Al Caiola

[Jimmy blue note]

One of the greats along with Sal Salvador, Tony Mattola, and Herb Ellis who could play anything and made their livings in the LA studio scene. I came across a recording he'd done with Hank Jones and Kenny Clarke with some great playing on it.
One of those artists who history forgot when the world went digital.

[wintermoon]

I have that record, also have this one on Savoy as well

[Jimmy blue note]

I had a bunch of nice stuff on vinyl that never got reissued on CD form so it's pretty much gone. On a Savoy CD reissue, it's got the cover on the front with his name spelled Caiola on the album cover but all the credits on the back have his name repeatedly misspelled.
I have to admit, some of the vinyl albums I bought because the guy on the cover was playing a cool looking guitar, but when I got it home it was an eye opener. Some of it was not flashy enough for me but it took me nearly half a century to realize how HARD and beautiful that music is to play.

[Old Nick]

I have an album on the Bainbridge label called 'soft guitars' from around 1980

[Ukena]

I have an album on the Bainbridge label called 'soft guitars' from around 1980

I have this one, as well, picked up from Apple iTunes. It's full of, um, interesting arrangements.

[sgosnell]

He was one of the few guitarists I heard of while growing up out in the sticks. He got some radio play.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

There’s a wonderful Tony Mottola release from 1959 (when I was 12) called Mr Big that has Al Caiola, Al Cassamenti, Don Arnone and Tony Kay on it. It was (and still is) one of the most important albums I ever bought. I got it as soon as I saw it at the record store, and I spent many hours learning the tunes and all the guitar parts as well as a 12 year old who’d been playing for 3 years (on a flat top) could. I still play those tunes the way they were recorded, I still listen to the vinyl, and I still hold Caiola and the others on that album in awe.

I still play this one almost note for note the way they did it here (this is a 1963 re-release of Mr Big with a different title) -