This trumpeter is best known to big band fans as part of Woody Herman's roaring, screaming brass section from 1954 through 1957. Regardless of that impressive credit and a variety of other achievements as both a bandleader on his own and a Los Angeles session musician, William (Bill) Castagnino's choice of an additional career may seem even more interesting: In 1958, he began working as a licensed mortician. Those with a black sense of humor may want to draw a connection between typical hipster jazz slang for impressive playing, like saying the Herman trumpet section is really "killing," and the people who deal with the aftermath of death in reality. The motivation for musicians to enter other lines of work is usually economical, but this might not have been the case with Castagnino. His datebook in the '50s and '60s included studio jobs such as the soundtrack for a television series sponsored by the Chevrolet company. Working in a band led by Jerry Fielding in 1956 certainly wouldn't have hurt in securing jobs; Fielding went on to become one of the top scorers for Hollywood films. Bandleaders such as Charlie Barnet and Chuy Reyes were among the first employers to take the trumpeter on as a young man. He also worked in a series of Latin bands based out of Los Angeles, including the Pérez Prado outfit in 1957. Castagnino's best recorded appearances include sides with the latter bandleader as well as a healthy pile of Herman sides. Jantzen Beach Oregon 1954, a live set released in 1996, provides a fine example of the trumpeter's work in the Herman group on a typical night. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide