[whippedflea]

From our friends over at ALLMUSIC.COM, I did a person search on Nick Ceroli. This list sheds some light on just how many superstars Nick played with in his short life. These are albums and CD listings of non-TJB vintage (although Lani Hall Alpert's HELLO IT'S ME contains just about all of the "phase 2" TJB). Some are still available...enjoy the list.


JULIE ANDREWS – Love, Julie – Prestige - 5000
BILL BERRY – Shortcake – Concord – 4075
ALAN BROADBENT – Palette – Granite (out of print?)
PETE CHRISTLIEB – Apogee – Warner Bros./Rhino - 73723
PETE CHRISTLIEB - Conversartions With Warne Vol. 1 – Criss Cross 1043
PETE CHRISTLIEB – Conversations With Warne Vol. 2 – Criss Cross 1103
BOB FLORENCE – Jewels – Musicraft – 74005
BOB FLORENCE – Concerts By The Sea – Trend – TRCD-523
BOB FLORENCE – Westlake – Discovery – DS-832
BOB FLORENCE – Soaring – Sea Breeze – 2082
BOB FLORENCE – Magic Time – Discovery - 70536
DAVE FRISHBERG – You’re A Lucky Guy – Concord - 4074
GATOR CREEK – GATOR CREEK – Mercury (out of print?)
LANI HALL – Hello It’s Me – A&M (out of print)
MILT JACKSON – Big Mouth – OJC - 865
STAN KENTON – Retrospective – Capitol B2-97350
STAN KENTON – THE LOS ANGELES NEOPHONIC ORCHESTRA – Blue Note 94502
IRENE KRAL – Kral Space – Collectibles – 7160
CLEO LAINE & DUDLEY MOORE – Smilin’ Through – RCA – 61177
PAT LONGO – Here’s That Swing Thing – USA Music Group - 715
MUNDELL LOWE – Souvenirs (A Tribute To Nick Ceroli) – Jazz Alliance – TJA-10011
MUNDELL LOWE – The Incomparable Mundell Lowe – Dobre (out of print?)
LYNNE & MIKE – New Rememberings – Jazzheads - 9057
MANHATTAN TRANSFER – Anthology – Rhino - R2-71053
TEENA MARIE – Anthology – Epic – 65070
TEENA MARIE – Funk Biz – Sony – 28947
TEENA MARIE – Love Songs – Sony – 63921
TEENA MARIE – Ultimate Collection – Hip-O - 514052
DON MENZA – First Flight – P-Vine 23414
LANNY MORGAN – It’s About Time – Quicksilver – 4024
SUE RANEY & BOB FLORENCE – Ridin’ High – Discovery DS-913
ANN RICHARDS – Live At The Losers – Vee Jay – 18
MAVIS RIVERS – We Remember Mildred Bailey – Vee Jay - 18
ZOOT SIMS – Hawthorne Nights – OJC OJCCD-830-2
ZOOT SIMS – Quietly There – OJC – OJCCD-787
ZOOT SIMS – Best Of – Pablo - 2405406
JACK TEAGARDEN – 100 Years From Today – Memphis Archives 7010
ROSS TOMPKINS – Street Of Dreams – Famous Door (out of print?)
NANCY WILSON – The Great American Songbook – Capitol – 77562
NANCY WILSON – Save Your Love For Me – Blue Note - 77558

[Tom]

Whipped,

Tnx much for the great info on Nick. I have hunted around the i-net and pieced together info on him but did not have a complete/detailed list of his session/accompanyment work.

Great info on a great drummer. No offense to anyone but they don't come much better than Nick Ceroli. Herb sure knew how to pick his fellow musicians. That's a big part of his genius.

Tom

[Dave]

I had the Gator Creek album; it was an "Early Kenny Loggins-led Group" with a lot of L.A. Session people, including Nick on drums and I think even vocals... And it was kind'a Lifeless, at that! (Sorry!)

A funny thing I have to say about what happened buying it: I was ordering it from an Online Dealer with a Want-List of "other stuff", the item below it was Punch, an album by a group called "Punch" (A&M SP 4307) and my eMail kind'a somehow confused the guy, sending me one in return stating: "We don't have Gator Punch!!!--Never heard of that group!!!"


Dave

[jimbob]

I was just wondering and a bit curious.........what did Nick die from. I have seen his gravesite on findagrave.com but the bio info is only one sentence long. While we're at it, what about the other 2 deceased members of the TJB........what did they die from? Thanks for any info you can share.
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If I had one dollar for every time I listened to a TJB song, then I would be right up there with Bill Gates!!

[Dave]

Yes, when were each of the TjB members born and when did Nick and (?) die? Wonder why I haven't seen a "Biography: Born/Died"--for each TjB member here at The Corner...


Dave

...Just Curious, Too!

[Mr Bill]

Twas a heart attack the got poor old (young) Nick at age 46...

--Mr Bill

[Hurrikane]

Nick certainly was one of the finest in his day!!! Very inovative player with an incredible dynamic sense. I would have loved to see him play in person up close.

[musicfirst]

When I learned about Nick's death, you could have knocked me over with a feather. I was stunned. To quote Don McLean, it was "the day music died" for me. Thank goodness for records, CDs, and videos. At least there is an archive of his talent available for those who appreciate a truly gifted musician and genuinely nice person.

Here is the obituary from VARIETY, August 21, 1985:

"Nick Ceroli, 45, jazz drummer, best known for his work in Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, and, more recently, in the Merv Griffin Show orchestra, died Aug 11 of a heart attack in Los Angeles.

A native of Niles, Ohio, Ceroli studied at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music before joining Ray Anthony's band in the late 1950s. His early playing credits included stints with Lionle Hampton, Terry Gibbs, and Stan Kenton, followed by a fulltime membership in Alpert's Tijuana Brass from 1965 to 1970.

In the 1970s, Ceroli toured with Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme, and Vikki Carr and appeared occasionally on The Tonight Show/

In recent years, he worked with Zoot Sims, Bob Florencee, Dee Bartons, and Don Menza, and taught at the Dick Groves School of Music.

Ceroli is survived by his son, his father, and two sisters."

Just wanted to share with the Corner amigos.

DJ

_________________
Rap is to music what Etch-a-Sketch is to art

[whippedflea]

I had an old Ludwig drum catalog from 1976 and Nick wrote at least two books on drum theory/technique, has anybody got information on those? I also wonder what Nick's son is up to these days.

[Chinese Sausage]

I didn't know that Nick has passed away in 1985. One of the best drummers I've ever heard.

[westernstar99]

[LPJim]

What a tragedy for Nick to be gone at 45 in view of his contributions and potential future ones; a mere child from my perspective.
JB
(age 51)
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Please visit my A&M-related sites: http://home.comcast.net/~lpjim/ (new) and http://www.geocities.com/LPJim54/ (old)

[Dave]

An Official A&M Corner/

(Un-)official Herb Alpert & TjB Bio:

...

Tonni Kalash- b. 6/15/37, d. 5/15/01; Age 63

Julius Wechter- b. 5/10/35, d. 2/1/99; Age 63

Ervan "Bud" Coleman- b. 7/7/21, d. 5/26/67; Age 45

Sol Lake- b. 12/19/11, d. 3/21/91; Age 79

Tommy Tedesco- b. 7/3/30, d. 11/10/97; Age 67

Lou Pagani- b. 11/6/27, d. 10/19/98; Age 70

Nick Ceroli- b. 12/22/39, d. 8/11/85; Age 45

...Thank You Western Star 99, (Mike Ingram) for the Biographical Info! (Sorry, I don't have a copy of THE ROLLING STONE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF ROCK 'N' ROLL handy...)


Dave

...Definitely hoping to also beat "Life's Records"; I'm pushin' 36!

[Harry]

[Moderator - removed size tags in above post to improve readability]

Thanks for the concise info Dave.

Harry
_________________
...Preserving The Sound Online...

[Dave]

[westernstar99]

Dave:

I haven't read Rolling Stone in years (much less any of their publications) but I kind of doubt their info would go much beyond Herb, Nick and possibly Tommy Tedesco. I just love to do research and have access to a few sites that contain the information that was requested. Anyhow, I will trickle forth with more info, if and when requested.

Thanks,
Mike

[Mr Bill]

Might as well add:

Vince Charles (Steel Drum/Percussion)- b. 1946, d. 6/03/01; Age 55 (Liver Disease)

Ernie McDaniel (Bass)- b. 1937, d. 11/07/05; Age 68 (undisclosed)

--Mr Bill

[westernstar99]

Add one more:

Pete Jolly b. 6-5-32 d.11-6-04

[alpertfan]

What I would like to know is, why are the words, "The Music Comes First" etched on his grave? Was that his personal credo?

[Hurrikane]

Nick was the reason I became a drummer back in 1966!! Now, 43 years later I have never looked back, except to thank Nick for all the inspiration!!! Til we meet again.....Peace!

[bob]

hi all, as some of you know as I shared my story about meeting herb and Tonni kalash back in 1968 in August .they did a 2 nighter. at the blossom music center in Cuyahoga falls.Ohio near cleveland and akron, Ohio and I remember Toni Kalash told me he had diabetes. so I believe that was the cause of his death. becasue from the pictures we all saw like on the greatest hits album and he did loose weight.
take care
bob

[mike white]

It is a shame that some of old Brass members have passed away. I wonder if their families who would post on the corner to give us more insight into some backround information. Very little is known about Kalash and Pagani who were never really heard from again after the break up in 1969. When I met Herb in 1996 he had no idea what had happened to either one of them. Somewhat surprised me that he had lost contact with them. I also wondered back in 1974 when the band was put back together why they were not included along with Pat Senatore.

[NewVistaBrass]

I met Nick Ceroli very briefly at a high school stage band festival held at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington, USA. It must have been about 1975 or so. He was the "guest artist" at the event. I approached him as he was having a smoke break, & told him that I was a huge fan of the TJB. He got a rather displeased look on his face, & shook his head to indicate he didn't want to talk about it. I walked away, feeling very embarrassed. I'll never know if he was bitter about the TJB, or just didn't want me bugging him. There had been other folks chatting with him, & I don't think I interrupted them.
_________________
George Bafus

I played piano in "The New Vista Brass" We covered the TJB when we were in junior High...circa '68-'69

[DAN BOLTON]

Herb made Nick very well-to-do, as he did the other members of his group. In 1967, my band director told us that his brother(a professional clarinet player) had received a letter from Nick, who was a close friend. In it, Nick told the brother that he'd earned 60K dollars(close to half-a-million in today's dollars). I was rather surprised to find that neither Nick or John Pisano were with the second iteration of the Brass, at least not on the CONY ISLAND LP.


Dan
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DAN BOLTON

"As much as I love music, I never thought it was my life. I thought it was the vehicle I used to express my life." HERBIE MANN

[Captain Bacardi]

Both Nick Ceroli and John Pisano were with the revamped TJB for the You Smile album, and both did some touring before Steve Schaeffer replaced Ceroli. Pisano was on the Sentry Presents TV special. This just reiterates what Herb has said all along that the TJB was a sound, not a band. Besides, both Ceroli and Pisano were busy doing jazz gigs on both records and club dates. Pat Senatore was busy running his jazz club Pasquales during the 70's.

In the 1967 edition of Biography it was reported that the TJB sidemen were the highest paid, earning $100K each.



Capt. Bacardi
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The Chicago Cubs - 102 years and counting....