Jack Nimitz

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Jack Nimitz (b. January 11, 1930) is an American jazz baritone saxophonist.

Nimitz first began playing on clarinet at age 12, and picked up alto sax at 14. He played in local bands in Washington D.C., and after specializing on baritone sax he found work in the territory bands of Willis Connover, Bob Astor, Johnny Bothwell, and Daryl Harpa. He played with Woody Herman (1953-55), Stan Kenton (1955-56, 1958-59), and Herbie Mann (1959); he also played in the house band for the Savoy Theater in the 1950s.

He then moved to Los Angeles and worked in film music in addition to playing with Bill Berry, Benny Carter, Gerald Wilson, Supersax, Frank Strazzeri, Thelonious Monk, Terry Gibbs, Dizzy Gillespie, Louie Bellson, Chuck Mangione, Shelly Manne, Charles Mingus, Horace Silver, Gil Fuller, Gene Ammons Oliver Nelson, Kenny Burrell, Quincy Jones, Milt Jackson, Frank Capp and Joey DeFrancesco into the 1980s. Additionally he recorded with the vocalists Johnny Hartman, June Christy, Peggy Lee, Carmen McRae,Anita O'Day and Diane Schuur. In the 1990s Nimitz recorded with Stewart Liebig, Bill Perkins, Bud Shank and Gerald Wilson. In 1995 he released his first album under his own name.