Jack James Costanzo (September 24, 1919 – August 18, 2018) was an American percussionist.
Biography
Costanzo was born in Chicago, to Matteo and Virginia Sances Costanzo, both immigrants from Italy. A composer and drummer, Costanzo is best known for having been a bongo player, and was nicknamed "Mr. Bongo". He visited Havana three times in the 1940s and learned to play Afro-Cuban rhythms on the bongos and congas.
Costanzo started as a dancer, touring as a team with his wife before World War II. After his discharge from the Navy, he worked as a dance instructor at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where Latin band leader Bobby Ramos heard Costanzo playing bongos in a jam session and offered him a job. Throughout the 1940s, Costanzo worked with several Latin bands, including a revived version of the Lecuona Cuban Boys, Desi Arnaz, and Rene Touzet.
Costanzo toured with Stan Kenton from 1947 to 1948 and occasionally in the 1950s, and played with Nat King Cole from 1949 to 1953. He also played with the Billy May Orchestra, Peggy Lee, Danny Kaye, Perez Prado, Charlie Barnet, Pete Rugolo, Betty Grable, Harry James, Judy Garland, Patti Page, Jane Powell, Ray Anthony, Martin & Lewis, Frances Faye, Dinah Shore, Xavier Cugat, Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, and Eddie Fisher.
Costanzo formed his own band in the 1950s which recorded and toured internationally. Many Hollywood stars studied bongos with him, including Marlon Brando, Rita Moreno, Carolyn Jones, Hugh O'Brian, Keenan Wynn, Van Johnson, Tony Curtis, Betty Grable, Vic Damone, James Dean, and Gary Cooper.
Costanzo was in retirement until 1998 when he decided to make a comeback and in 2001 recorded Back From Havana under the Ubiquity Records umbrella. This album featured the likes of Black Note's Gilbert Castellanos, Steve Firerobing and the Panamanian singer Marilu. In 2002 he released another album with the same cast called Scorching the skins this time he also added Quino from Big Mountain. Costanzo has continued to tour and perform in California and abroad.
Costanzo died of complications from a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm at his home in Lakeside, California, on August 18, 2018, aged 98.
Discography
Albums
Bongo Cha-Cha-Cha! (Golden Tone) C 4061
King of the Bongos
Bongo Fever (Sunset) SUS-5134
Afro Can Can (Liberty) LRP-3137
Learn–Play Bongos (Liberty) LRP-3177
Jack Costanzo and His Afro Cuban Band (GNP Crescendo) GNP-19
Vivo Tirado (GNP Crescendo) GNPS 2057
Mr. Bongo Afro Cuban Band (Palladium) PLP 126
1949: Nat King Cole & His Trio - The Forgotten 1949 Carnegie Hall Concert (Hep) 2010 CD 1954: Afro Cuban Jazz North-of-the-Border 1954: Afro-Cubano 1958: Latin Fever (Liberty) LRP-3093 1950s: Mr. Bongo Has Brass (Zephyr) 12003 1950s: Mr. Bongo Plays Hi-Fi Cha Cha (Tops) 1564 1950s: Naked City & Other Themes (Liberty) LST-7195 2001: Back from Havana 2002: Scorching the Skins 2003: Latin Percussion with Soul 2005: Versatile Mr. Bongo Plays Jazz, Afro and Latin
Selected singles
A: "Mambo Costanzo" B: "Mr. Bongo" 1954
A: "Barracuda" B: "I Got A Bongo" 1959
A: "Viva Tirado" B: "Guantanamera"
With Stan Kenton
Stan Kenton's Milestones (Capitol, 1943–47 [1950]) Stan Kenton Classics (Capitol, 1944–47 [1952]) Encores (Capitol, 1947) A Presentation of Progressive Jazz (Capitol, 1947) The Kenton Era (Capitol, 1940–54 [1955]) Kenton with Voices (Capitol, 1957) With Art Pepper and Conte Candoli Mucho Calor (Andex, 1957) With Pete Rugolo Rugolomania (Columbia, 1955) New Sounds by Pete Rugolo (Harmony, 1954–55 [1957]) Percussion at Work (EmArcy, 1957)
Filmography
The Delicate Delinquent
Man From the Diners Club
Stool Pigeon Number 1
The Ed Sullivan Show (TV), three appeances, as himself
The Art Linkletter Show (TV), as himself
The Edward R. Murrow Show (TV), as himself
1950: King Cole and His Trio with Benny Carter and His Orchestra, a Universal-International featurette, musician 1956: G.E. True Theater (TV series) - Judy Garland Musical Special, Musician 1956: Riddles in Rhythm (short), as himself 1957: The Nat King Cole Show (TV series), musician on song "Caravan" 1957: Bernardine, as himself 1957: The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (TV Series) - Episode No. 2.10, as himself 1959: The Danny Thomas Show (TV Series) - Terry Goes Bohemian 1959: Johnny Staccato (TV Series) - Nature of the Night, Musician 1960: Visit to a Small Planet, Percussionist 1965: Harum Scarum, Julna 1965: The Satan Bug, Musician 2006: American Masters (TV series documentary) - The World of Nat King Cole, as himself