Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians
Mariano, Charlie
Mariano, Charlie, alto sax; b. Boston, MA, 12 November 1923.
As a son of Italian immigrants, Charlie Mariano began his long music career in Boston. From 1953-55 he played in the Big Band of Stan Kenton, together with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Eroll Garner; he later founded his own band together with his then wife Toshiko Akiyoshi. After he played with Charles Mingus for a while he went to Japan, were he came in contact with Asian music for the first time. Since 1971 Charlie has lived in Europe where he has played with leading musicians, already in 1975 with Jasper van't Hof and Philip Catherine in the jazz rock formation "Pork Pie", from 1977-98 with United Rock & Jazz Ensemble. At the beginning of the 70s, when he was often in India for his studies, Charlie played the Indian instrument nagaswaram.
He recorded and went on tour with the Argentinean bandoneon player Dino Saluzzi and the songwriter Konstantin Wecker. Charlie Mariano never forgot that his idol is Charlie Parker, with whom he played himself. He's done LPs under his name, as well as with the Mariano/Dodgion Sextet, Stan Kenton, Sheely Manne, Bill Holman, Frank Rossolino, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Charles Mingus, Elrvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, Ebehard Weber, United Rock & Jazz Ensemble, Jasper van't Hof, Philip Catherine, Stu Goldberg, Don Alias, Gene Perla and others. Since 1996 he plays as a guest at the European Jazz Ensemble. At the moment he is playing in a trio with Daniel Humair and Ali Haurand.
