Double Bass Gene Cherico

[Roger Davis]

I was listening to some Sunday morning pop radio this morning and they played Sinatra's 'I've Got You Under my Skin', the live recording from Madison Square. The bassist absolutely nailed it: great swing and intonation, and the recorded/live sound was what we all strive for. Surely one of the stand out DB recordings. Sure, I would have heard it before but let's say I really took notice this time. Bassist was Gene Cherico. Anyone?

 

[gerry grable]

I was listening to some Sunday morning pop radio this morning and they played Sinatra's 'I've Got You Under my Skin', the live recording from Madison Square. The bassist absolutely nailed it: great swing and intonation, and the recorded/live sound was what we all strive for. Surely one of the stand out DB recordings. Sure, I would have heard it before but let's say I really took notice this time. Bassist was Gene Cherico. Anyone?

Gene Cherico was the bassist with Sinatra at the Uris Theatre in 1975, along with Ella Fitzgerald and the Count Basie band. I don't have it, but I know there is an album out there. I was working at the time at Jilly's, a club that was just around the block from the theatre (sic). Many of the band members came to our club after the concerts, and most of them sat in with us. I was greatly disappointed that Ella never came, but mostly that Cherico never showed. I had never met him, and would have loved to have heard him in person, and, I could have used the break
The guys said that he never hung out after gigs. Now with 20/20 hindsight, I believe that he was having medical problems. Great player to say the least. Sinatra, by the way, really liked bass players.