Charlie Mariano (born November 11, 1923 in Boston, died June 16, 2009 in Cologne) was an American alto and soprano jazz saxophonist . He played with one of the Stan Kenton big bands, Toshiko Akiyoshi (his then wife), Charles Mingus, Eberhard Weber, the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble and numerous other notable musicians. He was one of the few non-Indians able to play the nadaswaram, a traditional oboe from South India. Since the 1980s he spend most of his time in Germany, especially since his marriage with a German painter.