Johnny Frigo
| Johnny Frigo | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Johnny Frigo |
| Born |
December 27, 1916 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | July 4, 2007 (aged 90) |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Violin, double bass |
| Labels | Arbors, Chesky |
| Associated acts | Jimmy Dorsey, Bucky Pizzarelli, Jessica Molaskey, Harold Fethe |
Johnny Frigo (December 27, 1916 – July 4, 2007) was an American jazz violinist and bassist. He first appeared in the 1940s as a violinist before working as a bassist. He returned to the violin in the 1980s and enjoyed a comeback, recording several albums as a leader.
Frigo died at age 90 of complications from a fall. He had been battling cancer, according to some reports of his death.
Frigo was born in Chicago and studied violin for only three years beginning at age 7. In high school he started to play double bass in dance orchestras, and would continue his career as a bassist for several decades. In 1942 he played with Chico Marx's orchestra and did a comedy routine on violin with Marx on piano. He entered the United States Coast Guard during World War II only to find himself playing in a band on Ellis Island with Al Haig and Kai Winding.
After a brief turn at active service near the end of the war he moved to New Jersey. He toured with Jimmy Dorsey's band from 1945 to 1947, later forming the Soft Winds trio with Dorsey's guitarist Herb Ellis and pianist Lou Carter. During this time he wrote the music and words of the standard "Detour Ahead", which has been recorded by Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Bill Evans, and Carola among others. During that time, he also wrote the sardonic swing tune, "I Told Ya I Love Ya Now Get Out" which, was recorded by June Christy and the Stan Kenton Orchestra; Chicago jazz vocalist Erin McDougald recorded the song 50 years later on her BluJazz album The Auburn Collection (2004).
In 1951 Frigo returned to Chicago, primarily working as a studio bassist and arranger. He also led the band at Mr. Kelly's, a popular Rush Street nightspot. Between 1951 and 1960 he played fiddle hoedowns and novelties with the Sage Riders, the house band for WLS's long-running National Barn Dance. He continued playing with the Sage Riders for another fourteen years after WGN revived the show in 1961. In that time he worked with Chicago born jazz vocalist Anita O'Day in both live and studio recordings done in Chicago. He was featured (on bass) on O'Day's quartet version of "No Soap, No Hope Blues". John Frigo is credited as playing fiddle for the track "A Rectangle Picture" on the Mason Proffit album "Wanted" released in 1969 on the Happy Tiger label.
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