Francis Cappuccio (August 20, 1931 – September 12, 2017), known professionally as Frank Capp, was an American jazz drummer. Capp also played on numerous rock and roll sessions and is considered to be a member of the Wrecking Crew.

Biography

Capp was born Francis Cappuccio in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. He began playing with Stan Kenton in early 1952 and remained with Kenton until the end of that year. He then joined Neal Hefti's group. He often accompanied Peggy Lee on her road dates and subsequently went to Los Angeles where he joined Billy May, and recorded with The Wrecking Crew. He played with Ella Fitzgerald, Harry James, Charlie Barnet, Stan Getz, Art Pepper, and Dave Pell. He recorded often with André Previn's trio (1957–1964), and also made records with Benny Goodman (1958), Terry Gibbs, and Turk Murphy. Capp worked steadily on television shows and in the film studios in the 1960s. He spent more than 13 years as drummer for the David Rose Orchestra on The Red Skelton Show. Starting in the 1970s, he recorded extensively in a variety of settings for Concord. Together with Nat Pierce he founded the Capp-Pierce Juggernaut big band in 1975. In his later years, he resided with his partner Lori Singman in Studio City, California, and performed every Tuesday at Las Hadas Restaurant in Northridge, California, accompanied by his fellow jazz colleagues. In 2016, Capp wrote and published his autobiography Drumming Up Business: My Life in Music. Frank Capp died in September 2017 in Studio City, at the age of 86.

Selected discography

As leader

With Nat Pierce With The Frank Capp Juggernaut

As sideman

With The Beach Boys With Michael Bublé With Cher With Stan Kenton With André Previn With Bud Shank With Frank Sinatra With Sonny & Cher With others