Born
Eugene Capobianco 29 March 1927, Hartford, Connecticut, jazz enthusiast
Gene Bianco started off his career as a classical virtuoso harpist, and
toured with major orchestras to rave reviews. His love for jazz,
however, prompted him to explore the concept of using harp as a jazz
instrument, an idea that was hitherto unheard of. Having appeared as a
solo act in a variety of New York nightclubs, he later teamed up with
guitarist Mundell Lowe and percussionist Joe Venuto to form a jazz trio
which released an album on the obscure Major Records label. Soon after,
RCA signed the group to a three-album contract, under which the albums
"Stringin' the Standards" and "Harp, Skip and Jump!" were released.
However,
RCA had a different idea of where the harp belonged. For a new record
club partnership with Readers Digest, RCA bought out the existing
contract and entered into a new contract with Gene Bianco which obliged
him to produce easy-listening albums catered to the "middle-class
market" (as described by a certain author). The first album, Joy To The
World, was a hit. By then, Gene Bianco had been recast as "The Rainbow
Sounds of Bianco" with his own personal logo on the front of his albums,
which enjoyed first-class productions, and a full orchestra.
Nonetheless,
Bianco prefers and opted for the anonymity and independence of life as a
freelance session jazz musician, and ended up playing on dozens of
great jazz recordings, such as all three of Paul Desmond's string
albums, on Gil Evans' "Blues in Orbit", on Herbie Mann's "Push, Push",
Alan Lorber's "Lotus Palace", and others. He also recorded with some of
the best jazz singers around, including Carmen McCrae and Marlena Shaw.
Some of his best session work of the 1960s and 1970s now shows up on
sampling favorites such as the Blue Break Beats.
After 30 years
as a studio player, Bianco went into the recording booth as a musical
coordinator and contractor, screening and hiring musicians for recording
sessions. Respected throughout the business, he worked with acts as
diverse as Mary J. Blige, D Train, Stevie Nicks, Natalie Cole, and even
Ray Charles. Recently, he put together the orchestra that accompanied
tenor saxman Joe Lovano on Viva Caruso. He and Mundell Lowe even
pioneered an instrument combining the harp and electric guitar that is
now a standard feature of many pop orchestrations.
Bianco's grandfather is Fillippo Capobianco, who was also a successful harpist in Italy.
https://www.discogs.com/artist/380673-Gene-Bianco
///////
Born
Eugene Capobianco 29 March 1927, Hartford, Connecticut, jazz enthusiast
Gene Bianco started off his career as a classical virtuoso harpist, and
toured with major orchestras to rave reviews. His love for jazz,
however, prompted him to explore the concept of using harp as a jazz
instrument, an idea that was hitherto unheard of. Having appeared as a
solo act in a variety of New York nightclubs, he later teamed up with
guitarist Mundell Lowe and percussionist Joe Venuto to form a jazz trio
which released an album on the obscure Major Records label. Soon after,
RCA signed the group to a three-album contract, under which the albums
"Stringin' the Standards" and "Harp, Skip and Jump!" were released.
However,
RCA had a different idea of where the harp belonged. For a new record
club partnership with Readers Digest, RCA bought out the existing
contract and entered into a new contract with Gene Bianco which obliged
him to produce easy-listening albums catered to the "middle-class
market" (as described by a certain author). The first album, Joy To The
World, was a hit. By then, Gene Bianco had been recast as "The Rainbow
Sounds of Bianco" with his own personal logo on the front of his albums,
which enjoyed first-class productions, and a full orchestra.
Nonetheless,
Bianco prefers and opted for the anonymity and independence of life as a
freelance session jazz musician, and ended up playing on dozens of
great jazz recordings, such as all three of Paul Desmond's string
albums, on Gil Evans' "Blues in Orbit", on Herbie Mann's "Push, Push",
Alan Lorber's "Lotus Palace", and others. He also recorded with some of
the best jazz singers around, including Carmen McCrae and Marlena Shaw.
Some of his best session work of the 1960s and 1970s now shows up on
sampling favorites such as the Blue Break Beats.
After 30 years
as a studio player, Bianco went into the recording booth as a musical
coordinator and contractor, screening and hiring musicians for recording
sessions. Respected throughout the business, he worked with acts as
diverse as Mary J. Blige, D Train, Stevie Nicks, Natalie Cole, and even
Ray Charles. Recently, he put together the orchestra that accompanied
tenor saxman Joe Lovano on Viva Caruso. He and Mundell Lowe even
pioneered an instrument combining the harp and electric guitar that is
now a standard feature of many pop orchestrations.
Bianco's grandfather is Fillippo Capobianco, who was also a successful harpist in Italy.
https://www.discogs.com/artist/380673-Gene-Bianco
A1 - Harp, Skip & Jump -
A2 - Gigi -
A3 - In The Still Of The Night -
A4 - 12th Street Rag -
A5 - September Song -
A6 - From This Moment On -
B1 - Love For Sale -
B2 - Cairo After Dark -
B3 - Stella By Starlight -
B4 - Stairway To The Stars -
B5 - Oh Lady Be Good -
B6 - I'll See You In My Dreams -
Credits:
Arranged By – Bianco
Bass – Wendell Marshall
Drums – Don Lamond
Guitar – Mundell Lowe
Harp – Gene Bianco
Vibraphone – Joe Venuto
Label: RCA Camden – CAL 452, RCA Camden – CAL-452
Released: 1958
Genre: Jazz, Pop
Style: Easy Listening
https://www.discogs.com/Gene-Bianco-And-His-Group-Featuring-Mundell-Lowe-Harp-Skip-Jump/release/3674384
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