Falling in love with jazz music from a young age, Jay Migliori became one of the most celebrated jazz saxophonists of his era. Making his recording debut in 1955, he contributed to about 4,000 recordings during his multi-decade career as a session musician, joining forces with the likes of the Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Frank Zappa, and more. In the early 1970s, Migliori helped found Supersax as a tribute to the legendary jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker. The instrumental group won a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance in 1974.
On this day (September 2) in 2001, Jay Migliori died of colon cancer at age 70 in Mission Viejo, California. Today, we’re diving into his life and career.
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Who Was Jay Migliori?
Born on November 14, 1930, in Erie, Pennsylvania, Jay Migliori became enamored of jazz music — particularly the playing of Charlie Parker — after receiving a saxophone as a 12th birthday present.
Describing his playing style as “modern acoustic jazz with roots in bebop,” Migliori attended a music school in St. Louis before serving in the U.S. Air Force.
Following his discharge, he attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.
A Prodigious Session Career
Making his first recording in 1955, Jay Migliori linked up with big band leader Woody Herman, playing in his group for several years.
After leaving Herman’s band, he moved to Los Angeles, where he spent several decades as a prolific session musician.
Migliori’s diverse skill set allowed him to play on recordings with musicians as varied as Frank Zappa, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Glen Campbell, the Beach Boys, Tito Puente, Neil Diamond, the Manhattan Transfer, the Monkees, Ray Charles and Celine Dion.
In 1972, Milgliori joined Supersax, a nine-piece jazz group created by saxophonist Med Flory and bassist Buddy Clark in honor of Charlie Parker.
He spent more than a decade with the group, contributing tenor saxophone to the Grammy-winning 1973 album Supersax Plays Bird.
You can hear Migliori’s work on five Beach Boys albums, including their seminal 1966 LP Pet Sounds.
[RELATED: The Real Story Behind The Beach Boys’ Make-or-Break Classic “I Get Around”]
Jay Migliori also recorded three jazz albums of his own. He was a working musician right up until the end, performing in California night clubs and other venues five days a week until six weeks before his death.
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Unspecified – 1974: Conway Twitty performing on the ABC tv special 'The 1974 Country Music Awards'. (Photo by Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images) -
Group shot of English rock and roll band The Rolling Stones posed in 1968. Clockwise from top left: Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Brian Jones (1942-1969), Mick jagger and Keith Richards. (Photo by Mark Hayward Archive/Redferns)
