Secondo "Conte" Candoli (July 12, 1927 – December 14, 2001) was an American jazz trumpeter based on the West Coast. He played in the big bands of

Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his dea ...

Stan Kenton Stanley Newcomb Kenton (December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979) was an American popular music and jazz artist. As a pianist, composer, arranger and band leader, he led an innovative and influential jazz orchestra for almost four decades. Though K ...

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His conc ...

, and

Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy Eldridge but a ...

, and in

Doc Severinsen Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen (born July 7, 1927) is an American retired jazz trumpeter who led the NBC Orchestra on '' The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson''. Early life Severinsen was born in Arlington, Oregon, to Minnie Mae (1897–1998) ...

's NBC Orchestra on ''

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...

''. He played with

Gerry Mulligan Gerald Joseph Mulligan (April 6, 1927 – January 20, 1996), also known as Jeru, was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger. Though primarily known as one of the leading jazz baritone saxophonists—playing the instrum ...

, and on

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...

's TV specials. He also recorded with Supersax, a Charlie Parker tribute band that consisted of a saxophone quintet, the rhythm section, and either a trumpet or trombone.

Music career

Conte was the younger brother of trumpeter

Pete Candoli Pete Candoli (born Walter Joseph Candoli; June 28, 1923 – January 11, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played with the big bands of Woody Herman and Stan Kenton and worked in the studios of the recording and television industries. Ca ...

. He was born in

Mishawaka, Indiana Mishawaka is a city on the St. Joseph River, in Penn Township, St. Joseph County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 51,063 as of the 2020 census. Its nickname is "the Princess City". Mishawaka is a principal city of the South ...

, United States. During the summer of 1943, while at

Mishawaka High School Mishawaka High School is a public high school located in Mishawaka, Indiana. The school educates students in grades 9–12 and is part of the School City of Mishawaka. History The first Mishawaka High School was proposed by the Mishawaka Town Bo ...

, Secondo "Conte" Candoli sat in with

's First Herd. After graduating in 1945, he joined the band full-time, where he sat side by side with his brother Pete in the trumpet section. Conte immediately went on the road, where he stayed for the next ten years, with Herman,

, and

. In 1954, after leaving Stan Kenton, Candoli formed his own group with sidemen

Chubby Jackson Greig Stewart "Chubby" Jackson (October 25, 1918 – October 1, 2003) was an American jazz double-bassist and band leader. Biography Born in New York City, Jackson began at the age of seventeen as a clarinetist, but quickly changed to bass in ...

Frank Rosolino Frank Rosolino (August 20, 1926 – November 26, 1978) was an American jazz trombonist. Biography Rosolino was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States, He performed with the big bands of Bob Chester, Glen Gray, Tony Pastor, Herbie Fields ...

, and Lou Levy. He soon moved to Los Angeles to join the

Lighthouse All-Stars A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses m ...

with Shorty Rogers,

Bud Shank Clifford Everett "Bud" Shank Jr. (May 27, 1926 – April 2, 2009) was an American alto saxophonist and flautist. He rose to prominence in the early 1950s playing lead alto and flute in Stan Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra and thro ...

, and Bob Cooper, and was with them for four years. Candoli's long relationship with ''

The Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 201 ...

'' began in 1967 and he became a permanent fixture in the orchestra's trumpet section, when

Johnny Carson John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He is best known as the host of '' The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson received six P ...

moved the show to

Burbank, California Burbank is a city in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Burbank has a population of 107,337. The city was named after David Burbank, who ...

in 1972. For many years he preferred to stay in California where he could do ''The Tonight Show'', take all the studio work he wanted, and do occasional concerts and clinics. He ventured to

Kansas Kansas () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its Capital city, capital is Topeka, Kansas, Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita, Kansas, Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebras ...

in 1986 as a WJF All-Star with Jerome Richardson,

Barney Kessel Barney Kessel (October 17, 1923 – May 6, 2004) was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Known in particular for his knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies, he was a member of many prominent jazz groups a ...

and

Monty Alexander Montgomery Bernard "Monty" Alexander (born 6 June 1944) is a Jamaican jazz pianist. His playing has a Caribbean influence and bright swinging feeling, with a strong vocabulary of bebop jazz and blues rooted melodies. He was influenced by Louis ...

at the 1986 Wichita Jazz Festival. After Carson's retirement in 1992, he traveled occasionally with

, but still enjoyed his solo playing. His playing brought him performing and recording opportunities with top names in show business, such as

, Shelly Manne,

Terry Gibbs Terry Gibbs (born Julius Gubenko; October 13, 1924) is an American jazz vibraphonist and band leader. He has performed or recorded with Tommy Dorsey, Chubby Jackson,Theroux, Gary"Gibbs, Terry".''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. R ...

, Teddy Edwards,

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

, Sammy Davis Jr., and

Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer. Nicknamed "Sassy" and " The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and was nominated for a total of nine Grammy Award ...

. He has appeared in many motion pictures with various orchestras and worked in all of

's TV specials. Candoli was inducted into The International Jazz Hall of Fame in 1997. He died of prostate cancer at the age of 74, in Palm Desert, California.

Band memberships

:::

Discography

:::

As sideman

With Manny Albam and Ernie Wilkins * '' The Drum Suite'' (

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...

, 1956) With

Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...

* ''

Chet Baker Big Band ''Chet Baker Big Band'' is an album by jazz trumpeter Chet Baker recorded in 1956 and released on the Pacific Jazz label.Pacific Jazz Pacific Jazz Records was a Los Angeles-based record company and label best known for cool jazz or West coast jazz. It was founded in 1952 by producer Richard Bock (1927–1988) and drummer Roy Harte (1924–2003). Harte, in 1954, also co-founded ...

, 1956) With

Louis Bellson Louie Bellson (born Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, July 6, 1924 – February 14, 2009), often seen in sources as Louis Bellson, although he himself preferred the spelling Louie, was an American jazz drummer. He was a composer, ...

* '' Big Band Jazz from the Summit'' (

Roulette Roulette is a casino game named after the French word meaning ''little wheel'' which was likely developed from the Italian game Biribi''.'' In the game, a player may choose to place a bet on a single number, various groupings of numbers, the ...

, 1962) With

Elmer Bernstein Elmer Bernstein ( '; April 4, 1922August 18, 2004) was an American composer and conductor. In a career that spanned over five decades, he composed "some of the most recognizable and memorable themes in Hollywood history", including over 150 origi ...

* ''

The Man with the Golden Arm ''The Man with the Golden Arm'' is a 1955 American drama film with elements of film noir directed by Otto Preminger, based on the novel of the same name by Nelson Algren. Starring Frank Sinatra, Eleanor Parker, Kim Novak, Arnold Stang and ...

'' (

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label * Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label * Decca Studios, a recording facility in We ...

, 1956) With Buddy Bregman *'' Swinging Kicks'' (Verve, 1957) With Bob Cooper * '' Coop! The Music of Bob Cooper'' (

Contemporary Contemporary history, in English-language historiography, is a subset of modern history that describes the historical period from approximately 1945 to the present. Contemporary history is either a subset of the late modern period, or it is o ...

, 1958) With

Sonny Criss William "Sonny" Criss (23 October 1927 – 19 November 1977) was an American jazz musician. An alto saxophonist of prominence during the bebop era of jazz, he was one of many players influenced by Charlie Parker. Biography William Criss wa ...

* ''

Sonny's Dream "Sonny's Dream" (also known as "Sonny") is a folk song written by Newfoundlander Ron Hynes in 1976. It tells the story of a man who wishes to fulfill his dreams, but is bound to his rural homeland by his family, particularly his lonely mother. Hy ...

'' (

Prestige Prestige refers to a good reputation or high esteem; in earlier usage, ''prestige'' meant "showiness". (19th c.) Prestige may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films * ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnet ...

, 1968) With Teddy Edwards * '' Feelin's'' (

Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in ...

, 1974) with

Victor Feldman Victor Stanley Feldman (7 April 1934 – 12 May 1987) was an English jazz musician who played mainly piano, vibraphone, and percussion. He began performing professionally during childhood, eventually earning acclaim in the UK jazz scene as ...

*'' Latinsville!'' (Contemporary, 1960) With

Maynard Ferguson Walter Maynard Ferguson CM (May 4, 1928 – August 23, 2006) was a Canadian jazz trumpeter and bandleader. He came to prominence in Stan Kenton's orchestra before forming his own big band in 1957. He was noted for his bands, which often serv ...

* '' Dimensions'' (

EmArcy EmArcy Records is a jazz record label founded in 1954 by the American Mercury Records. The name is a phonetic spelling of "MRC", the initials for Mercury Record Company. During the 1950s and 1960s, musicians such as Max Roach, Clifford Brown, ...

, 1955) * '' Maynard Ferguson Octet'' (EmArcy, 1955) With

Clare Fischer Douglas Clare Fischer (October 22, 1928 – January 26, 2012) was an American keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. After graduating from Michigan State University (from which, five decades later, he would receive an honorary doctorate ...

* ''

Manteca! ''Manteca!'' is an album by composer/arranger/keyboardist Clare Fischer, released in November 1965 on the Pacific Jazz label.Thesaurus A thesaurus (plural ''thesauri'' or ''thesauruses'') or synonym dictionary is a reference work for finding synonyms and sometimes antonyms of words. They are often used by writers to help find the best word to express an idea: Synonym dictionar ...

'' (

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

, 1969) With Gil Fuller * '' Night Flight'' (Pacific Jazz, 1965) With

Stan Getz Stanley Getz (February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist. Playing primarily the tenor saxophone, Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, with his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre ...

* ''

West Coast Jazz West Coast jazz refers to styles of jazz that developed in Los Angeles and San Francisco during the 1950s. West Coast jazz is often seen as a subgenre of cool jazz, which consisted of a calmer style than bebop or hard bop. The music relied re ...

'' (

Norgran Norgran Records was an American jazz record label in Los Angeles founded by Norman Granz in 1953. It became part of Verve Records, which Granz created in 1956. It is the first letters of Granz's full name. Discography 10 inch LP series 12 inch L ...

, 1955) With

Stan Levey Adolph Stanley Levey known professionally as Stan Levey (April 5, 1926 – April 19, 2005) was an American jazz drummer. He was known for working with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie in the early development of bebop during the 1940s, and in ...

* ''This Time The Drum's On Me'' (Bethlehem, 1955) With

* '' The New Continent'' (

Limelight Limelight (also known as Drummond light or calcium light)James R. Smith (2004). ''San Francisco's Lost Landmarks'', Quill Driver Books. is a type of stage lighting once used in theatres and music halls. An intense illumination is created whe ...

, 1962) With

* ''

Popular Favorites by Stan Kenton ''Popular Favorites by Stan Kenton'' is a compilation album by pianist and bandleader Stan Kenton featuring performances recorded between 1951 and 1953 and originally released as a 10-inch LP and 45 rpm EP on Capitol before being reissued as a 12 ...

'' ( Capitol, 1953) * '' Sketches on Standards'' (Capitol, 1953) * ''

This Modern World ''This Modern World'' is a weekly satirical comic strip by cartoonist and political commentator Tom Tomorrow (real name Dan Perkins) that covers current events from a left-wing point of view. Published continuously for more than 30 years, ''This ...

'' (Capitol, 1953) * '' Portraits on Standards'' (Capitol, 1953) * '' The Kenton Era'' (Capitol, 1940–54, 955 * '' Kenton / Wagner'' (Capitol, 1964) * '' The Innovations Orchestra'' (Capitol, 1950–51

997 Year 997 ( CMXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Japan * 1 February: Empress Teishi gives birth to Princess Shushi - she is the first child of the ...

With Shelly Manne * '' Shelly Manne & His Men Play Peter Gunn'' (

, 1959) * '' Ruth Price with Shelly Manne & His Men at the Manne-Hole'' (Contemporary, 1961) with Ruth Price * '' Live! Shelly Manne & His Men at the Manne-Hole'' (Contemporary, 1961) * '' Shelly Manne & His Men Play Checkmate'' (Contemporary, 1961) * ''

My Fair Lady with the Un-original Cast ''My Fair Lady with the Un-original Cast'' is an album by drummer Shelly Manne with Jack Sheldon and Irene Kral and musical direction by Johnny Williams, recorded in 1964 and released on the Capitol label.Manne–That's Gershwin! ''Manne–That's Gershwin!'' is an album by drummer Shelly Manne featuring music by George Gershwin, recorded in 1965 and released on the Capitol label.

'' (Capitol, 1965) * ''

Boss Sounds! ''Boss Sounds!'' (subtitled ''Shelly Manne & His Men at Shelly's Manne-Hole'') is a live album by drummer Shelly Manne recorded in 1966 and released on the Atlantic label.

'' (Atlantic, 1966) * ''

Jazz Gunn ''Jazz Gunn'' (subtitled ''Shelly Manne & His Men Play Henry Mancini's music for the Film "Gunn"'') is an album by drummer Shelly Manne recorded in 1967, featuring music by Henry Mancini written for the motion picture '' Gunn'', and released on ...

'' (Atlantic, 1967) * ''

Perk Up ''Perk Up'' is an album by the drummer Shelly Manne recorded in 1967, but not released until an issue on the Concord Jazz label in 1976.Concord Jazz Concord Jazz is a record company and label founded in 1973 by Carl Jefferson, the former owner of Jefferson Motors Lincoln Mercury dealership in Concord, California. The label was named after the city in the East San Francisco Bay area, and the ...

, 1967 976 With Jack Montrose * '' Jack Montrose Sextet'' (Pacific Jazz, 1955) With Frank Morgan *'' Frank Morgan'' (Gene Norman Presents, 1955) With

* ''

The Concert Jazz Band ''The Concert Jazz Band'' is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Gerry Mulligan featuring performances recorded in 1960 which were released on the Verve label.

'' ( Verve, 1960) * ''

Gerry Mulligan and the Concert Jazz Band on Tour ''Gerry Mulligan and the Concert Jazz Band on Tour'' (subtitled ''Guest Soloist: Zoot Sims'') is a live album recorded by American jazz saxophonist and bandleader Gerry Mulligan featuring performances recorded in California, Berlin and Milan 1960 ...

'' (Verve, 1960

962 Year 962 ( CMLXII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * December – Arab–Byzantine wars – Sack of Aleppo: A Byzantine e ...

With Joe Newman * '' Salute to Satch'' (RCA Victor, 1956) With

Jack Nitzsche Bernard Alfred "Jack" Nitzsche ( '; April 22, 1937 – August 25, 2000) was an American musician, arranger, songwriter, composer, and record producer. He first came to prominence in the early 1960s as the right-hand-man of producer Phil Spe ...

* ''Heart Beat'' (Soundtrack) (Capitol, 1980) ;With

Anita O'Day Anita Belle Colton (October 18, 1919 – November 23, 2006), known professionally as Anita O'Day, was an American jazz singer and self proclaimed “song stylist” widely admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band app ...

*'' Cool Heat'' (Verve, 1959) With

Art Pepper Arthur Edward Pepper Jr. (September 1, 1925 – June 15, 1982) was an American alto saxophonist and very occasional tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. Active in West Coast jazz, Pepper came to prominence in Stan Kenton's big band. He was know ...

*''Gettin' Together'' (Contemporary 1958) With Betty Roché * '' Take the "A" Train'' (

Bethlehem Bethlehem (; ar, بيت لحم ; he, בֵּית לֶחֶם '' '') is a city in the central West Bank, Palestine, about south of Jerusalem. Its population is approximately 25,000,Amara, 1999p. 18.Brynen, 2000p. 202. and it is the capital ...

, 1956) With Shorty Rogers * ''

Martians Come Back! ''Martians Come Back!'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter, composer and arranger Shorty Rogers, released on the Atlantic label in August 1956.

'' (Atlantic, 1955

956 Year 956 ( CMLVI) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Summer – Emperor Constantine VII appoints Nikephoros Phokas to commander of th ...

* ''

Way Up There ''Way Up There'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter, composer and arranger Shorty Rogers, released on the Atlantic label in 1957.957 Year 957 ( CMLVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * September 6 – Liudolf, the eldest son of King Otto I, dies of a violent fever ne ...

* '' Shorty Rogers Plays Richard Rodgers'' (RCA Victor, 1957) * '' Portrait of Shorty'' (RCA Victor, 1957) * '' Chances Are It Swings'' (RCA Victor, 1958) *'' The Swingin' Nutcracker'' (RCA Victor, 1960) *'' An Invisible Orchard'' (RCA Victor, 1961

With Pete Rugolo *'' Ten Trumpets and 2 Guitars'' (Mercury, 1961) With

* ''

Windmills of Your Mind "The Windmills of Your Mind" is a song with music by French composer Michel Legrand and English lyrics written by Americans Alan and Marilyn Bergman. The French lyrics, under the title "", were written by Eddy Marnay. The song (with the English l ...

'' (Pacific Jazz, 1969) With

Lalo Schifrin Boris Claudio "Lalo" Schifrin (born June 21, 1932) is an Argentine-American pianist, composer, arranger and conductor. He is best known for his large body of film and TV scores since the 1950s, incorporating jazz and Latin American musical eleme ...

* ''

Jazz Suite on the Mass Texts ''Jazz Suite on the Mass Texts'' is an album by Paul Horn which was composed and conducted by Lalo Schifrin and originally released on the RCA Victor label in 1965.Payne, D.Lalo Schifrin discography accessed July 17, 2015 Reception AllMusic a ...

'' (RCA Victor, 1965) with Paul Horn * '' More Mission: Impossible'' ( Paramount, 1968) * ''

Mannix ''Mannix'' is an American detective television series that ran from 1967 to 1975 on CBS. It was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller. The title character, Joe Mannix, is a private in ...

'' (Paramount, 1968) With

Gerald Wilson Gerald Stanley Wilson (September 4, 1918 – September 8, 2014) was an American jazz trumpeter, big band bandleader, composer, arranger, and educator. Born in Mississippi, he was based in Los Angeles from the early 1940s. In addition to being a ...

* ''

The Golden Sword ''The Golden Sword'', published in 1977, is a science fantasy Science fantasy is a hybrid genre within speculative fiction that simultaneously draws upon or combines tropes and elements from both science fiction and fantasy. In a conventio ...

'' (Pacific Jazz, 1966) With

*''The Candoli Brothers'' (Dobre Records DR1050, 1978)

References

External links

* * * *
Conte Candoli Collection
part of th
International Jazz Collections
at the University of Idaho Library {{DEFAULTSORT:Candoli, Conte 1927 births 2001 deaths American jazz musicians American jazz trumpeters American male trumpeters Cool jazz trumpeters West Coast jazz trumpeters Bebop trumpeters Hard bop trumpeters Jazz musicians from California Musicians from Indiana Musicians from Los Angeles People from Mishawaka, Indiana Deaths from prostate cancer Blue Note Records artists 20th-century American musicians 20th-century trumpeters American male jazz musicians Crown Records artists The Capp-Pierce Juggernaut members The Tonight Show Band members 20th-century American male musicians Deaths from cancer in California Nagel-Heyer Records artists