman to work with Harry James where he backed up and roomed with another young Italian, Frank Sinatra...

With big bands and jazz generally in decline, Musso spent the second half of his life commuting between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, moving to Las Vegas permanently in 1960 where he was an ongoing lounge show attraction.
A 1975 hip operation curtailed his mobility and he settled in Palm Springs, playing an occasional Nevada data at the Dunes or Sands casinos.
Last year herecorded about 20 sides that are to be released as an album sometime in 1982.
Five days before his death Jan. 9 in Los Angeles of a heart attack, he made his final appearance, with the Ace Hudkins Big Band in Palm Springs.
News of his death at age 68 only surfaced last week.
Sinatra said simply: "Without exception, one of the finest and greatest jazz tenor sax players."

(b Palermo, Sicily, Jan 16, 1913; d Rancho Mirage, CA, Jan 9, 1982). American tenor saxophonist. His application for social security gives his place of birth as Palermo and his date of birth as 16 January, rather than Carrini, Sicily, and 13 January, which appear elsewhere. In 1920 his family emigrated to the USA and settled in Detroit...

Name: Vido William Musso
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 27
Relationship to Draftee: Self (Head)
Birth Date: 16 Jan 1913
Birth Place: Carinie, Italy
Residence Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
Registration Date: 16 Oct 1940
Registration Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
Employer: Harry James Music Corporation Of America
Weight: 185
Complexion: Dark Brown
Eye Color: Black
Hair Color: Black
Height: 5 11
Next of Kin: Mary Musso

[H1074] Lionel Hampton
Lionel Hampton And His Orchestra : Ziggy Elman (tp) Hymie Schertzer, George Koenig (as) Vido Musso, Arthur Rollini (ts) Jess Stacy (p) Allan Reuss (g) Harry Goodman (b) Gene Krupa (d) Lionel Hampton (vib,d-1,vcl)
New York, February 8, 1937

[W7772] Teddy Wilson
Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra : Buck Clayton (tp) Prince Robinson (cl) Vido Musso (ts) Teddy Wilson (p) Allan Reuss (g) Walter Page (b) Cozy Cole (d) [as Swing Roo (d) ] on label, Billie Holiday (vcl)
New York, November 1, 1937

[G3726] Benny Goodman Benny Goodman And His Orchestra and Trio : Ziggy Elman, Harry James, Chris Griffin (tp) Red Ballard, Vernon Brown (tb) Benny Goodman (cl) Hymie Schertzer, George Koenig (as) Arthur Rollini, Vido Musso (ts) Jess Stacy (p) Allan Reuss (g) Harry Goodman (b) Gene Krupa (d) Martha Tilton (vcl) Fletcher Henderson (arr) . flwg added for trio: Teddy Wilson (p) Camel Caravan broadcast, New York, November 2, 1937

[G3731] Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman And His Orchestra : Ziggy Elman, Harry James, Chris Griffin (tp) Murray McEachern, Red Ballard (tb) Benny Goodman (cl) Hymie Schertzer, George Koenig (as) Arthur Rollini, Vido Musso (ts) Jess Stacy (p) Allan Reuss (g) Harry Goodman (b) Gene Krupa (d) Claude Thornhill (arr) Martha Tilton (vcl)
New York, November 12, 1937


[J1002] Harry James
Harry James And His Orchestra : Harry James (tp,arr) Nick Buono, Claude Bowen, Al Stearns (tp) Hoyt Bohannon, Dalton Rizzotto, Harry Rogers (tb) Claude Lakey (tp,as) Vido Musso (ts) John Mezey, Chuck Gentry (as,bar) Al Lerner (p) Ben Heller (g) Thurman Teague (b) Mickey Scrima (d) Dick Haymes (vcl) Margie Gibson, LeRoy Holmes, Jack Mathias, Dave Matthews (arr)
New York, January 8, 1941

[H5101] Woody Herman
Woody Herman And His Orchestra : Billie Rogers (tp,vcl) Billy May, Bobby Guyer, Bill Horan (tp) Neal Reid, Jim Burtch, Joe Quartell (tb) Woody Herman (cl,as,vcl) Les Robinson, Chuck DiMaggio (as) Vido Musso, Pete Mondello (ts) Skippy DeSair (bar) Jimmy Rowles (p) Hy White (g) Gene Sargent (b) Frank Carlson (d) Anita O'Day (vcl)
Broadcast, "Fitch Bandwagon Show", Los Angeles, June, 1943

[K1313.10] Stan Kenton
Stan Kenton And His Orchestra : Buddy Childers, Ray Wetzel, John Anderson, Russ Burgher, Bob Lymperis (tp) Fred Zito, Ray Klein, Milt Kabak (tb) Bart Varsalona (b-tb) Al Anthony, Boots Mussulli (as) Vido Musso, Bob Cooper (ts) Bob Gioga (bar) Stan Kenton (p) Bob Ahern (g) Eddie Safranski (b) Ralph Collier (d) June Christy, Gene Howard (vcl)
MacGregor transcriptions, Hollywood, CA, late December 1945

[M12628] Vido Musso
Vido Musso Orchestra : Ray Wetzel (tp) Kai Winding (tb) Boots Mussulli (as) Vido Musso (ts) Pete Rugolo (p) Eddie Safranski (b) Shelly Manne (d) Raye Sisters (vcl) Chicago, IL, May, 1947

[K1326]Full musician list Stan Kenton
Vido Musso (ts) replaces Red Dorris, Don McCleod (vcl) replaces Dave Lambert, Pete Rugolo (p) added
Hollywood, February 13, 1947

[S7583] Freddie Slack
Freddie Slack And His Orchestra : Chuck Peterson, Jimmy Salco, Jack Trainor, Gerald Wilson (tp) Hoyt Bohannon, Tommy Pederson, Henry Coker (tb) Benny Carter (as,arr) Jewell Grant (as) Bumps Myers, Vido Musso (ts) Chuck Gentry (bar) Freddie Slack (p) Ulysses Livingston (g) Harry Babasin (b) Henry Tucker Green (d)
Los Angeles, November 25, 1947

[N2837] Gene Norman
Gene Norman's Just Jazz : Howard McGhee (tp) Wardell Gray, Vido Musso (ts) Arnold Ross (p) Barney Kessel (g) Harry Babasin (b) Don Lamond (d)
Just Jazz Concert, AFRS H93, "Shrine Auditorium", Los Angeles, CA, December 27, 1947

[W8408] Jimmy Witherspoon
Jimmy Witherspoon (vcl) acc by Maxwell Davis, Vido Musso (ts) Henry McDode (p) Chuck Norris (g) Ralph "Chuck" Hamilton (b) Jesse Sailes (d)
Los Angeles, 1949

[K1361]Full musician list Stan Kenton Laurindo Almeida (g) replaces Ralph Blaze, Vido Musso (ts-1) added. Hollywood, CA, September 14, 1950

Full Name: Vido Musso
Social Security Number: ***-**-0781
Birth Date: 16 Jan 1913
Death Date: 9 Jan 1982
Cause of Death: Unknown
Organization Code: M
Organization: Marine Corps
Branch: Marine Corps
Enlistment Date: 12 May 1944
Release Date: 16 Mar 1945
Conflict Period: World War II
Served for: United States of America