VOLUME 37, NUMBER 9 Formerly New York Sheet Music Society www.APSSinc.org JUNE 2016 To the Programs Down at Linda’s, Julius La Rosa – to the Place Where Music Dwells, A Recollection to the Dear Old 802 We Love So Well… by Lynn DiMenna Tom Toce’s Latest Singer & Songwriter Showcase Features Emerging Talent from Yale By Jerry Osterberg Julius (Julie) La Rosa was a very special guy! Not only did he have one of the best crooner voices of his generation but, as Whitney Balliet pointed out in his book, American Singers , “no singer had clearer diction” and he had a “hello sunshine sound” that made for a cheerful, gentle, mystifying vocal quality. My own personal experience with Back row: Linda Burns, David Alpher, Sarah Downs, Perry Sook, Zak Sandler, Alex Ratner, and Nicholas Levin him came as a result of the radio show, Middle row: Lucy Coolidge, Jennie Litt, Tom Toce, Megan Loughran, Susan Horowitz, and Michael Winther Welcome to the Club , which I hosted on Front row: Julia Meinwald, Megan Stern, Sam Bolen, Brennan Caldwell, and Marshall Pailet WRTN – 93.5FM, in the 1990’s. The station owner and president, William Tom Toce may not be a famous A bit of a Renaissance man, Tom O’Shaughnessy, was a longtime friend of chef, a fire chief, or building inspector, but admits to being influenced by Randy La Rosa, and a fellow Westchester he may well be an intrepid explorer. By Newman, the scion of a Hollywood resident. La Rosa was always invited to day, Tom is a mild-mannered actuary and dynasty. Like Newman, he leans toward the station’s yearly St. Patrick’s Day successful at what he does. By night, he funny, clever songs, not that he hasn’t celebration, a live broadcast from assumes a quite different role, that of an written serious ballads too: “The Night I Dudley’s Restaurant in New Rochelle. If award-winning songwriter. Primarily, Tom Fell in Love With Paris,” “Michael’s my memory serves me correctly, he rarely is a lyricist, although he’s been known, on Song,” and “Say You’ll Remember.” But, missed the event. Fortunately for me, I occasion, to write both words and music. if you’ve been charmed by Randy had the rare opportunity to spend an Several of his compositions have been Newman’s “Short People,” you’ll be afternoon of informal off-air chit-chat performed and/or recorded by stars such as absolutely delighted by Tom’s “Shalom, with La Rosa and another local celebrity Carole J. Bufford, Cynthia Crane, Tovah Santa” and “Got to Learn to Emote.” Like guest, renowned opera singer, Robert Feldshuh, Maude Maggart, Andrea Larry Kerchner, another of our active, Merrill, over large mugs of cold, green Marcovicci, Jane Monheit, Marissa prolific composer/lyricists, Tom Toce beer. Mulder, Jennifer Sheehan, and KT explores the full range of human emotions. I eventually mustered up the courage Sullivan. He finds the hilarious humor in most Continued on page 4 PAGE 2 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY JUNE, 2016 President’s Message... American Popular Linda Amiel Burns, President Song Society Board Of Directors: Don’t miss the last Program of our 2015-2016 Season on Saturday, June Linda Amiel Burns th 11 at The Musicians Hall of Local 802! We are extremely fortunate to President have jazz virtuoso Aaron Weinstein as our guest. He is known as “the Lynn DiMenna Groucho of the Violin” and is a renowned musician and entertainer. Sandi Durell 1st Vice Presidents Many thanks to Tom Toce for putting together a great Program last month for our annual Joan Adams Songwriter’s Showcase. The theme was talented songwriters, singers and musicians Sandy Marrone 2nd Vice Presidents from Yale University (with just a few exceptions) and you can read all about it in this issue’s lead story, written by our Editor-in-Chief, Jerry Osterberg. This month’s Glen Charlow Treasurer & Membership Newsletter features several other very interesting articles which I am sure you will enjoy. Marilyn Lester Corresponding Secretary Collector’s Corner! Can you imagine getting memorabilia and musical treasures FOR Bill Boggs FREE? Just a reminder that if you come early to Local 802 (between 12:30 & 1:30pm), Will Friedwald you can pick up sheet music, books, and CD’s at no cost! People donate their collections Michael Lavine ------------------------------------- to us, and it is our pleasure to share the items with you, as a gift from APSS. You might Publicist want to leave a donation in the jar, but that is optional. Richard Skipper Celebrates [email protected] I want to wish everyone a healthy and enjoyable summer, and as the song says, “See you Programs & Special Events Elliott Ames in September, see you when the summer’s through.” You will get a Newsletter from Sandi Durell us in September; however, we will resume our 2016-2017 season’s meetings on October Tom Toce th 8 with “The Algonquin Kid,” Michael Colby’s remarkable program produced by Sandi APSS Official Photographer: Durell. Rose Billings Graphic Designer, Web Guy This was another terrific year of exciting presentations, and the first year with our new Glen Charlow name: the American Popular Song Society. I am very proud of what has been N E W S L E T T E R accomplished and, along with you, I am looking forward to the future, as our Editor/Publisher: Jerry Osterberg [email protected] organization continues to grow and thrive. Contributing Editor: Marilyn Lester [email protected] Looking forward to seeing Associate Editor: Joan Adams th [email protected] you on June 11 ! Graphic Designer: Glen Charlow [email protected] Best wishes, Membership Mailing Address: American Popular Song Society P.O. Box 5856 Linda Pikesville, MD 21282 [email protected] (212) 315-3500 (Linda A. Burns) Photos by Rose Billings Tom Toce APSS Member: Susan Horowitz MEETING LOCATION: Local 802 – Musicians’ Hall 322 West 48th Street. Program: 1:45 – 3:30PM. Come early to look thru Sheet Music & CD’s & stuff, all FREE. JUNE, 2016 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 3 Singer/Songwriter ... the theme being emerging songwriters Julia Meinwald with Gordon Leary. from Yale, to no one’s surprise. Another tune by Pailet was “This Boy Continued from page 1 And so, at precisely 2:00 PM, Here,” partnering with A.D. Penedo this corners of the human condition, although undoubtedly as the old carillon bells time. The singer, Sam Bolen, added little of the romance and heartbreak chimed from the Harkness Tower on the “Feelin’ Our Way,” words and music again escapes his notice. Yale quad, Linda re-introduced Tom Toce by Ratner. Broadway veteran Michael Within the past few years, Tom’s and the show began with Richard Maltby Winther performed Zak Sandler’s “An star appears to be rising. After presenting and David Shire’s “Crossword Puzzle.” Opera Kid,” arguably the most heart- Hopelessly in Love to the New York Sheet wrenching song of the day. Music Society in 2013, he went on to Most of the accompaniment was accept the producing reins from Sandi provided by the deft pianist Jon Delfin, a Durell for the annual Singer & Songwriter seven time crossword puzzle winner, who Showcase, beginning in 2014 with Living was featured in the documentary, Standards. Starring Marissa Mulder, the “Wordplay”. Tom Toce presented a well-received program was reprised at the program with something for everyone. Metropolitan Room soon after, another Representing eighteen original songs were opportunity for Marissa to shine brightly, a two dozen composers, lyricists, and challenge well met. Far from exhausting Not in group photo: Lucy Ledbetter vocalists. It’s encouraging that not only is the available talent pool, Tom returned last there so much young and energetic talent year with a second edition of Living With Alex Ratner on piano, Lucy Ledbetter out there, but that the performance was so Standards, this time with a diversified cast delivered the cute tune, as she did later with well received by the APSS audience, which included himself. Filling in for Tom “I Got Me a Carpenter,” words and music schooled as it is in the American Gamblin, who had to cancel out close to by Ratner, now part of the illustrious Songbook. Tom Toce is not the only show time, the singing songwriter did alumni which include Cole Porter, Mitch proponent of popular music to remind us himself proud. Leigh, Maury Yeston, and Adam Guettel. that plenty of good, hummable tunes have Never content to rest on his laurels Susan Horowitz, one of the APSS’s been added to the canon over the past or limit his extracurricular activities, Tom members, rendered her own tunes “Blame several decades. While there may be fewer writes puzzles for the AAA, as in American it on the Tango” and “Together Forever,” songs of today’s singer-songwriters which Academy of Actuaries, appeared on both songs seemingly influenced by Porter. will exist independently, that is, covered by Jeopardy (inducted into the elite “Hall of Tom Toce’s “You’re a No- other artists, the same might have been said Champions” for high score in a single Brainer” and “When I Remember You,” of an earlier time. Isn’t it grand to be part of game), has written musicals for children, written with Bill Zeffiro and Nicholas an organization which might well be at the and more recently, reviewed a new Frank Levin, respectively. The songs were virtual cusp of a new age of popular music Sinatra biography for the Los Angeles performed by Brennan Caldwell, who also whose songs are of the caliber to stand the Review of Books.