This August, Sun City resident Frank Ardito’s love of jazz was captured in a recording of some of his favorite standards. (Victoria Diamond /Sun Day Photo)
WOODSTOCK– When Sun City’s resident “sax man” Frank Ardito approached Jazz on the Square Board Member Bryan Kyrouac about holding a recording session, Kyrouac knew it was an opportunity not to let pass.
Volunteering as engineer and producer, Kyrouac assembled a small ensemble of local musicians on August 11 at Woodstock’s Stage Left Cafe to get to work recording some of Ardito’s favorite songs.
“It was pretty clear we got the right musicians right from the start of the session,” Kyrouac said. “Everyone was focused and rehearsed efficiently when needed. We ran the tunes, sometimes as many as three times, and in the end there were a lot of good performances to work with.”
Many of the tracks on the eight-track CD are jazz staples, like “Body and Soul” and “Moanin.” The CD is not available commercially and has no official title, but Ardito said if it did, it would be “Ballads and Blues.”
“He treats melodies – especially ballads – like he’s weaving silk. There’s a gentleness yet a confidence that’s very alluring to listen to,” Kyrouac said.
Though that confidence is audible in the recordings, Ardito said his nerves were still firing while recording.
“If you record, every wrong note you play is there for all of history,” he said.
History is behind every note Ardito plays. He first became acquainted with the saxophone as a student at Steinmetz High School in Chicago. At a local store, he said he heard recordings by Freddie Mitchell and was “blown away.”
From high school through junior college, Ardito developed his skills and experience playing with a jazz trio around Chicago, though he soon would soon get booked at a more exotic gig.
Though over 6,000 miles away, the Korean Conflict would prove inescapable, and Ardito was drafted into infantry service in the Army. Thankfully, he was able to stay active musically by playing with the 31st Division Band. Still, he was itching to get back onto the jazz scene.
Once back from his tour, Ardito got his chance. He said he tried making a living as a musician but found it too difficult. Thus began Ardito’s “30-year sabbatical” as he focused on work and family.
But the lure of music returned, and so about five years ago, Ardito again picked up his sax.
There was a lot of mildew to clean up, but once that was taken care of, he began to play. Soon, Ardito would find a new home base after reading about Jazz on the Square in the newspaper. The organization’s weekly jam sessions proved the perfect remedy for Ardito to get his chops back.
“That got me back into the mix,” he said.
After some Sun City neighbors heard Ardito playing in Woodstock, he soon started booking much closer gigs, becoming popular at neighborhood events and even holding down regular spots at Walleye Grill for two years.
Ardito’s decision to pick up the sax once again was looking better and better, but there were blue notes in his life’s next measure. Just after earning the Walleye Grill gig, he was diagnosed with stomach cancer and entered surgery at Rush University Medical Center.
“I told [the] surgeon I’ve got two jobs lined up at Walleye Grill, so you’re going to have to get me out of here in about a month,” Ardito said.
As luck would play it, Ardito’s surgeon was an aspiring alto sax player and struck a deal – get him out in time in exchange for some lessons. The deal got a recovered Ardito back on the sax, yet again.
The August recording helps ensure that this time, Ardito’s music will last.
“We really wanted to preserve his voice in local jazz history,” Kyrouac said. It would be a shame if he were never recorded. He’s got a sound worth listening to.”
To hear Frank:
Frank’s recording can be heard at: www.reverbnation.com/frankardito/songs and on the Nov. 6 broadcast of the “Northern Sky Jazz Show” at harvardcommunityradio.com.
