In November 1955, he led his own session, recording the album Mighty Mike Cuozzo for Savoy Records. Other personnel on the album were Eddie Costa (vibraphone), Ronnie Ball (piano), Vinnie Burke (bass) and Kenny Clarke (drums). Reviewer Marc Myers commented that Cuozzo had a "Ben Webster sound, and his smooth, inventive improvisational style on modernist tracks, blues and ballads was superb." He recorded again in March 1956, on bassist Mort Herbert's album Night People on Savoy. His final recording, again in 1956, was the album Mike Cuozzo with the Costa-Burke Trio, for Jubilee Records, on which he performed with Eddie Costa, Vinnie Burke, and drummer Nick Stabulas. Although Myers describes Cuozzo as "a strong, smart player", Cuozzo did not record again.[2][3]
In 1957, Cuozzo set up a small housing development company in New Jersey with his brother. In 1970, he acquired and started managing an auto dealership franchise. His two albums, Mighty Mike Cuozzo and ...with the Costa-Burke Trio, were reissued on CD in the 1980s, and he continued to play saxophone in local clubs in Cedar Grove and West Orange, New Jersey, until the 1990s.[1]
Personal lifeedit
Cuozzo married in 1958 and thereafter declined invitations to join touring bands. He died in North Caldwell, New Jersey, in 2006, aged 80.[1]
Referencesedit
^ abc"'Mike Cuozzo Was My Dad' - JazzWax". www.jazzwax.com. Retrieved 2022-06-25.
^ abMarc Myers, "Mike Cuozzo: Lost Sax", JazzWax, April 29, 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2019
^Eugene Chadbourne, "Mike Cuozzo", Allmusic.com. Retrieved 24 April 2019
This article about a United States jazz musician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
mike, cuozzo, michael, antonio, cuozzo, june, 1925, april, 2006, american, jazz, saxophonist, businessman, birth, namemichael, antonio, cuozzoalso, known, asmighty, bornjune, 1925newark, jersey, diedapril, 2006, aged, north, caldwell, jersey, genresjazzinstrum. Michael Antonio Cuozzo June 12 1925 April 2 2006 was an American jazz saxophonist and businessman Mike CuozzoBirth nameMichael Antonio CuozzoAlso known asMighty Mike CuozzoBornJune 12 1925Newark New Jersey U S DiedApril 2 2006 aged 80 North Caldwell New Jersey U S GenresJazzInstrumentsTenor saxophone Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 ReferencesEarly life editCuozzo was born in Newark New Jersey He left high school to tour with Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm in the 1940s 1 Career editCuozzo began his professional career as a tenor saxophonist in Joe Marsala s band He played for the United Service Organizations in World War II and was part of Elliot Lawrence s band in the early 1950s 2 In November 1955 he led his own session recording the album Mighty Mike Cuozzo for Savoy Records Other personnel on the album were Eddie Costa vibraphone Ronnie Ball piano Vinnie Burke bass and Kenny Clarke drums Reviewer Marc Myers commented that Cuozzo had a Ben Webster sound and his smooth inventive improvisational style on modernist tracks blues and ballads was superb He recorded again in March 1956 on bassist Mort Herbert s album Night People on Savoy His final recording again in 1956 was the album Mike Cuozzo with the Costa Burke Trio for Jubilee Records on which he performed with Eddie Costa Vinnie Burke and drummer Nick Stabulas Although Myers describes Cuozzo as a strong smart player Cuozzo did not record again 2 3 In 1957 Cuozzo set up a small housing development company in New Jersey with his brother In 1970 he acquired and started managing an auto dealership franchise His two albums Mighty Mike Cuozzo and with the Costa Burke Trio were reissued on CD in the 1980s and he continued to play saxophone in local clubs in Cedar Grove and West Orange New Jersey until the 1990s 1 Personal life editCuozzo married in 1958 and thereafter declined invitations to join touring bands He died in North Caldwell New Jersey in 2006 aged 80 1 References edit a b c Mike Cuozzo Was My Dad JazzWax www jazzwax com Retrieved 2022 06 25 a b Marc Myers Mike Cuozzo Lost Sax JazzWax April 29 2014 Retrieved 24 April 2019 Eugene Chadbourne Mike Cuozzo Allmusic com Retrieved 24 April 2019 nbsp This article about a United States jazz musician is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mike Cuozzo amp oldid 1118650048, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
