Sal Salvador

by Ron WynnA versatile guitarist and onetime head of the guitar department at the University of Bridgeport, Sal Salvador was a capable soloist and accompanist whose single-string style, shaped by his early interest in the music of Charlie Christian, was augmented by extensive studies of guitar technique. Salvadors years of research, playing, and analysis eventually led to his writing guitar methodology books, among them Sal Salvadors Chord Method for Guitar and Sal Salvadors Single String Studies for Guitar in the 50s and 60s. He became interested in jazz during his teens, and began playing professionally in Springfield, MA, in 1945. He worked with Terry Gibbs and Mundell Lowe in New York at the end of the 40s, then joined Stan Kentons orchestra in 1952. Salvador worked with Kenton until the end of 1953, and appeared on the New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm album. He led bebop bands featuring Eddie Costa and Phil Woods. Salvador was featured in the film Jazz on a Summers Day and headed a big band in the late 50s and early 60s. He worked in a guitar duo with Alan Hanlon in the early 70s, and began recording again as a leader later in the decade. He re-formed his big band in the 80s, and was named to his position at the University of Bridgeport. Salvador led recordings for Blue Note (1953), Capitol, Bethlehem, Decca, Jazz Unlimited, Dauntless (1963), Bee Hive, GP, and Stash; he died September 22, 1999, at the age of 73.