Charlie Mariano

Biography

Mariano was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the son of Italian immigrants, Giovanni Mariano and Maria Di Gironimo of Fallo, Italy. He grew up in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Boston, enlisting in the Army Air Corps after high school, during World War II. After his service in the Army, Mariano attended what was then known as Schillinger House of Music, now Berklee College of Music. He was among the faculty at Berklee from 1965–1971. Mariano moved to Europe in 1971, settling eventually in Köln (Cologne), Germany, with his third wife, Dorothee Zippel.

He played with one of the Stan Kenton big bands, Toshiko Akiyoshi (his then wife), Charles Mingus, Eberhard Weber, the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble, Embryo and numerous other notable bands and musicians.

He was known for his use of the nadaswaram, a classical wind instrument from Tamil Nadu.

Mariano had six daughters, including four with his first wife, and musician Monday Michiru with his second wife. He had six grandchildren and two great-granddaughters. He died of cancer on June 16, 2009.

As leader

As sideman

With Chet Baker and Bud Shank

With Peggy Connelly

With Embryo

With Maynard Ferguson

With George Gruntz

With Chico Hamilton

With Bill Holman

With Dieter Ilg

With André Jaume

With Elvin Jones

With Theo Jörgensmann

With Stan Kenton

With Rolf Kühn Orchestra

With Shelly Manne

With Charles Mingus

With the Modern Jazz Quartet

With Pierre Moerlen's Gong

With Pork Pie

With Herb Pomeroy

With Alex Riel

With Joanna Rimmer

With Supersister

With McCoy Tyner

With Edward Vesala

With Eberhard Webers' Colours

With Stu Williamson

With Philip Catherine