Vincent Joseph Abato (known to his friends as "Jimmy") was born on January 21, 1919 in Wilmerding, Pennsylvania. He began playing clarinet
at age 7, initially studying with his older brother, Tony Abato. At age 9, he entered the Peabody Conservatory of Music, Baltimore, Maryland
studying clarinet with Gilbert Stange. He moved to New York City at age 17 to study clarinet with Jan Williams at
the Julliard School of Music in New York City. Abato specialized on clarinet, bass clarinet and saxophone. Highlights of his busy career include performances under Artur Rodzinski and Leopold Stokowski and appearances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Pops, New York Philharmonic, Hollywood Bowl and other orchestras. No stranger to the recording field, he performed with Percy Faith, Morton Gould, Andre Kostelanetz and others. He premiered the Paul Creston Saxophone Concerto with the New York Philharmonic in 1944. Teachings commitments included Columbia Teachers College, Hofstra University, Juilliard and Brooklyn College. His later years were spent as bass clarinetist and saxophonist with the New York Metropolitan Opera.
Music dedicated to Abato:
Rex Mitchell: Song of the City (1967, sax, band or piano) Colin
Alfred Reed: Ballade (1956, sax, band or piano) SMC
Music Minus One 8022/24/26/28
Music for Alto Sax
with Harriet Wintgreen, piano
Columbia ML 4989
Paul Creston Sonata for Saxophone and Piano, Op. 19
with Paul Creston, piano.
Video Appearances:
OMNIBUS. II, Vol. 11.
Wesleyan University Collection
The TV-Radio Workshop of the Ford Foundation/CBS, 1953.
Director: Andrew McCullough; Executive Producer: Robert
Saudek; Producer: Fred Rickey.
Telecast: CBS, December 13, 1953.
90 mins., black & white, 3/4" videocassettes. VBD 8295-96
Includes a 19-min. segment entitled The Birth of a Band, featuring
a jazz band, the Band of Manhattan, created to motivate dancers
with the addition of symphonic instruments like finger cymbals,
french horn, harp, contrabassoon and piccolo. Launched by the
program, the band is led by saxophonist Jimmy Abato and arranged by
Will Lauren. Numbers include "On the Wing" and "The World Is
Waiting for Their Sunrise" with Don Elliott, Mary Mayo and the
Manhattanaires. Hosted by Alastair Cooke and directed by Bob
Banner.
Sources:
 Left to Right - Vincent Abato, Roger Benioff, Victor Morosco (Click for high quality image) |
 James [sic] Abato - The Clarinet - Summer 1956 |
 Older brother and first teacher Tony Abato |
 Leblanc Promotional Advertisement |
 King Promotional Advertisement |
 Rare French Record: Amour, Delices... Et Danse Featuring Jimmy Abato |
 |
 Dedication written on the first performance score of Paul Creston's "Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra" |
