John Gregory (bandleader)

John Primo Gregory (born Primino Giuseppe Giovanni Gregori; 12 October 1924 – 23 April 2020) was a British bandleader who also recorded as Nino Rico and Chaquito.[1][2][3][4][5]

Life and career

Born on High Street, Camden Town, in north London on 12 October 1924, Primo Giovanni Giuseppe Gregori was one of five children of recent Italian immigrants Maria Louisa (née Rossi) and Francesco Gregori, the latter becoming the leader of a dance band that played at the Italian restaurant Quaglino's. Encouraged by his parents, who realised he was exceptionally musical, John studied the violin with the virtuoso teacher Alfredo Campoli and went on to take lessons in counterpoint and harmony at the London College of Music.[6][7]

After a brief stint as a violinist with his father's band, by the late 1940s he was performing by himself and working as a staff arranger with Philips Records. His first broadcast as an arranger, for the BBC Revue Orchestra, aired in 1944. He was the BBC Radio Orchestra’s principal guest conductor for 17 years and continued to be recognised as one of the best and most innovative orchestral composers and arrangers of his time. He also collaborated with vocalists including Cleo Laine and Nana Mouskouri.[8]

In the late 1950s, he recorded Latin-flavoured albums as Nino Rico, and then as Chaquito. In 1960, he began to make his own records, with The Cascading Strings, as part of the Philips record label's easy listening albums. More unusual was Melodies of Japan (1963), a reworking of the traditional folk music of the far east.[8]

Into the 1980s, he regularly recorded under his own name, producing albums such as A Man for All Seasons and The Detectives. He won an Ivor Novello Award in 1976 for "Introduction and Air to a Stained Glass Window". From 1974 to 1991 he was the conductor of the BBC Radio Orchestra. He composed his last film score in 2002.[9]

Gregory died on 23 April 2020, at the age of 95.[8]

Scores

He scored several films and TV shows, including Gaolbreak (1962), Strongroom (1962), Serena (1962), Impact (1963), Smokescreen (1964), The Night Caller (1965) and the television series Hark at Barker (1969-1970) and Don't Drink the Water (1974).[10]

Selected discography

  • Nino Rico Plays Cha-Cha-Cha (as Nino Rico, 1957)
  • Swinging Cha-Cha (as Chaquito, 1958)
  • Melodies of Japan (1968)
  • The Great Chaquito Revolution (as Chaquito, 1970)
  • A Man for All Seasons (1975)
  • The Detectives (1976)

References

  1. ^ "Johnny Gregory". Spaceagepop.com. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  2. ^ Collins Complete UK Hit Singles 1952-2004, p370, Graham Betts, 2004 "Initially known as an … UK orchestra leader Johnny Gregory also recorded as Chaquito.
  3. ^ Musiker, Naomi; Musiker, Reuben (25 February 2014). Conductors and Composers of Popular Orchestral Music: A Biographical and Discographical Sourcebook. Routledge. ISBN 9781135917708. Retrieved 26 July 2020 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Greypower Deceased Data; Compiled By Wilmington Millennium; West Yorkshire, England; England and Wales Death Indexes
  5. ^ Name: Mother's Maiden Surname: GREGORI, PRIMINO GUISEPPE GIOVANNI ROSSI GRO Reference: 1924 D Quarter in ST. PANCRAS Volume 01B Page 22
  6. ^ Shenton, Kenneth (31 July 2020). "John Gregory: Maestro in charge of the light-music brigade". The Independent. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  7. ^ Johnson, Bill. "Legends of Light Music: Johnny Gregory". turnipnet.com. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  8. ^ a b c Ferrand, Lyn (31 May 2020). "John Gregory obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  9. ^ Johnson, Bill (27 May 2004). "A Portrait of Johnny Gregory". Robertfarnonsociety.org.uk. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  10. ^ "John Gregory". Bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 24 September 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2020.


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