Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks

Biography

Vince Giordano, born March 11, 1952, in New York, discovered jazz at age five through his grandmother's collection of 1920s and 1930s phonograph records, including Louis Armstrong and King Oliver, sparking a lifelong passion. He began with violin, switched to tuba in seventh grade, added string bass and bass saxophone, joined the musicians' union at 14, and played with Dixieland bands on Long Island. After high school, he served in the 22-piece Navy Show Band, toured Europe with Eddy Davis, and performed in New York with Tony Parenti and Max Kaminsky.[1][2][5]

In 1976, Giordano formed the Nighthawks (originally New Orleans Nighthawks), a New York-based orchestra dedicated to authentic 1920s-1930s hot jazz, swing, and popular music from artists like Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington. The band gained residency at Red Blazer Too in 1977, featuring veterans from Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and Casa Loma orchestras, and later at the Carlyle Hotel. Giordano studied with period survivors like Bill Challis, Chauncey Morehouse, and Joe Tarto, amassing over 60,000 scores as a big-band historian. His multi-instrumental skills on bass saxophone, string bass, tuba, and vocals led to extensive film and TV work, including Woody Allen films like Zelig and The Purple Rose of Cairo via Dick Hyman, The Cotton Club, The Aviator, and HBO's Boardwalk Empire, earning a 2012 Grammy nomination.[1][2][3][4]

Giordano's commitment to authenticity has preserved Jazz Age music, performing at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Newport Jazz Festival, and worldwide ballet companies, while appearing in films and soundtracks that introduce the era to new audiences. A Grammy winner and New York institution, he continues leading the Nighthawks, blending raw energy with sophisticated syncopation.[1][2][5]

Fun Facts

• Giordano owns over 60,000 big-band scores, serving as a major archive for 1920s-1930s music.
• He boldly auditioned for Dick Hyman at a record store, leading to Woody Allen's Zelig by bringing tuba, bass, and bass sax to the studio.
• The Nighthawks started as 'New Orleans Nighthawks' in 1976 and earned a 2012 Grammy nomination for Boardwalk Empire soundtrack.
• At age five, he found piles of 78rpm records in his grandmother’s attic, including Louis Armstrong's 'Blue Again' and Ethel Waters' 'Shake That Thing'.

Members

• Vince Giordano
• Vince Giordano - original
• Paul Wells - drums (drum set)

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Bill Challis - studied with Whiteman's hot arranger (Paul Whiteman arrangements) [1970s]
• Chauncey Morehouse - studied with drummer from the period (1920s-1930s jazz) [1970s]
• Joe Tarto - studied with bassist survivor from the era (early jazz recordings) [1970s]

Key Collaborators

• Dick Hyman - pianist/composer who recruited him for film scores (Zelig (1983), Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), Woody Allen soundtracks) [1980s]
• Warren Vaché - trumpeter in early Nighthawks (Red Blazer Too residency) [1977-1980]
• Bob Wilber - reed man/composer for film (The Cotton Club) [1984]
• Glenn Miller/Benny Goodman/Casa Loma veterans - big-band veterans in Nighthawks (live performances) [1970s]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #jazz