Al Porcino

Who was Al Porcino?

Angelo Paul "Al" Porcino was an American jazz trumpeter.

Porcino began playing professionally in 1943, and played in many of the big bands of the 1940s and 1950s, including those of Georgie Auld, Louis Prima, Jerry Wald, Tommy Dorsey, Gene Krupa, and Chubby Jackson. He played with Woody Herman in 1946, 1949-1950, and again in 1954. He also did two stints with Stan Kenton, in 1947-48 and 1954-55. In the 1950s, he played with Pete Rugolo, Count Basie, Elliot Lawrence, and Charlie Barnet.

In 1957 he moved to Los Angeles and played in studios. While there he played in the Terry Gibbs Dream band from 1959 to 1962. In the 1960s, he often played in orchestras backing vocalists, and also played with Buddy Rich in 1968, Thad Jones and Mel Lewis in 1969-70, and Herman again, in 1972. In the 1970s, he formed his own big band, who recorded behind Mel Torme in addition to their own work.

In the 1970s Porcino moved to Germany, leading big bands there until his death in 2013. His ensemble played on one of Al Cohn's final recordings in 1987.

He died in Munich in 2013 after a fall.