Jack Nimitz
(Baritone Sax)
(A Washington, D.C. native, he was nineteen years old in the late 1940s when he hit the road with regional big bands, working his way up to Woody Herman and Stan Kenton. In 1960, coming through Los Angeles with Kenton's band, he was encouraged by musician friends to stay in town because there was so much opportunity. So he settled in LA., and he was immediately very busy, doing a lot of rock dates, especially for Motown (e.g. Marvin Gaye). He was also in the house band for such shows as "Shindig" and "The Midnight Special." Like so many of those who played on Brian's sessions, he's also worked on countless motion pictures and television programs and with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Natalie and Nat Cole, the Manhattan Transfer, and Ray Charles. Like Jay Migliori, Jack was a member of Supersax.)
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JACK: "The first session I did with Brian, I got there and saw several saxophone players, Jim Horn and Jay Migliori, at least three of us, maybe four. A small studio. I remember Brian because of the way he operated. He comes in, no music. Usually, they'll give you a lead sheet. Nothing. Brian would sit down at the piano, get some kind of riff together. He would say, 'Okay, saxophones. Play this!' We would do it. He would say 'No,' and give us something else to try.
It was really wild. It was kinda neat. He got guys to play different things until he got what he wanted. No sketch. It was all just out of his head. When it all came together, it was really good."
