Pete Jolly - R.I.P.
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andywithaz
Well-Known Member
I really don't know what to say either, except that I am sorry for his family and fans.
Among Pete's credits are several albums with Shorty Rogers & His Giants, who recorded for RCA. Jolly had his own RCA recordings as well. He recorded three A&M albums under his own name, and played not only uncredited on some earlier A&M albums, his electric piano was part of the introduction for Herb Alpert's #1 Billboard single, "This Guy's In Love With You", and also appeared on at least one Carpenters album. He recorded albums for V.S.O.P over the past decade. Small world department: my Air Force buddy's father took accordion lessons from Pete Jolly's father; the family was originally from Connecticut.
Pete leaves behind a music legacy of over 50 years, much of which awaits reissue. He will be missed, and I'm saddened by the news of his passing.
While he had only one top 40 hit, "Little Bird" in 1963, he recorded numerous LPs on RCA, Ava and other labels, as well as the three on A&M most of us are familiar with.
JB
NP: Pete Jolly "Windows of the World" from SP 4145
While he had only one top 40 hit, "Little Bird" in 1963, he recorded numerous LPs on RCA, Ava and other labels, as well as the three on A&M most of us are familiar with.
JB
NP: Pete Jolly "Windows of the World" from SP 4145
Dave
Well-Known Member
Pete also played piano and even electric piano on a few Ray Conniff albums and you can hear his accordian on The Sandpipers' "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" on their album, A Gift Of Song, on which Pete's also credited on piano... He was also featured on a few Bones Howe-produced projects, such as The 5th Dimension, and I think even the Brasilian group, Carnival... 
Dave
Dave
I never had any of his solo records but his stamp was certainly all over A&M. Very sad news. That piano intro to "This Guy" is one of my favorite A&M moments. Condolences to his loved ones. He will be missed.
Captain Bacardi
Well-Known Member
This is just devastating news. Pete was one of the musicians I had tried to hook up with this past summer (where I met Randy Alpert and John Pisano). When I was there he had played at Spazio's the week before, but wasn't booked while I was in L.A. Pete had this coolness about him that came from his playing. It seemed he could play anything - any time, anywhere. He was the epitome of west coast jazz. He exemplified it and it came out through his playing. A huge loss for the jazz world.
Capt. Bacardi
Capt. Bacardi
Captaindave
Well-Known Member
I am saddened that a musician of stature and quality has passed away...
I am interested to find that Mr. Jolly played piano on This Guy's in Love...? Didn't know that...
I am interested to find that Mr. Jolly played piano on This Guy's in Love...? Didn't know that...
This is sad news indeed. I remember takng my wife all the way up to LA to see him play at Monteleone's West a couple years back. He graciously told stories about the A&M days, Herb Alpert and little anecdotes about each LP recording session as he autographed them. After the break he returned to the stage and played "Little Green Apples" which I told him was one of my favorites of his A&M cuts. A true gentleman whose talents will be missed...
--Mr Bill
--Mr Bill
OBITUARIES
Pete Jolly, 72; Jazz Pianist, Composer and Accordion Player
By Myrna Oliver
Times Staff Writer
November 8, 2004
Pete Jolly, a jazz pianist and accordion player known for his disciplined work as a studio musician as well as his improvisational keyboarding in live performances, has died. He was 72.
Jolly, whose composition "Little Bird" was nominated for a Grammy in 1963, died Saturday at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena of complications of bone marrow cancer and an irregular heartbeat.
The Pete Jolly Trio, which for more than 35 years included Jolly, bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Nick Martinis, had continued to perform in Southern California clubs until Jolly's hospitalization in late August.
Jolly first brought the trio together in 1964 to perform at the Red Chimney jazz club in Silver Lake. A year later they became one of the first groups to play at Donte's, a now-defunct jazz venue in North Hollywood.
"A trio is more mobile, more transparent, there's a more open feeling," the veteran of the recording studio told The Times in 1993. "Piano, bass and drums — that's really my love."
Born Peter A. Ceragioli Jr. in New Haven, Conn., on June 5, 1932, he began studying accordion with his father at age 3 and at 7 appeared on the nationwide CBS radio program "Hobby Lobby." Billed as the "Boy Wonder Accordionist," he was mistakenly introduced by the announcer as "Pete Jolly." The young musician liked the mispronunciation so much he adapted it as his professional name.
Tagging along on his father's gigs, the boy became fascinated with the piano and began taking lessons when he was 6. While in junior high school, Jolly was playing in local bands. After the family moved to Phoenix, the teenager led the house trio at the Jazz Mill, backing such guest artists as Benny Carter, Chet Baker and Herb Geller.
Jolly moved to Los Angeles in 1954, playing with Barney Kessel and the Shorty Rogers Giants, and became a fixture in the softer, cooler West Coast jazz movement. In 1955, he recorded his first trio album, "Jolly Jumps In," and was heard on his first motion picture soundtrack, "The Man with the Golden Arm," starring Frank Sinatra.
Readily adaptable, Jolly worked steadily as a studio musician from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s, when the advent of synthesizers sent him back to live sets in small jazz clubs.
His talent on piano, organ and accordion bolstered memorable music for television's "MASH," "Dallas," "The Love Boat," "Mannix," "I Spy" and "Get Smart," among others. He was heard on the soundtracks of some 200 motion pictures, including "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."
Considered a facile pianist and one of the few important jazz accordionists in the single-line style, Jolly also performed and recorded with Buddy DeFranco, Terry Gibbs, Red Norvo, Buddy Collette, Art Pepper and his own groups.
Among his recordings were "The Sensational Pete Jolly Gases Everybody" in 1963, "Strike Up the Band" in 1980 and "Yeah" in 1995. His last album, with Swedish pianist Jan Lundgren, was "Collaboration" in 2001.
"I've been fortunate to do a lot of the things that I wanted to do," Jolly once told The Times. "You go out and play what you want and people enjoy it. It's been a nice life for me."
Information on survivors and services was not immediately available.
Los Angeles Times
Pete Jolly, 72; Jazz Pianist, Composer and Accordion Player
By Myrna Oliver
Times Staff Writer
November 8, 2004
Pete Jolly, a jazz pianist and accordion player known for his disciplined work as a studio musician as well as his improvisational keyboarding in live performances, has died. He was 72.
Jolly, whose composition "Little Bird" was nominated for a Grammy in 1963, died Saturday at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena of complications of bone marrow cancer and an irregular heartbeat.
The Pete Jolly Trio, which for more than 35 years included Jolly, bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Nick Martinis, had continued to perform in Southern California clubs until Jolly's hospitalization in late August.
Jolly first brought the trio together in 1964 to perform at the Red Chimney jazz club in Silver Lake. A year later they became one of the first groups to play at Donte's, a now-defunct jazz venue in North Hollywood.
"A trio is more mobile, more transparent, there's a more open feeling," the veteran of the recording studio told The Times in 1993. "Piano, bass and drums — that's really my love."
Born Peter A. Ceragioli Jr. in New Haven, Conn., on June 5, 1932, he began studying accordion with his father at age 3 and at 7 appeared on the nationwide CBS radio program "Hobby Lobby." Billed as the "Boy Wonder Accordionist," he was mistakenly introduced by the announcer as "Pete Jolly." The young musician liked the mispronunciation so much he adapted it as his professional name.
Tagging along on his father's gigs, the boy became fascinated with the piano and began taking lessons when he was 6. While in junior high school, Jolly was playing in local bands. After the family moved to Phoenix, the teenager led the house trio at the Jazz Mill, backing such guest artists as Benny Carter, Chet Baker and Herb Geller.
Jolly moved to Los Angeles in 1954, playing with Barney Kessel and the Shorty Rogers Giants, and became a fixture in the softer, cooler West Coast jazz movement. In 1955, he recorded his first trio album, "Jolly Jumps In," and was heard on his first motion picture soundtrack, "The Man with the Golden Arm," starring Frank Sinatra.
Readily adaptable, Jolly worked steadily as a studio musician from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s, when the advent of synthesizers sent him back to live sets in small jazz clubs.
His talent on piano, organ and accordion bolstered memorable music for television's "MASH," "Dallas," "The Love Boat," "Mannix," "I Spy" and "Get Smart," among others. He was heard on the soundtracks of some 200 motion pictures, including "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."
Considered a facile pianist and one of the few important jazz accordionists in the single-line style, Jolly also performed and recorded with Buddy DeFranco, Terry Gibbs, Red Norvo, Buddy Collette, Art Pepper and his own groups.
Among his recordings were "The Sensational Pete Jolly Gases Everybody" in 1963, "Strike Up the Band" in 1980 and "Yeah" in 1995. His last album, with Swedish pianist Jan Lundgren, was "Collaboration" in 2001.
"I've been fortunate to do a lot of the things that I wanted to do," Jolly once told The Times. "You go out and play what you want and people enjoy it. It's been a nice life for me."
Information on survivors and services was not immediately available.
Los Angeles Times
musicfirst
Well-Known Member
My heart is very heavy with loss. Pete Jolly was just the epitome of cool when he sat at the piano keyboard. It was like the keyboard was his canvas and he was ready to create another masterpiece. We are the fortunates who were able to experience an artist at work. He is without equal and the jazz community will be a bit more quiet without his beautiful sounds on the "ivories."
Requiescat in Pace
DJ
Requiescat in Pace
DJ
DAN BOLTON
Well-Known Member
There''s a quote from Chuck Berghofer at www.carolkaye.com...apparently, the last couple of months had been pretty rough for Pete. We've lost a great musician and a true gentleman; but, at least, we still have his music...and that's a great legacy.
Dan
Dan
jimac51
New Member
There have been a splattering of Pete Jolly reissues over the CD era-and a few new pieces as well- but it would have been nice to see one constant shot of material released and allowed Pete to take one more bow on an international level-he was that good. Clint Eastwood certainly knew the artistry of Pete Jolly and included Pete in Eastwood's film for Matrin Scoreses's "Blues" series for PBS shown last year. It was by listening to Pete during my formative listening years of the mid-60s that I could explore the artistry of Bill Evans,Art Tatum and Bud Powell. But returning to an album like HERB ALPERT PRESENTS PETE JOLLY always held something both familiar and new at the same time and I love to bring it out a couple of times a year. The number "You've Got To Be There" is sublime. I have two stereo copies of this album,one radio promo in mono and a beatup early cassette of that album and I'd probably get another LP if I saw a reasonably priced copy. I also would have loved to get a copy of Pete's version of the early '60s jingle he did for WIP-AM,Philadelphia-I suspect Pete did a version of all of the Metromedia station jingles(WNEW's is probably the most familiar as Lalo Schifrin and Stan Getz/Bill Evans have recorded that one for Verve). Thanks,Pete,for all of the lovely sounds from working solo,in trio from,countless studio gigs and even for performers like Frank Zappa(LUMPY GRAVY). A class act always. Mac
Steven J. Gross
Well-Known Member
Sure is bad news, RIP.Mr Bill said:
Bill- when exactly did you see him???
Pete's 1993 release on Quartet Records has got to be one of his top 3 recordings. It features Chuck Berghofer on Bass, and Nick Martinis on drums. Impeccably recorded and Pete really "stretches" out on some 12 great tunes. The program consists of mostly jazz standards. My favorite two here are "Like Someone In Love", and "Darn That Dream". Simply put, this is Pete and Co. at their best. Herb Alpert presents, and this one are my favorite Pete Jolly recordings. The 3rd one is "Yeah".This cd release is on the V.S.O.P. label. If any of you out there have heard "Herb Alpert Presents"and like it, you will love these other two great recordings. Pete was a master at communicating powerful emotions with the ivories.
I'm trully, devastated by the sad news that one of the world's greatest musicians has passed away. Pete has got to be one of the most underrated musicians in all of Jazz history. May he rest in peace. My condolences to his family and friends. Kudos to Mr. Herb Alpert for showcasing such a great musician in the appropriate musical "framework" he so richly deserved. This is what set A&M apart in my opinion. They took risks, and they truly believed in putting out great music, even if it did not sell in astronomical numbers, they gave the Artist an outlet...
I'm trully, devastated by the sad news that one of the world's greatest musicians has passed away. Pete has got to be one of the most underrated musicians in all of Jazz history. May he rest in peace. My condolences to his family and friends. Kudos to Mr. Herb Alpert for showcasing such a great musician in the appropriate musical "framework" he so richly deserved. This is what set A&M apart in my opinion. They took risks, and they truly believed in putting out great music, even if it did not sell in astronomical numbers, they gave the Artist an outlet...
Mike
Active Member
This is the liner note from the back of the album “Herb Alpert Presents Pete Jolly”.
Since liner notes are seldom written by people who come into direct contact with the artist or the recording sessions in question, and since Pete Jolly really tells his own story inside the package, I’ll forego the usual copy on his first A&M release and simply say that I’m proud to have played a part in producing an album for people of all ages with one of the finest musicians in the world today.
Signed
Herb Alpert
I think that this simple note written by Herb Alpert speaks volumes for Pete Jolly’s talent and his integrity as an artist and an individual.
Since liner notes are seldom written by people who come into direct contact with the artist or the recording sessions in question, and since Pete Jolly really tells his own story inside the package, I’ll forego the usual copy on his first A&M release and simply say that I’m proud to have played a part in producing an album for people of all ages with one of the finest musicians in the world today.
Signed
Herb Alpert
I think that this simple note written by Herb Alpert speaks volumes for Pete Jolly’s talent and his integrity as an artist and an individual.
pceragioli
New Member
After reading many messages regarding our father. We want to thank you for the support. I'm sure my father would really appreciate all the messages and his music will live on in our hearts forever.
God Bless
Peter Ceragioli Jr
God Bless
Peter Ceragioli Jr
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