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Al Caiola, Guitarist
| by Michael Macomber |
Al Caiola
Born Sep 7, 1920
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Al Caiola is a prolific session musician and solo recording artist who has been laying down great licks since the 1940s. His playing can be heard on Bobby Darin's historic "That's All" LP, as well as on recordings by Percy Faith, Sarah Vaughan, Benny Goodman, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Del Shannon, The Coasters, Johnnie Ray, Ruth Brown, and a host of others.
Caiola also worked as a conductor and arranger for United Artists Records in the late '40s and early '50s. He released his first solo album, "Deep in a Dream," on the Savoy label in 1955. |
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His solo career didn't really take off, however, until the 1960s, with a series of UA albums mixing covers of movie and TV themes, current hits, and Caiola's own original compositions. Caiola scored top 40 hits with his versions of the themes from Bonanza and The Magnificent Seven.
While all this was going on, the tireless and multi-talented Caiola was also serving as conductor and arranger for producer Ethel Gabriel's Living groups series ("Living Strings," "Living Voices," etc.) on RCA's budget label, Camden.
In 1985, Caiola accompanied Frank Sinatra on his European Tour, as lead guitarist, and continues to work today, most notably backing up Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme. |
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Al Caiola on Darin LPs:
Bobby Darin (Atco 33-102, September 1958)
That's All (Atco 33-104, March 1959)
For Teenagers Only (Atco SP-1001, September 1960)
The Bobby Darin Story (Atco 33-131, 1961)
Twist with Bobby Darin (Atco 33-138, December 1961) |
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Al Caiola on other LPs (Selected Discography):
Al Caiola: Deep in a Dream (Savoy MG-12033, 1955)
Sarah Vaughan: Sarah Vaughan In Hi-Fi (Columbia CL 745-M, 1956)
Al Caiola: Music for Space Squirrels (Atco 33-117, 1958)
Johnny Mathis: Open Fire, Two Guitars (Columbia C-1270, 1959)
Al Caiola: Cleopatra and All That Jazz (United Artists UAS 6299, 1962)
Al Caiola: Encore Oro Italiano (Alanna 5588, 2001) |
Al Caiola Links:
Al Caiola at SpaceAgePop.com |
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