Charlie Ventura

Charlie Ventura
File:Charlie Ventura, National studio, New York, N.Y., ca. Oct. 1946 (William P. Gottlieb 08871).jpg Charlie Ventura, ca. October 1946
Born	Charles Venturo (1916-12-02)December 2, 1916 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died	Pleasantville, New Jersey
Nationality	American
Occupation	Tenor saxophonist, bandleader

Charlie Ventura (born Charles Venturo; December 2, 1916 – January 17, 1992) was a tenor saxophonist and bandleader from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Ventura had his first taste of success working with Gene Krupa and in 1945 he won the Down Beat readers' poll in the tenor saxophone division. In the late 1940s he led several popular groups and went on to be known for his "bop for the people," with vocalists Jackie Cain, and Roy Kral.

After the early 1950s he only made a few recordings. His first was the debut album for Gene Norman's GNP Crescendo label (GNPD No. 1) recorded live in concert in Los Angeles. In Las Vegas. he worked with Jackie Gleason. Ventura was the featured soloist on four Gleason-produced albums: "Riff Jazz" (1958), on which he played the alto, tenor, and bass saxophones; "Silk and Brass" (1965); "A Taste of Brass for Lovers Only" (1967); and, ten years after the release of "Riff Jazz", he played on the 1968 "Doublin' in Brass" album.

Charlie Ventura died in Pleasantville, New Jersey at the age of 75, of lung cancer.

Discography

"Charlie Ventura Plays for the People" (1960)

• Blue Ventura (2005)
• Bop for The People (2002)
• Charlie Comes On (2002)
• Chronological Classics 1945-1946 (1999)
• Chronological Classics 1946-1947 (2000)
• Chronological Classics 1947-1949 (2000)
• Chronological Classics 1949-1951 (2003)
• Chronological Classics 1951-1953 (2008)
• Complete 1951-52 Verve Studio Sessions (Quartet & Quintet) (2002)
• Concert (2008)
• Crazy Rhythms (2006)
• East of Suez (2000)
• High on an Open Mike (2009)
• I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles (2002)
• In Concert (2003)
• It’s All Bop to Me (1999)
• Jackie & Roy – Jazz Classics by Charlie Ventura’s Band (2000)
• Jumping With Ventura (2003)
• Live At The Three Deuces (2002) (with Bill Harris)
• Running Wild (1998)
• The Legendary Pasadena Concert (2002)

With Dizzy Gillespie

• The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (Bluebird, 1937-1949 [1995])

With Gene Krupa

• The Great New Gene Krupa Quartet Featuring Charlie Ventura (Verve, 1964)

External links

• All Music