Al Porcino

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Al Porcino (born May 14, 1925) is an American jazz trumpeter.

Porcino began playing professionally in 1943, playing in many big bands of the 1940s and 1950s, including those of Georgie Auld, Louis Prima, Jerry Wald, Tommy Dorsey, Gene Krupa, and Chubby Jackson. He played with Woody Herman in 1946, 1949-1950, and again in 1954. He also did two stints with Stan Kenton, in 1947-48 and 1954-55. In the 1950s he played with Pete Rugolo, Count Basie, Elliot Lawrence, and Charlie Barnet.

In 1957 he moved to Los Angeles and played in studios. While there he played in the Terry Gibbs Dream band between 1959 and 1962. In the 1960s he often played in orchestras backing vocalists, and also did time with Buddy Rich in 1968, Thad Jones and Mel Lewis in 1969-70, and Herman again, in 1972. In the 1970s he formed his own big band, who recorded behind Mel Torme in addition to their own work.

In the 1970s Porcino moved to Germany, leading big bands there through today. His ensemble played on one of Al Cohn's final recordings in 1987.

Discography

This section requires expansion.

With Gil Fuller

• Night Flight (Pacific Jazz, 1965)

With Dizzy Gillespie

• One Night in Washington (Elektra/Musician, 1955 [1983])
• The New Continent (Limelight, 1962)

With Lalo Schifrin

• The Cincinnati Kid (soundtrack) (MGM, 1965)
• Music from Mission: Impossible (Dot, 1967)

References

• Scott Yanow, Al Porcino at Allmusic
• Al Porcino Web site - includes career highlights, discography, videos, photos, concerts. Site updated June 2011.