In 1963, vibraphonist Terry Gibbs teamed with tenor saxophonist Sal Nistico to record a terrific little-known swinger for Time Records known as Gibbs & Nistico. I say "known as" because the album cover, as you can see below, doesn't distinctly feature a title. [Photo above of Terry Gibbs]
Produced by Bob Shad, the LP included Sal Nistico (ts), Terry Gibbs (vib), Nat Pierce (org), Turk Van Lake (g), Charlie Andres (b) and Jake Hanna (d). At the time, Nistico and the rhythm section (minus Van Lake) were members of Woody Herman's new band in 1963, which recorded for the Philips label. All nine tracks were composed by Terry and will definitely get your right foot going. I couldn't stop moving both legs.
Time was started by Shad in 1960. He'd already had an extensive career in the record business and worked for several labels, including Savoy and National in the 1940s. In 1951, he became director of A&R at Mercury Records, where he founded the EmArcy jazz label.
Terry and Nistico were both high-energy jazz players, and the rhythm section here was aces. It's fascinating to hear Pierce groove on organ, and you'll marvel at Van Lake's rhythm guitar. Gibbs swings and bounces beautifully on the vibes and Nistico is terrific with his fried-egg sizzle, making this a nifty pairing of cool vibes and a hot sax. [Photo above of Sal Nistico]
Terry will turn 99 on October 13. He's had a stunning career, recording bebop throughout the 1940s starting in 1946 and playing in some of the top bands of the era led by Chubby Jackson, Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman and others. He began leading recording sessions in the early 1950s, when he gave the marvelous pianist and vibraphonist Terry Pollard her break in his working quartet from 1953 to 1956. [Photo above of Terry Gibbs]
Throughout the 1950s, Terry recorded as a sideman on superb sessions and as a leader. He formed a big band in the late 1950s that recorded numerous albums into the early 1960s. It was called the Terry Gibbs Dream Band, and the personnel lived up to that boast. During the 1960s, he recorded Latin records as well as many albums with clarinetist Buddy DeFranco. He also was close with Steve Allen, a relationship that began during TV's infancy in the mid-1950s.
It's still a mystery to me why Terry hasn't been named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Fellow when virtually every other living jazz legend has been awarded this honor. Maybe next year.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find the tracks on Gibbs & Nistico on a Sal Nistico set released by Fresh Sound here.
The tracks also are on YouTube.
If you're interested in Terry Pollard, go here. As for Terry Gibbs, there's plenty to choose from here.
JazzWax clips: Here's 7F...
Here's The Tweaker...
And here's Setting Down Slow...
Bonus: Here's Terry Gibbs with Terry Pollard on piano and vibes on The Tonight Show hosted by Steve Allen in 1956. Herman Wright is on bass and Jerry Segal is on drums. The quartet plays a Terry Gibbs original, Gibberish, and then the two Terrys collaborate on the vibes on Now's the Time. Your jaw will be hanging open by the end. Gibbs and Pollard were so remarkable...
Here's Sal Nistico (far right in the reeds) and the album's core rhythm section in Woody Herman's touring band in 1963 playing The Days of Wine and Roses...
And here's Nistico soloing on Horace Silver's Sister Sadie, with Woody Herman on tour in London in 1964...
