Jimmy Vivino (born January 10, 1955) is an American guitarist, keyboard player, singer, producer, and music director. He is best known as having been the leader of Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band, the house band for the TBS late night program '' Conan''. He was also a member of

The Tonight Show Band The Tonight Show Band is the house band that plays on the American television variety show '' The Tonight Show''. From 1962 until 1992, when the show was known as '' The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'', the band was a 17-piece big band, and ...

, the house band on ''

The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien ''The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien'' is an American late-night talk show that featured Conan O'Brien as host from June 1, 2009, to January 22, 2010, as part of NBC's ''Tonight Show'' franchise. O'Brien had previously hosted NBC's ''Late N ...

'' and its predecessor, ''

Late Night with Conan O'Brien ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien. NBC aired 2,725 episodes from September 13, 1993, to February 20, 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and music ...

'' on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

. Vivino has also played with many rock bands, including being a member of Beatles tribute band The Fab Faux. He is the younger brother of actor

Floyd Vivino Floyd Vivino (born October 19, 1951), also known as Uncle Floyd, is an American television, film, and stage performer primarily known for his comedy/variety TV show ''The Uncle Floyd Show'' (1974–1998). Early life Vivino was born in Paterson ...

and Basic Cable Band bandmate

Jerry Vivino Jerry Vivino (born January 8, 1954 in Paterson, New Jersey) is an American musician. Biography He was a member of the Basic Cable Band, the house band for the TBS late night program '' Conan''. He was also a member of The Tonight Show Band, ...

Biography

Born in Paterson, New Jersey, on January 10, 1955, Vivino grew up in

Glen Rock, New Jersey Glen Rock is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 12,133, reflecting an increase of 532 (+4.6%) from the 11,601 counted in the 2010 census,Glen Rock High School Glen Rock High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students in ninth through twelfth grades from Glen Rock, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, operating as the lone secondary school of the Glen Rock Pub ...

where he played

Tevye Tevye the Dairyman, also translated as Tevye the Milkman ( yi, טבֿיה דער מילכיקער, ''Tevye der milkhiker'' ) is the fictional narrator and protagonist of a series of short stories by Sholem Aleichem, and various adaptations of th ...

in a production of '' Fiddler on the Roof''. He had an interest in music from a young age. He began working in New York clubs in the early 1980s and in 1984 was musical director of the play ''Leader of the Pack.'' Later he led "Jimmy Vivino and the Black Italians" and worked with

Al Kooper Al Kooper (born Alan Peter Kuperschmidt; February 5, 1944) is a retired American songwriter, record producer and musician, known for organizing Blood, Sweat & Tears, although he did not stay with the group long enough to share its popularity. ...

. Kooper considered Vivino to be one of his "discoveries" and had him as musical director for fifteen years. Vivino served as the music director on the TBS late-night program '' Conan''. Vivino was a consistent element in O'Brien's late night career, starting with the first episode of ''

'' in September 1993. In June 2008, Vivino moved from New York to Los Angeles and worked as music director/guitarist/arranger on ''

'', The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour, and until 2018, lead Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band on Conan. Vivino divides his time between recording sessions and live gigs throughout the country. In addition to his solo work, Vivino plays with the successful Beatles tribute band The Fab Faux. Vivino has also recorded and played live with such legends as Johnnie Johnson,

Hubert Sumlin Hubert Charles Sumlin (November 16, 1931 – December 4, 2011) was a Chicago blues guitarist and singer, best known for his "wrenched, shattering bursts of notes, sudden cliff-hanger silences and daring rhythmic suspensions" as a member of Howlin ...

, Levon Helm, and

. Earlier in his career, Vivino got his start producing, playing, and arranging for such artists as

Phoebe Snow Phoebe Snow (born Phoebe Ann Laub; July 17, 1950 – April 26, 2011) was an American roots music singer-songwriter and guitarist, known for her hit 1974 and 1975 songs " San Francisco Bay Blues", " Poetry Man", "Harpo's Blues", and her credited ...

Laura Nyro Laura Nyro ( ; born Laura Nigro; October 18, 1947 – April 8, 1997) was an American songwriter, singer, and pianist. She achieved critical acclaim with her own recordings, particularly the albums ''Eli and the Thirteenth Confession'' (1968 ...

John Sebastian John Benson Sebastian (born March 17, 1944) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and harmonicist who founded the rock band The Lovin' Spoonful. He made an impromptu appearance at the Woodstock festival in 1969Donald Fagen.

Partial discography

* ''Novemberin - Shuggie Otis (Guitar) (2008) * ''Live at Lucilles'' – Michael Packer Blues Band (Guitar) (2007) * ''Live at Sweet Rhythm'' – Michael Packer Blues Band (Guitar) (2007) * ''Mule-A-Go-Go'' – New Year's Eve 2005–2006 (Special Guest) (2006) * ''Alone Together'' (2005) * ''Steaks & Chops: Live at Great Jones, Volume 1'' (Guitar) (2005) * ''Blues in the Blood'' -

Big Bill Morganfield William "Big Bill" Morganfield (born June 19, 1956) is an American blues singer and guitarist, who is the son of legendary McKinley Morganfield, also known as Muddy Waters. Biography Morganfield was born in Chicago, Illinois. He had little con ...

(Guitar, Mandolin, Organ, Piano, Producer) (2003) * ''Best of M.C. Records 1996–2002'' (Guitar) (2003) * ''Remedy'' (Vocals) (2002) * ''Different Shade of Red: The Woodstock Sessions'' –

Louisiana Red Iverson Minter (March 23, 1932 – February 25, 2012), known as Louisiana Red, was an American blues guitarist, harmonica player, and singer, who recorded more than 50 albums. He was best known for his song "Sweet Blood Call". Biography Born ...

(Organ, Guitar, Mandolin, Director, Producer, Horn Arrangement) (2002) * ''Crazy Kind of Life'' – Bill Perry (Organ, Guitar, Piano, Vocals, Producer) (2002) * ''Respond, Volume II'' (Guitar) (2002) * ''Live at Manny's Car Wash'' - Rhett Tyler (Guitar) (2001) * ''Rare & Well Done: The Greatest and the Most Obscure Recordings'' –

(''position''?) (2001) * ''No Small Wonder'' – Liz Quelar (Electric Guitar) (2001) * ''Fire It Up'' – Bill Perry (2001) (Co-producer/Guest Instrumentalist) * ''Do What, Now?'' (1997) * ''Chitlins Parmigiana'' - The Vivino Brothers (Guitar/Composer) (1992) * '' Laura: Live at the Bottom Line'' –

(Guitar/Mandolin/Vocals/Co-producer) (1989)

Filmography

Crew

''The Green Room with Jimmy Vivino (2022)''
(Host) * ''Messengers'' (2004) (Music Producer) * ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special'' Television (2003) (Co-musical Director/Music Arranger/Musician: house band) * ''

The First Wives Club ''The First Wives Club'' is a 1996 American comedy film directed by Hugh Wilson, based on the 1992 novel of the same name by Olivia Goldsmith. The film stars Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton as three divorcées who seek retribution ...

'' (1996) (Orchestrator) * '' Stuart Saves His Family'' (1995) (Additional Orchestrator) * ''

Boys on the Side '' Boys on the Side '' is a 1995 American comedy-drama film directed by Herbert Ross (in his final film as a director). It stars Whoopi Goldberg, Drew Barrymore, and Mary-Louise Parker as three friends on a cross-country road trip. The screenp ...

'' (1995) (Production Music Producer) * '' Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit'' (1993) (Assistant Music Supervisor) * ''

'' TV series (1993) (Assistant Musical Director) * ''

Sister Act ''Sister Act'' is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Emile Ardolino and written by Paul Rudnick (as Joseph Howard). It stars Whoopi Goldberg as a lounge singer forced to join a convent after being placed in a witness protection program. I ...

'' (1992) (Music Coordinator/Orchestrator: score) * ''Legendary Ladies of Rock & Roll'' Television (1988) (musical director)

Composer

*''50 Years of NBC Late Night'' (2001)

Himself

*''Conan'' *''The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien'' *''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' *''Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special'' (2003) *''Comic Relief VIII'' (1998) *''Déjà View: The Cinemax Session With James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett'' *''Legendary Ladies of Rock and Roll'' *''The Uncle Floyd Show'' ( "Uncle" Floyd Vivino - Jimmy Vivino's older brother)
''Team COCO''

References

External links

jimmyvivino.com

The Max Weinberg 7
- bio on NBC.com *

at jimmyvivino.com

*
Radio interviewJimmy Vivino Interview
NAMM Oral History Library (2014) {{DEFAULTSORT:Vivino, Jimmy 1955 births American male singers Musicians from Paterson, New Jersey The Max Weinberg 7 members Living people Jersey Shore musicians Singers from New Jersey Glen Rock High School alumni People from Glen Rock, New Jersey American people of Italian descent The Tonight Show Band members Guitarists from New Jersey American male guitarists 20th-century American guitarists Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band members