October 15, 2008

By By Ed Christman, N.Y.

Al Gallodoro, a jazz saxophonist who also played clarinet and bass clarinet, and who enjoyed a long association performing with the orchestral leader Paul Whiteman, passed away peacefully in Oneonta, New York, Oct. 4 due to old age complications. He was 95.

During his career, Gallodoro performed in all venues of music, from vaudeville houses to speak-easies, from nightclubs to symphonies, and from Carnegie Hall to international jazz festivals, according to a bio provided by his family.

Gallodoro, who was the subject of a PBS documentary, started his career at the age of 13 when he joined the orchestra of banjo artist, George Evans and gave his last performance at the Corning Jazz and Harvest Festival on Sept. 20, 2008 in a career that spanned nine decades.

After working as the first alto sax/clarinet in the Orpheum Theater house orchestra in New Orleans when he was 15, and then signing on with Isham Jones as a sax soloist, he joined the Paul Whiteman Orchestra as first chair alto sax/clarinet and featured soloist in 1936, according to the bio on his website.

Gallodoro performed classical music as well as jazz under famed conductors like Arturo Toscanini, Leopold Stokowski, Alfredo Antonini, Leonard Bernstein, Andre Kostelanetz, Johnny Green, Tutti Camarata, Arthur Fiedler, Percy Faith, Skitch Henderson and Dr. Frank Black.

In 1958, composer Ferde Grofe composed the ?Gallodoro Serenade,? which the sax player recorded in 2004. Gallodoro has recorded eight album and has appeared in numerous other recordings.

In 2005 Gallodoro received an Honorary Doctoral Degree from Hartwick College, and he also recently appeared twice at Cornell University's Weill Medical College for concerts and as the subject of an extensive interview on longevity and vitality.

Gallodoro is survived by daughters Mary Bruggeman, Joann Gallodoro, and Alice Gallodoro; 18 grand children, including Kevin Wood, who produced his later efforts, and 29 great-grandchildren; and his sisters Frances Nyhan and Catherine Gagliano and his brother Frank, who played alto-sax with Paul Whiteman. He was predeceased by his wife Mary, his son Alfred, daughter Rita, sister Marie and brother Peter.

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