Life Member. Alto/Tenor Saxophone
7/31/1925 – 8/15/2025

A Life Well Played: Joe Soldo, Consummate Musician and Contractor, Dies at 100

From “reed man” to in-demand music contractor to devoted family man, Joe Soldo leaves behind a century of inspiration.

A proud member of Local 47 since 1971, Joe was born in Newark, NJ, to William and Lucy Soldo. He received his first saxophone at age 11 and, right out of high school, made a name for himself as a traveling band musician before moving onto Broadway. There, he played multiple instruments in shows like “Bye Bye Birdie” and “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”

His flawless intonation can be heard on countless historic recordings, including multiple sessions with Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett’s “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” Bobby Darin’s “Mack the Knife,” and Barbra Streisand’s “People.”

In the years following World War II, as the big band era declined and the freelance music world grew, composers increasingly wrote for woodwind doublers, musicians who could master multiple instruments. Joe, already skilled on clarinet and saxophone, took up the flute and quickly became one of the most in-demand doublers of his generation. His versatility and sight-reading ability set a standard admired by peers and emulated by those who followed.

Joe also played with some of the finest orchestras in the world, including the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein.

As both a player and later a music contractor, Joe worked on “The Carol Burnett Show” and many beloved television series, from “My Three Sons to Diagnosis: Murder”; and in landmark motion pictures including “Blazing Saddles” and “The Postman Always Rings Twice.” In later years, he collaborated with artists ranging from Barry Manilow to Michael Bublé and even Daft Punk. Along the way, he launched the careers of scores of musicians, many of whom credit their start to his faith in their talent. Known for his discerning ear, Joe had an uncanny ability to assemble ensembles whose chemistry made the whole greater than the sum of its parts. His contracting work, like his playing, was defined by unwavering integrity and authenticity.

Passing away peacefully at home just days after his 100th birthday, Joe was known for setting the tone in any sax or woodwind section and for his masterful ability to navigate the complexities of a 60-piece orchestra with quiet authority, kindness, and a generosity of spirit that defined his life.

Joe was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Carol, and leaves behind a profound legacy of music and family: his sons Chris and Peter, daughter Nina, grandchildren John, Carlile, Will, Max, Sam, and Allegra; and great-grandchildren Cora and Oliver.

His remarkable longevity was fueled not only by music but also by decades spent on the tennis court, where he thrived in doubles play with the same mix of precision, partnership, and quiet joy that defined his career.

“Without music I don’t know what I would have been.”

He will be profoundly missed.