HOW JAZZ CRISS-CROSSED the ATLANTIC: from New Orleans to Fascist Italy and Sinatra ▼ Continued from Page 1 Orated on How Jazz Landed in Italy with the U.S
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A Publication of the Abruzzo and Molise Heritage Society of the Washington DC Area March/April 2019 AMHS members and friends gather before the start of the well attended January meeting HOW JAZZ Professor Anna Harwell Celenza CRISS-CROSSED THE ATLANTIC of Georgetown From New Orleans to Fascist Italy and Sinatra University By Nancy DeSanti, 1st Vice president, Programs What’s Inside eorgetown University Music Professor Anna Harwell Celenza took her audience of about 100 people on a musical voyage across the Atlantic and back as she told us about her book 02 President’s Message “Jazz Italian Style: From Its Origins in New Orleans to Fascist Italy and Sinatra.” She gave Gher presentation at our first luncheon program of the year at Casa Italiana on January 27, 2019, 03 March Meeting Celebrates which featured a delicious lunch catered by Osteria da Nino. St. Joseph’s Table Tradition Who better to explain this fascinating subject than Professor Celenza? She has a Ph.D. in music history from Duke University and is currently a professor of music at Georgetown University, where 04 Siamo Una Famiglia she teaches courses in music history and radio journalism. – Lynn Sorbara Honored; – Antonio Bianchini Remembered; Professor Celenza said she first started thinking about writing “Jazz Italian Style” when she was on – Alvin A. Turner, Sr. Remembered; a sabbatical in Rome. Her interest in jazz was inspired by her grandfather, who worked briefly as a – AMHS Membership jazz musician in the big band swing era. In explaining the largely forgotten Italian connection to jazz, she said she hopes it will interest peo- 06 Montenerodomo ple who want to know more about music history, Italian-American culture, the Fascist era in Italy, music technology, and the evolution of popular music. 08 Oratino Professor Celenza argues that Italian music had a considerable impact on American jazz, and she elab- 11 AMHS Joins CISC Founders, To Sponsor Vespa Rally continued on 10 AMHS NOTIZIARIO A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Carmine James Spellane, EDITOR Nancy DeSanti, CONTRIBUTING WRITER Dear members and friends: Maria D’Andrea-Yothers, PUBLICATIONS MANAGER Romeo Sabatini, ITALIAN LANGUAGE EDITOR We began 2019 in very good fashion. Our general meeting, held on Jan- uary 27, drew approximately 100 members and guests — clearly one of Color copies printed courtesy of our more popular events. Those in attendance were not disappointed, Todd Tomanio & Sydnee Patterson, as our featured speaker (Professor Anna Harwell Celenza of Georgetown TransPerfect Document Management, Inc. University) and our caterer (Osteria da Nino) lived up to the high expec- tations. Professor Harwell Celenza’s presentation on her book “Jazz AMHS NOTIZIARIO is published bi-monthly from Italian Style” was both very informative and extremely interesting, as January through November. The deadline for the submission of articles is the 15th of the month she wove together strands of Italian and Italian-American history, music preceding publication of the issue. Please send and culture — all endlessly fascinating on their own and even more riveting together. submissions via e-mail to Carmine James Spellane, [email protected]. All submissions may be edited Two of our special guests included Maria Fusco, the Director of Education at the Italian Embas- for clarity and become the property of AMHS. sy in Washington, D.C., and Julia Paola, a freshman at George Washington University. Professor Publication of submissions is at the discretion Fusco spoke briefly about the important work that the Embassy is carrying out in the promotion of the Editor, however content of articles that are of the Italian language and culture. Ms. Paola will be the Society’s first formal intern when she published is the sole responsibility of the author. begins assisting us later this year, so the meeting provided a good opportunity for her and some members of the Executive Committee (EC) to get to know each other. The AMHS NOTIZIARIO is an official publication of the Grant and Scholarship Fund Inc. of the Abruzzo Prior to the lunch and presentation, we took care of two very important items of business. AMHS and Molise Heritage Society of the Washington, DC members in attendance, representing our membership at large, unanimously approved by secret area, doing business as The Abruzzo and Molise ballot an Executive Committee (EC) decision to have our Society become a member of the Casa Heritage Society of the Washington, DC area, a Italiana Sociocultural Center (CISC) Capital Founders Fund. The Capital Founders Fund consists of non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian society a group of donors and supporters committed to the future success of CISC as it begins a new phase legally incorporated in the District of Columbia. in its history. You can find out more about this significant and exciting development in a separate OFFICERS article of this Notiziario. The second item of business was the swearing in of three new EC mem- bers: Andrea Balzano, Alfred Del Grosso and Helina Zewdu Nega. I thank them again for their will- Raymond LaVerghetta, President, [email protected], ingness to serve on the Board and make their skills available to the running of the society. I also (410) 992-6885 thank again the members they are replacing (Sarah Scott, Jonathan Stern and Lourdes Tinajero) for Nancy DeSanti, 1st Vice President-Programs, their commitment and past contributions and look forward to working with them again. [email protected], (703) 967-2169 Our next general meeting will be on March 24th. It will take place at Alfio’s La Trattoria, in Lynn Sorbara, 2nd Vice President-Membership, Chevy Chase, Maryland. This location will be a change for us as our general meetings outside [email protected], of Casa Italiana have routinely taken place in the recent past at Carmine’s. For some back- (301) 926-7792 ground on the decision to alter what has been our recent choice of venue away from Casa Ital- Carmine James Spellane, Secretary, iana, see the article in this Notiziario. The March meeting will feature AMHS member, videog- [email protected], rapher and filmmaker Kirsten Keppel, who will present her film on the St. Joseph’s Day Table. (202) 355-3410 Kirsten’s film on this ancient tradition was a finalist in the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Peter Bell, Treasurer, Forum and will be an appropriate topic for the month of March. In addition, spring will have [email protected], officially sprung by the time Kirsten shows her film, so there will be an additional reason to (202) 276-2483 celebrate. Those who have seen the film have been consistently effusive in their praise. So BOARD OF DIRECTORS please mark your calendars for what will undoubtedly be another excellent presentation. Rico Allegrino Alfred Del Grosso The turnout for our January meeting was indeed gratifying. I encourage you to continue to attend our Andrea Balzano Helen Free general meetings, which offer a great way for us to get together, get to know each other, learn some- Jeff Clark Joann Novello thing new, and be entertained, while also enjoying a good meal. I apologize to those members who Lucio D’Andrea, Joe Novello President Emeritus Albert Paolantonio were turned away from the January meeting. We did not order extra meals in advance when we gave Maria D’Andrea-Yothers, Helina Zewdu Nega our final number to the caterer, so there was some concern about not having enough for everyone. Immediate Past Pres. We regret that omission and ask for your understanding. We will build in flexibility with our caterers going forward. That said, please try to register for the meetings before the deadline, which makes Opt to just receive the things easier for those lending a hand in hospitality. We understand that plans sometimes change, so some last-minute registration is inevitable. However, a late surge of interest the day before a AMHS NOTIZIARIO meeting can be hard to manage, as most caterers expect a final count to be final. Enjoy the Spring! newslettervia email. It’s fast, convenient & helps cut down Best regards, Ray LaVerghetta on paper waste and postage. Contact Maria D’Andrea-Yothers at [email protected] or call (703) 473-4033 www.abruzzomoliseheritagesociety.org March Meeting Celebrates St. Joseph’s Table Tradition By Nancy DeSanti as to fulfill the promise made to St. Joseph. ur second program of the year on March 24, 2019, will celebrate the St. Joseph’s Kirsten will give her pre- Table tradition and feature the film sentation at Alfio’s La O made by AMHS Trattoria in Chevy Chase, member Kirsten Maryland. Afterwards, Keppel. Her half- there will be a question hour film, which and comment period, and was screened by the group is encouraged the National Italian to share their experience with other traditions. American Founda- St. Joseph’s Table tion last March, tells the story of ing of promises. In Sicily, a society that was Please see the flyer on page 11 for details, the Tavola di San kin-oriented and closed to outsiders, the tradition Guest Speaker including the menu. And remember to reserve Giuseppe tradition provided a way for the women to open their Kirsten Keppel by March 21, as seating is limited to the first as passed down homes to strangers in an accepted manner as well 65 people. ❚ through generations of Italian Americans. Kirsten will also talk about how she made the film and what this special tradition means to the Ital- ian-American community writ large. Venue for March Meeting Kirsten’s film, “Ringraziamenti: The St. Joseph’s Table Tradition,” was a semi-finalist of the 2017 By Ray LaVerghetta, AMHS President Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum and was first shown at the NIAF Gala.