By-Law Meeting: April 2012 Tuesday, April 10th, 2012 Vol. 72 No. 4 @1:00 pm Dal Segno Honorees see pages 16-17 Membership Meeting: Tuesday, May 8th, 2012 @1:00 pm By Ruth Marion Tobias A BACKWARD GLANCE COMO, PATTY PAGE, TERESA and his own “work in progress”_ Perusing a personal photo album BREWER, FRANK SINATRA, researching and writing fresh of Dal Segno memorabilia from TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD” and biographical sketches of famous band 1999, I found a congratulatory letter the list continues. Undoubtedly, Henry leaders. See www.bigbandlibrary. to my late trumpet player BURT Riggs will see himself in many of the com/biographicalsketches.html for TOBIAS from his dear friend scenes of the big bands with which he examples of his work. and colleague, drummer HENRY played. RIGGS. Lamenting the loss of so He requested that “name big band many musician friends, Henry wrote, More perusing? Ran across a recent alumni or family members in the “We were so lucky to have lived and “Celebrations” feature of the Tribune Chicago area contact me. I am worked in the time period allotted to congratulating folks on engagements, especially anxious to speak with us. To go to a show gig and see you weddings, birthdays... and there was people who have a connection to and the good late players and knowing a photo of ROY VOMBRACK with the following big bands: EDDY that the job was going to get done wishes for a happy 60th birthday from HOWARD, INA RAY HUTTON, with pride_these are the memories his family. LITTLE JACK LITTLE, that sustain us in our senior years.” RICHARD MALTBY, ART The sweet remembrance prompted my MOONEY, OZZIE NELSON, nostalgic phone call which found him SY OLIVER, PHIL SPITALNY, in good health and anxious to attend ORRIN TUCKER, JOE VENUTI, trumpeter STEVE COOPER’s latest and BOB ZURKE. My contact Big Band feature at Henry’s local information for this purpose library in Munster, Indiana. is: Christopher Popa, [email protected], or 312-747-4835.” DEDICATION Trumpeter/educator WILLIE NAYLOR’s greatest reward is Roy Vombrack to see the young students he “deterred from falling prey to the JUST IN CASE negative environment around them, Does anyone have knowledge of CFM assisting students through the music pianist JOSEPHINE MARENTIC? Her great nephew seeks information of this musician who died in 1994. Stephen Cooper She had a long career in movie houses playing for silent films. Our search We called Cooper to see what he is directed him to CHRISTOPHER doing with his library shows. His POPA, at the Music Information latest is: Early TV & Pop Singers_“a Center of the Chicago Public Library 1-1/2 hour program of rare videos and whose search in that regard was not films… from the late ‘40s, ‘50s and productive. However, he indicated ‘60s (of) DEAN MARTIN, PERRY his passion for the Big Band Era Willie Naylor 2 Intermezzo April 2012 Local 10-208 of profession.” With a personal motto ABOUT TOWN AFM AFL-CIO “to teach all, to reach all and to Symphony Center recently hosted CHICAGO FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS include all,” Dr. Naylor currently is JAY FRIEDMAN leading “the OFFICERS – DELEGATES 2011-2013 an instrumental music consultant chorus, vocal soloists and his Gary Matts President for the Country Club Hills Park and Symphony of Oak Park and Terryl Jares Vice-President Recreation Department, a position he River Forest in BEETHOVEN’s Spencer Aloisio Secretary-Treasurer previously held in Philadelphia. towering late masterpiece, “Missa BOARD OF DIRECTORS Robert Bauchens Bob Lizik Solemnis”... Lutkin Hall welcomed Rich Daniels Janice MacDonald His playing career includes ELIZABETH BUCCHERI Frank Donaldson Leo Murphy a personal relationship with in “Three Times Two”, a recital B.J. Levy MICHAEL JACKSON and of duo sonatas with clarinetist CONTRACT DEPARTMENT the JACKSON FIVE, stage STEVEN COHEN, hornist Terryl Jares – Vice-President Nancy Van Aacken performances with MILES DAVIS GAIL WILLIAMS and violinist ASSISTANTS TO THE and SONNY STITT and directing MATHIAS TACKE... North PRESIDENT - JURISDICTIONS the Chicago All City Jazz Band Shore Center for the Performing Terryl Jares - Vice-President during the 1988 Chicago Jazz Arts was the recent scene of Supervisor - Entire jurisdiction including theaters Festival. He has recorded a CD, HOWARD LEVY reuniting with (Cell Phone: 312-310-4100) “Anthology of Soul Classics” which BELA FLECK and the original Dean Rolando includes a point of personal pride_ FLECKTONES. Great stuff! Recordings, Transcriptions, Documentaries, Etc. his own composition recorded by (Cell Phone: 708-380-6219) the Dunbar Vocation High School DELEGATES TO CONVENTIONS OF THE Jazz Band of Chicago. His website: ILLINOIS STATE FEDERATION OF LABOR www.spongeyboymusic.com. AND CONGRESS OF INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATIONS Spencer Aloisio Gary Matts FYI Terryl Jares For string players, a heads-up: Three DELEGATES TO CHICAGO string instrument and bow dealers FEDERATION OF LABOR AND have joined forces. The historic Fine INDUSTRIAL UNION COUNCIL Rich Daniels Gary Matts Arts Building is now home to the Terryl Jares ELIZABETH STEIN Company, DELEGATES TO CONVENTIONS OF THE JOHN NORWOOD LEE BROWN Howard Levy AMERICAN FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS and DIXON STRINGS, Inc._Suite Spencer Aloisio Terryl Jares Rich Daniels Gary Matts 801 of 410 S. Michigan Avenue. IT’S A THOUGHT Frank Donaldson Offering any and all services to If swimming is so good for your Alternates: string players, Dixon-Stein-Lee also figure, how do you explain whales? Leo Murphy Larry Bowen suggests their suite as a beautiful EDITOR, THE INTERMEZZO setting for your next event_recital, Terryl Jares masterclass, gala or fundraiser. PRESIDENT EMERITUS Ed Ward VICE-PRESIDENT EMERITUS Tom Beranek BOARD OF DIRECTORS EMERITUS Ruth Marion Tobias Open Daily, except Saturday, Sunday and Holidays Office Hours 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. All Phones: 312-782-0063 (24 Hrs.) AFM WEB SITE: www.afm.org CFM WEB SITE: www.cfm10208.com Address all e-mail to the Secretary/Treasurer: [email protected] Cover illustration provided by Chris Nolan Creative. April 2012 Intermezzo 3 By Ruth Marion Tobias A story of persistence is the hallmark That is exactly what happened. I With Bill Porter’s band he played of percussionist Geraldo de Oliveira’s did that for two years. There were Vic Damone at the Chicago Theatre. remarkable rise in Chicago’s musical no Brazilian musicians here in 1975 They rehearsed in Oak Lawn and world. Born in Belo Horizonte, but I began meeting other musicians Geraldo rode with the guitar player. Brazil, he suffered through a broken- like Alejo Poveda, Thomas Kini and Mistakenly thinking they would hearted love affair and wanted to Breno Sauer. He played piano and rehearse and drive back home, he move to Rio de Janeiro. A friend his wife, Neusa, sang. They came did not bring a change of clothes. suggested making a real move_to from Brazil about a year before me They went right to the theatre. A the United States! Geraldo’s brother and went to Minneapolis. They were friend lent him a coat and tie and had been to the U.S. and made only playing for a short time in Des Vic Damone lent him a shirt. “He some connections in Chicago. That Plaines and Morton Grove. Again was such a kind man. He knew I sealed Geraldo’s fate. He had a place I asked to sit in. A bit later Breno had made a mistake and was so to stay, but little else. He knew no called me to sub for his drummer in compassionate,” Geraldo recalled. one, had no money and spoke little his group called Som Brasil. English. He kept his suitcase packed Then Henry Brandon hired him for should he decide to go back home. more Chicago Theatre shows to play “But I never went back; I was too for Steve Lawrence, Eydie Gorme proud. I was in an apartment, with and Aretha Franklin. nothing to eat for several days. I went out trying to find coins just to get a The casuals field also was opening hot dog. I know what it is to starve.” up for him. “Bert Rose was the first to hire me, then Dick Judson and Fortunately, beginning the up- Stanley Paul. I had all the work I hill climb did not take too long. could handle_Alan Kaye, Weddings, “I started going out and meeting “Meanwhile, Richard Garcia was Inc. with Michael Lerich. Then, from people, particularly a very special playing shows at the Hyatt O’Hare out of town, came Michael Carney person, Richard Garcia Gajate, a “Blue Max” showroom. A singer was (cousin of actor Art Carney) to play percussionist who right now plays coming in and Richard could not many, many society parties.” All that in Los Angeles. He was graduating make it. Could I do it for him? Ben in two years, but there is more. from the American Conservatory. Arden was the contractor. When I I met him in a restaurant on Lake met him I asked who the singer was Poveda and Kini asked him to work Shore Drive where he was playing. I and he said, “Barbara Eden”. I had The Bulls on Lincoln Avenue with introduced myself to him and said I no idea who Barbara Eden was, but Manfredo Fest for “no money but was desperately looking for work. I learned she was the TV “Genie”. Oh, great exposure”. Actually this time asked him if I could sit in on congas my gosh, I was playing for “Genie”! the exposure paid off handsomely. and he said yeah, go ahead_and we Drummer Tom Radke heard him play have been friends forever after! Ben Arden hired him to play with that night, called the following day to the Chicago Bears band; his network hire him for a movie session where “I said I wanted to go to school to was expanding and Breno urged him he also met pianist Terry Fryer, bassist learn jazz, etc.