[jazz_guitar] Jazz guitar and Italians

[Tom Williams]

Just watched a YouTube clip of Bucky Pizzarelli,
Michele Ramo (violin), Al Caiola and Jerry Bruno
(bass)in a live performance of "Sweet Georgia Brown."
Bucky was mentioned in several earlier posts this
evening. Bucky just turned 82. Al will be 88 in
September! I'd still pay to see either or both of
these guys. An era is ending.

And I've been thinking again (which my wife still
considers a dangerous activity for me to engage in).

- Why are/were so many superb jazz guitarists of
Italian heritage:

Bucky Pizzarelli
Al Caiola
Michele Ramo
Pat Martino
Frank Vignola
Al Di Meola
Tommy Tedesco
Tony Mottola
Jimmy Bruno
Frank Gambale
Chieli Minucci
John Pisano
Jim Campilongo
Randy Napoleon
Joe Giglio

and, of course, our own John Amato :)

- Why are/were so many great archtop luthiers Italian?

- John DiAngelico
- James D'Aquisto
- John Buscarino
- Bob Benedetto
- Steve Marchione
- M Campellone
- Vinny Colletti
- James DeCava
- James D'Leco
- Joe Dragony
- Frank Finocchio
- D'Ambrosio

Tom Williams

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[guit...@comcast.net]

And don't forget the father of jazz guitar, Salvatore Massaro (Eddie Lang) and his inspiration, Dominic Nicholas Anthony Lucanese (Nick Lucas).

-------------- Original message --------------
From: Tom Williams <tomwil...@yahoo.com>
.>Why are/were so many superb jazz guitarists of
Italian heritage<

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[David B. Klein]

At 02:46 AM 1/28/2008, Tom Williams wrote:
>- Why are/were so many superb jazz guitarists of
>Italian heritage:
>
>Bucky Pizzarelli
>Al Caiola
>Michele Ramo
>Pat Martino
>Frank Vignola
>Al Di Meola
>Tommy Tedesco
>Tony Mottola
>Jimmy Bruno
>Frank Gambale
>Chieli Minucci
>John Pisano
>Jim Campilongo
>Randy Napoleon
>Joe Giglio

That's interesting. Good question

>and, of course, our own John Amato :)
>
>- Why are/were so many great archtop luthiers Italian?
>
>- John DiAngelico
>- James D'Aquisto
>- John Buscarino
>- Bob Benedetto
>- Steve Marchione
>- M Campellone
>- Vinny Colletti
>- James DeCava
>- James D'Leco
>- Joe Dragony
>- Frank Finocchio
>- D'Ambrosio

That would have to be related to their violin making tradition, I
would suppose.

David

[John Amato]

... I wouldn't touch this thread with a 10 foot pole
... ethnic peculiarities abound ... just waiting for a
glimmering candidate ..

John Amato
Isaiah 55:11

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[David B. Klein]

At 08:12 AM 1/28/2008, John Amato wrote:
>... I wouldn't touch this thread with a 10 foot pole

Let's leave polish people out of it, huh?

David ;)

[Brad Rabuchin]

Not that it matters but I believe Pat Martino is actually Lebanese. I
heard he changed his name to an Italian sounding one to help get gigs so that kind of supports your point anyway.

[Ronald Murray]

Azarra was his original name. italian, i think.

On Jan 28, 2008, at 7:22 AM, Brad Rabuchin wrote:

> Not that it matters but I believe Pat Martino is actually Lebanese. I
> heard he changed his name to an Italian sounding one to help get
> gigs so that kind of supports your point anyway.
>
>
>

> Messages in this topic (6)Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic
> Messages | F

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[David B. Klein]

Pagannini and Giuliani....

[Jeff Shirkey]

Has anyone mentioned DiMeola yet? How about Satriani and Vai? I realize the latter
two aren't jazz players, but they're definitely great, and they're definitely Italian.
They also happen to be from the same town in Long Island, NY.

[David Beardsley]

Jeff Shirkey wrote:
> Has anyone mentioned DiMeola yet? How about Satriani and Vai? I realize the latter
> two aren't jazz players, but they're definitely great, and they're definitely Italian.
> They also happen to be from the same town in Long Island, NY.

Zappa.

--
* David Beardsley
* microtonal guitar
* http://biink.com

[JVeg...@aol.com]

Pat Martino is of Italian heritage. His real last name is Azzara, but his
father, a tailor who was also an amateur guitarist, performed as Mickey
Martino, so Pat adopted that last name professionally. There's a very good film
biography of PM titled "Open Road", made by Phil Fallo. I had it on VHS, and
I'm not sure whether it's available in DVD format, but it's well-worth
checking out. Pat's is one incredible story...

Cheers,
JV

Juan Vega
Guitarist/Teacher
JVeg...@aol.com
323-533-3359
_www.myspace.com/jvegafriends_ (http://www.myspace.com/jvegafriends)

**************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape.
http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Chris Smart]

and in the non-jazz vein, Vinnie Moore, John Petrucci, Steve Vai,
Joe Satriani, Frank Gambale (perhaps) Michael Angelo ...

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[John Amato]

... he he ...

--- "David B. Klein" <dbk...@sympatico.ca> wrote:

> At 08:12 AM 1/28/2008, John Amato wrote:
> >... I wouldn't touch this thread with a 10 foot
> pole
>
>
> Let's leave polish people out of it, huh?
>
> David ;)
>
>

John Amato
Isaiah 55:11

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[pecpec]

Joe Pass wasn't too shabby either.

[Tom Williams]

David B. Klein" <dbk...@sympatico.ca> wrote:

<Pagannini and Giuliani....>

And Napoleon Coste, Giulio Regondi, Luigi Legnani,
Matteo Carcassi and Ferdinando Carulli

Tom Williams

[Mattias Jinnerot]

Here´s the first I came to think about: Joe Pass and Joe Diorio

[theunknownguitarplayer]

Joe Messina (Motown - the Funk Brothers)

[John Amato]

... actually, for the record, Pat's father is Lebanese
and his mother is Italian ...

--- Brad Rabuchin <bradra...@earthlink.net> wrote:

> Not that it matters but I believe Pat Martino is
> actually Lebanese. I
> heard he changed his name to an Italian sounding one
> to help get gigs so that kind of supports your point
> anyway.
>
>
>

John Amato
Isaiah 55:11

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[JVeg...@aol.com]

"Joe Messina (Motown - the Funk Brothers)"

Who was also a smokin' jazz player...

Cheers,
JV

Juan Vega
Guitarist/Teacher
JVeg...@aol.com
323-533-3359
_www.myspace.com/jvegafriends_ (http://www.myspace.com/jvegafriends)

**************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape.
http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[David B. Klein]

At 11:44 AM 1/28/2008, Tom Williams wrote:
>David B. Klein" <dbk...@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
><Pagannini and Giuliani....>
>
>
>And Napoleon Coste, Giulio Regondi, Luigi Legnani,
>Matteo Carcassi and Ferdinando Carulli
>
>
>
> Tom Williams

Luigi Boccherini...

David

[Tom Williams]

Dionisio Aguado

tw

[David B. Klein]

At 01:06 PM 1/28/2008, Tom Williams wrote:
>Dionisio Aguado
>
>tw

Isn't he a Spaniard? Sor, at least, was Catalan, so almost Italian ...

[john_lumia]

Back in 1978 I vacationed in Colorado and passed thru Gunnison
Colorado. The restaurant was owned by a very old Italian guitar
player whose name now escapes me but he had tons of publicity photos
from Los Angeles and New York. Would anyone out there remember who
this guy was?

John

[Bob Hansmann]

> Dionisio Aguado
>
> tw
>
> > Luigi Boccherini..
>
> .
>
For those too young to remember back around 1974 oe so, for one summer
NYC sponsored a 'Great Guitars of Jazz" extravaganza. Greats like Barney
Kessel, Chuck Wayne, Joe Puma, and Jimm Hall, to name only a few, could
be seen playing clubs around the City, pretty much totally at the
expense of NYC, and it was, to understate, fxxxing great!!!!!!

Further downtown, in "Little Italy", these two guys could be heard as a
duo in some of the famous dessert cafés, playing such Italian Jazz
Standards as Volaré, Tarantella, and of course, "Gina, Don'ta Leana on
the Bell". :-)

sorry, I couldn't resist, :-[
Bobby

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Tom Williams]

--- "David B. Klein" <dbk...@sympatico.ca> wrote:

> At 01:06 PM 1/28/2008, Tom Williams wrote:
> >Dionisio Aguado
> >
> >tw
>
> Isn't he a Spaniard? Sor, at least, was Catalan, so
> almost Italian ...

David:

Come to think of it, you're right. Aguado was Spanish.
Another Italian composer of occasional guitar music,
though he was born near Salzburg and died in Vienna,
was Anton (aka Antonio) Diabelli.
His compositions are pretty light fare, but quite
guitarristic. I don't know if he played the guitar,
but as a composer he certainly knew his way around the
fingerboard.
He's best known for providing the theme and inspiring
Beethoven's "Diabelli Variations."

Tom Williams

[Bob Hansmann]

> Come to think of it, you're right. Aguado was Spanish.

hmmm..... that's right. Of course, Tom, you realize you just destroyed
my "stand up momsnt"!

warmest regards,
Bobby

[Tom Williams]

Bobby wrote:

<Greats like Barney Kessel, Chuck Wayne, Joe Puma, and
Jimm Hall, to name only a few, could be seen playing

clubs around the City ..>

And I believe Joe Puma was Italian.

A few other jazz guitarists I didn't mention:

Al Viola
Marty Quinto
Tony Rizzi
Harry Volpe
Johnnie Valentino
Gary Bruno
Michael Coppola
Mike DiBari
Frank DiBussolo
Mike DiFebbo
Mike DeMicco
Tony DeCaprio

Tom Williams

[John Amato]

... and don't forget

Tony DiCaprio
Jimmy D'Angelis
Giuseppe Panzella
Gigi Cifarelli
Piergiorgio Lucidi
Alessio Menconi
Franco Cierri
Carlo Donenicone
Nicola Stilo
Marco Biazzi
Eraldo Bernocchi
Marcello Capra
Sergio Caputo
Peppino D'Agostino
Pino Daniele
Franco Fabbri
Andrea Ferro
Giorgio Gaber
Cristiano Migliore
Luca Priniotta
Tom Principato
Ettore Rigotti
Walter Lupi

John Amato
Isaiah 55:11

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[John Amato]

... not to mention Joe Cinderella

[Will Halligan]

Perhaps it is to do with family support.
A close family support network is a great
recipe for success in any field.

Will

[doccawudi]

In the 70s there was an Italian jazz/prog band called Area, with an
astonishing guitar player (not to mention one of the most out there
and amazing vocalists ever, Demetrio Stratos). The guitar player was
Paolo Tofani. He made one solo album, very obscure, but very far ahead
of its time. He was heavily influenced by jazz. How many of you would
consider him a jazz player.... but I'd recommend his music
wholeheartedly to anyone with an interest in the farther reaches.

Googling Paolo will reveal he became a Hare Krishna and has been
making quite different music. I haven't heard it but intend to follow
that up sometime. His web site has a fascinating write-up on his career.

Area's records often get lumped in with prog rock, and that is
certainly a flavor in their stew. So is Italian folk song and opera.
Steve Lacy played on their later records, in case that is ahook to get
some "jazz only" folks tyo give them a listen.

[Tom Williams]

This whole thread started with not only "who" but also
"why." Let's talk about the "why" part of the
question.

I have a few ideas (I know ... here we go again):

- Why are so many archtop luthiers Italian?

Archtop luthiery in New York begins with John
D'Angelico, especially after he set up his own shop on
Kenmare Street in 1932. Orville Gibson may have
invented the archtop guitar, but D'Angelico brought a
centuries-old tradition of Old World luthiery to the
evolution of guitar design. Prior to 1932, D'Angelico
had worked with his uncle, Signor Ciani, making
Neapolitan-style mandolins and flattop guitars. He had
also studied violin making. From 1932 until his death
in 1964, he built almost 1200 guitars, with much of
the work performed in the last decade of his life by
his apprentice, James D'Aquisto.

He focused centuries of Italian instrument-making
heritage - violin, mandolin, guitar - into the
construction of archtops. One example: the ornate
mother-of-pearl work on the headstock and fretboard -
a carryover of the ornate early Italian guitars and
mandolins.

So, the model of the small archtop guitar shop was
established with D'Angelico and tD'Aquisto. limited
high-end production, custom acouterments (materials,
body size, fingerboard length and width, etc), tap
toning every soundboard to meet a client's
expectations, etc. - all were part of the D'Angelico
aesthetic. All have their origins in the small-shop
violin making model.
Morover, he proved the violin-making economic model
for guitar construction. 1-2 artisans, building very
refined instruments by hand, limited output, meeting
customers' specific requirements, supplemented with
repair work, etc. ... you could make a living.
And he established a quality standard.
The lineage from D'Angelico to today's
Italian-American master luthiers is a subject for a
future date.
Suffice it to say that the Italian communities in the
major East Coast cities are still very close-knit.
(Martin Scorcese said in a recent interview that the
first time he ventured out of Little Italy was to
attend NYU!) Skilled trades are often still family
affairs. John D died in 1964, Jimmy D continued the
tradition. John D, a lifelong bachelor, considered
Jimmy the son he never had.
Jimmy, though he never employed an apprentice at his
shop in Farmingdale, NY, loved to talk with others in
the about his passion - the archtop guitar. I suspect
that, at least in part, it was through his dialogue
with East Coast luthiers of Italian descent (and
others, notably Candada's Linda Manzer) that a legacy
of Italian-American archtop craftsmen was spawned.
Where did the other Italian luthiers come from? In
addition to the Italian violin-making tradition, Lyon
and Healy of Chicago was employing Italians to build
archtop mandolins. At the height of the
turn-of-the-century mandolin craze, L & H distributed
more than 7,000 mandolins annually. More on mandolins
in another post.

Tom Williams

[Bob Hansmann]

> Archtop luthiery in New York begins with John

> D'Angelico...&c.

Nice history, Tom,
Now, sadly, the "D'Angelico America" guitars are made in Korea. I heard
one over the weekend in the hands of John Abercrombe, and it looked and
sounded very good. But, other than the headstock, I see no similarity.
Have you inspected one?

best,
Bobby

[Dave Woods]

John D'Angelico made me a New Yorker back in the 60's. I traded in a Super 400 and cash for it. He took about $500.00 in all for the guitar. I used to visit the shop on Kenmare Street, and watch John and Jimmy make guitars.
Jimmy D'Quisto was an excellert guitarist in his own right. He studied with Chuck Wayne. We used to sit and jam on tunes.
As far as Italians and guitars are concerned, The Italians have been making the finest stringed instruments for centuries. Has anyone ever heard of Stradivarius?

Dave Woods
www.jazzguitarstartingright.com

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Tom Williams]

--- Bob Hansmann <bobby...@verizon.net> wrote:
> Nice history, Tom,
> Now, sadly, the "D'Angelico America" guitars are
> made in Korea. I heard
> one over the weekend in the hands of John
> Abercrombe, and it looked and
> sounded very good. But, other than the headstock, I
> see no similarity.
> Have you inspected one?

Bobby:

A friend had one up for sale at a local guitar shop
last year. Sounded very good, workmanship was a little
shoddy, especially the purfling and bound fingerboard.
Fingerboard was fine, but the binding was a little
rough, IIRC.
That said, I understand the detailing is much better
now. I believe several listmembers own Asian
D'Angelico guitars. I'd be interested in their
comments.
Their marketing model is interesting. They have
dealers, but you can also buy one right now at their
website direct.

Tom

[Bob Hansmann]

For all the "baby boomers" out there (I'm one, too), I just did the
math. Yoko Ono is now 74 years old.

cheers,
Bobby

[JVeg...@aol.com]

"For all the "baby boomers" out there (I'm one, too), I just did the math.
Yoko Ono is now 74 years old."

I'm not a big fan of Yoko's "music", but as an artist I certainly respect
her staying true to her vision (or sound)... I suspect her life wouldn't have
changed much if she & John Lennon hadn't met; she appears to me to be
"genuine", and I respect that, even if she "married well".

Thanks for the news update! Now I'm feeling a bit old too...!

Cheers,
JV

Juan Vega
Guitarist/Teacher
JVeg...@aol.com
323-533-3359
_www.myspace.com/jvegafriends_ (http://www.myspace.com/jvegafriends)

**************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape.
http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Bob Hansmann]

I always loved her. Her art would have perhaps been more sincere had she
not grown up in Scarsdale, but she did nonetheless make an impact which
is finally now being appreciated.

But she had a quality that I don't much see in American girls. American
girls seem to feel they can either love totally or develop themselves
personally. Yoko is one of those who was able to do both quite
naturally. I respect that.

> Thanks for the news update! Now I'm feeling a bit old too...!

yup....

Bobby

[Tom Williams]

And now, dear readers, on to the 2nd question:

- Why are so many jazz guitarists Italian?

For what it's worth, here's my take:

Italian music on fretted instruments with plectrum
dates back centuries, at least to Vivaldi's Concerto
for Mandolin and Orchestra. Moreover, the Italians
made contributions to the construction and development
of the guitar in the 17th Century. Antonio Stradivari,
known principally for his violins, also made guitars.
Two examples are still in existence.
The Neapolitan-style mandolin was developed and
perfected in Italy.
From the late 19th to the early 20th Century, there
were more Italian immigrants in and around NYC than
anywhere else in the world. Most came only with what
they could carry. Some brought mandolins,
some guitars. This immigration wave was concurrent
with a mandolin craze in the US. Mandolin ensembles
evolved with the emergence of mandolas and
mandocellos.
But crazes come and go. After WWI, jazz and ragtime
replaced the more sedate parlor music of the Gay 90s.
But "the mandolin still remained very popular within
the close Italian community because their tastes in
music would not be influenced. They played the same
music from Naples and Sicily in America. Within the
community mandolin orchestras and ensembles thrived"
(Paul Sparks, "The Classical Mandolin" pp 153-154)

I believe that the two events converged. Jazz and
ragtime's emergence met up with a generation of
talented Italian-American instrumentalists with a
strong background in plectrum-instrument performance.
From that convergence came Italians Eddie Lang and
Nick Lucas.
And with a change in American musical taste came a
need for a bigger, bolder fretted instrument. Mandolin
and 4-string Dixieland banjo moved to tenor guitar and
finally to the 6-string archtop. But as Eddie Lang was
developing a modern harmonic approach to the guitar in
the late 20s, he was still incorporating single
melodic lines and 3-4 note chords. There were, of
course, practical reasons for taking this approach in
an ensemble, but could it also be that it was a
natural progession to incorporate many of the
techniques already established on other fretted
instruments?
Meanwhile, another Italian-American, Harry Volpe,
began training the next generation of jazz guitarists
from his store/studio in NYC. Among his students: Sal
Salvador (aka Silvio Smiraglia) and Joe Pass (aka
Joseph Anthony Passalaqua).

Were these the only influences? No. Italians were also
assimilating American popular culture. As has been
pointed out in an earlier post, Jimmy Bruno heard Hank
Garland play jazz on an LP. Joe Pass grew up in a
non-musical family, got inspired after hearing Gene
Autry play and sing. But here's the difference. His
dad recognized that Joe had talent and encouraged him.
It was, in my opinion, the musical heritage of Italian
families - folkloric, opera, classical - that created
a framework for musical development and expression.
Guitar may have been an enjoyable pastime for a
Midwestern banker's son, a way of wooing a young lass
in the parlor. But it was both a passion and a way to
make a living for 2nd and 3rd generation
Italian-Americans. If Joe Pass hadn't found the
guitar, odds are he might have followed his father
into the Pennsylvania steel mills.

Tom Williams

[rguitarjj]

My Korean made EXDC is flawless except for the nut slots, which were
not evenly spaced. I had them replaced.

--- In jazz_...@yahoogroups.com, Tom Williams <tomwil110548@...>
wrote:

[John Amato]

... talking "baby boomers" .... will be sitting with
my tax guy
to talk possibility of numbers for a June '08
"Retirement" ...
...it's looking good ...

...stat. are reporting lots of baby boomers retiring
from educ.
this June leaving a bug Set. o8 hiring frenzy ...

--- Bob Hansmann <bobby...@verizon.net> wrote:

> For all the "baby boomers" out there (I'm one, too),
> I just did the
> math. Yoko Ono is now 74 years old.
>
> cheers,
> Bobby
>
>

John Amato
Isaiah 55:11

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[John Amato]

"74" today is not like 74 of yesteryear...

... not meant to be profound -- but a new twist on
"old

--- Bob Hansmann <bobby...@verizon.net> wrote:

> For all the "baby boomers" out there (I'm one, too),
> I just did the
> math. Yoko Ono is now 74 years old.
>
> cheers,
> Bobby
>
>

John Amato
Isaiah 55:11

____________________________________________________________________________________

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[John Amato]

John D'Angelico got the idea for his New Yorker
headstock logo from the shape of the New Yorker hotel
in Manhattan when he would look out the window of his
shop in Brooklyn .... see the steps of the building
shape as it ascends ... the hotel is still there ...
and so are Johnny's guitars ... escalated about 2000%
from original price (maybe more...)

John Amato
Isaiah 55:11

____________________________________________________________________________________
Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page.
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[John Amato]

I have a new D'An Excel ... of course it's not a John
D' model ... but I like it ... all around good quality
...

John Amato
Isaiah 55:11

____________________________________________________________________________________
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[Bob Hansmann]

> "74" today is not like 74 of yesteryear..
>
> .
>

No, and 50 is not the "new 30" either - I can tell you that for sure.
But I keep trying! :-)
I remember seeing a clip from "The View" which was so disgusting in its
imagery it made some satire on cable stations. Barbara Walters said
something about wanting to do a 3-way with two of the others. Ouch!!!!!
No... the thought of her at age 20 is "ouch", this one is off the scale.

best,
Bobby

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Wm. Marshall Faircloth]

John

Congrats on having reached some arbitrary combination of age and
length of service in your chosen profession! If you are healthy and
enjoy what you do, why retire? It can be grossly overrated. On the
other hand, if your state laws allow you to retire and then come back
as a contract employee, you can double-dip. That's what a lot of NC
educators are doing. I personally think that's a positve since we
don't lose the one's who really like to teach the kids.

From your writings here, you seem to be one of those who would be a
great loss to the profession.

Best,

Marshall Faircloth
(Chairman of Cumberland County, NC Bd of Ed., 1989-90)
Jazz Guitarist Wannabe

--- In jazz_...@yahoogroups.com, John Amato <jamato316@...> wrote:
>
> ... talking "baby boomers" .... will be sitting with
> my tax guy
> to talk possibility of numbers for a June '08
> "Retirement" ...
> ...it's looking good ...
>
> ...stat. are reporting lots of baby boomers retiring
> from educ.
> this June leaving a bug Set. o8 hiring frenzy ...
>
>>

[Bob Hansmann]

> John D'Angelico got the idea for his New Yorker
> headstock logo from the shape of the New Yorker hotel
> in Manhattan

That's kool to know. I always thought it was the Empire State and
Chrysler buildings.

Bobby

[John Amato]

Wm..

I agree with you ... I love "teaching" ... but after
33 years it's the "politics" I despise ... and how the
corrupt politics and game-playing administrators rob
the very essence of education from the mental pockets
of the kids ...

.. call it, I guess, the politics of compromise that I
am fed up with ,,,not teaching ...
-

[Bob Hansmann]

> From that convergence came Italians Eddie Lang and

> Nick Lucas....

Where in all of this history does Roy Smeck fit? Iff memory serves,
somewhere in my old vinyl lies an LP of him doing Hawaiian tunes on a
banjo. I don't think I ever played it, out of pure fear. Maybe today
I'll dig it out and see.

Bobby

[Charlie X]

HI..i have a DA ..i think its the DH1. Is the 16 inch 2 pup w/ 25 inch scale. I got a great deal and the guitar is 'nice'. Good looking and plays pretty nice even without a pro set up. Frets are too low for me and should be replaced, but for occasional playing its ok. After i got it (direct from DA) i noticed this is the EXACT same guitar as the Epi Joe Pass model, but with different appointments. I then surmised that many of the DA models are likely made in the Samick factory where they attach the Stairstep tailpiece and do the inlay and call it a DA. THe execl models are all made in china and the others are from Japan..and supposed to be better. I would sell my DH if anyone wants it for $850 with the case. Its nice ..natural finish and barely played. Less than 6 months old. Check out my sound clips, new CD and pics at http://charliex.com

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Tom Williams]

--- Bob Hansmann <bobby...@verizon.net> wrote:

> Where in all of this history does Roy Smeck fit? Iff
> memory serves,
> somewhere in my old vinyl lies an LP of him doing
> Hawaiian tunes on a
> banjo. I don't think I ever played it, out of pure
> fear. Maybe today
> I'll dig it out and see.

Bobby:

Here's Roy's Wiki bio:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Smeck

Tom

[John Amato]

I heard a few samples from Joe Cinderella's 2000 CD
called "Concept."

Relly Cool Big Band Sounds!

What he did was arrange the parts for quartet with
alto sax lead line -- but what was is so really cool
is that he arranged the parts and guitar voicings in
such a way that you can swear you are hearing horn
parts ...

One of his techniques was he used an 8-string guitar
with special tuning ... check out some samples at:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/cinderella

John Amato
Isaiah 55:11

____________________________________________________________________________________

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[ralphpatt]

--- In jazz_...@yahoogroups.com, Tom Williams <tomwil110548@...>
wrote:
>

> And now, dear readers, on to the 2nd question:
>
> - Why are so many jazz guitarists Italian?

I agree with Tom's excellant discussion on the Italian influence on
jazz guitar.
I'd like to add an anecdote on the subject of Italian decent
guitarists.

In 1967, I was working a Broadway show for conductor Elliot Lawrence.
A benefit was planned at Madison Square Garden for the Isreal 7 day
war. Elliot was asked to get the orchestra for the event and was
expected to have an all Jewish Orchestra and the musicians were
to "donate" their services. Because there was to be no rehearsal for
the numerous name acts, Elliot called only studio, recording and
Broadway musicians (good sight readers) for the event.
The night before the benefit, Elliot came to me and asked me to do
the event. He said with the exception of Billy Bauer, who was out of
town with an ice show, "there are no Jewish guitar players in New
York". I did the benefit and got a lot of kidding with a few made up
names.

The point is that at least in the 1950s and 60s, guitarists of
Italian heritage were very prominent. 14 of the 38 members of the
Manhattan Guitar Club were of Italian decent, (my father came from
Sicily).

More on the Manhattan Guitar Club.

In the early 1960s in New York, Art Ryerson and other studio guitar
players formed a club for the purpose of putting two to four
amplifiers in each of the New York recording studios, so that we
wouldn't have to carry amps from studio to studio. At that time many
record dates used as many as four guitars. A deal was made with
Everret Hull who then owned Ampeg Amplifier Company, and each member
of the club bought one amp. Each amp needed a key to turn it on so
only club members could use the amps. The group of guitarists who
bought and used these amps was called "The Manhattan Guitar Club".
The club had occasional meetings to decide which studios to place the
number of amps.
Here is the roster of that club.

Don Arnone Mundell Lowe
Everett Barksdale Tommy Lucas
George Barnes Larry Lucie
Billy Bauer Trade Martin (Lione)
Vinnie Bell Carmen Mastren
Gene Bertoncini Charlie Macey
Kenny Burrell Jim Mitchell
Billy Butler Tony Mottola
Al Caiola Billy Mure
Ralph Casale Ralph Patt
Al Casamenti Danny Perri
Chuck Catania Bucky Pizzerelli
Frank Cercie Walter Raim
Howard Collins Wally Richardson
John DeRose Art Ryerson
Barry Galbraith Bill Syker
Al Gorgoni
Tony Gottuso Honorary Member
Allen Hanlon Jimmy Raney
Tommy Kay

Ralph

www.ralphpatt.com

[Bob Hansmann]

> Tony Gottuso Honorary Member

A dear friend of mine, Madolyn Curry - Marler at the time - was a
student of his. He used to get mad at her because she kspt faking that
she was reading the lessons, which she had memorized on first hearing.
she never did learn to read, but she must've known at least 300 standards.

Sadly, she's gone now, but she was full of lots of Tony Gottuso stories.
She loved him dearly.

He also taught Tony Mattola, and who knows how many others.

Bobby

[John Amato]

Ralph,

In the 70s I studied with two guitarists from your
list (Manhattan Guitar Club)

• Larry Lucie (in the old Henry Adler publishing co.
on the west side)
• Barry Galbraith (in the Brill Building)

John Amato
Isaiah 55:11

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[John Amato]

A friend of mine is seeking a Vibes teacher in NJ/NY
area (pref. northern NJ...

Anyone have any good sources or references?

[David B. Klein]

At 10:33 PM 1/30/2008, John Amato wrote:
>A friend of mine is seeking a Vibes teacher in NJ/NY
>area (pref. northern NJ...
>
>Anyone have any good sources or references?
>
>John Amato
> Isaiah 55:11

Is this for good vibes or bad vibes?

David

[John Amato]

> Is this for good vibes or bad vibes?
>
> David

Huh?

... I'm thinking of good VIB -RO-PHONES ...

John Amato
Isaiah 55:11

____________________________________________________________________________________
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[David B. Klein]

At 11:00 PM 1/30/2008, John Amato wrote:
> > Is this for good vibes or bad vibes?
> >
> > David
>
>
>Huh?
>
>... I'm thinking of good VIB -RO-PHONES ...
>
>John Amato
> Isaiah 55:11

Sorry, John, just pullin' your leg ;) But I suppose there could be
some sort of New Age practitioner called a Vibes Teacher that really
specialized in the non-musical kind of vibes....

Cheers, DAvid

[ralphpatt]

--- In jazz_...@yahoogroups.com, John Amato <jamato316@...> wrote:
>

> Ralph,
>
> In the 70s I studied with two guitarists from your
> list (Manhattan Guitar Club)
>
> • Larry Lucie (in the old Henry Adler publishing co.
> on the west side)
> • Barry Galbraith (in the Brill Building)

I left New york in 1969 and lost track of most of the New York
musicians. I know Barry had a serious spine surgery in 1969 that
affected his playing. Can you tell me if he ever fully recovered. I
talked to him by phone in 1970 and he said he had gotten back only
about 60 per cent. Also, did you know Howie Collns? I've heard he
taught out of the same studio. Great guitar player!

Ralph

www.ralphpatt.com
______________________________________________________________________

[Will Halligan]

--- In jazz_...@yahoogroups.com, Bob Hansmann <bobbybmusic@...>
wrote:

>
> > John D'Angelico got the idea for his New Yorker
> > headstock logo from the shape of the New Yorker hotel
> > in Manhattan

I saw one yesterday in a Manchester shop, nearly
£3000. It didn`t have the stepped fingerboard
design which I thought they all had. Completely
acoustic archtop fitted with flatwound strings.
Played like a dream - sounded like mud.

Will

[David B. Klein]

At 08:00 AM 1/31/2008, Will Halligan wrote:
>I Completely

>acoustic archtop fitted with flatwound strings.
>Played like a dream - sounded like mud.
>
>Will
>

Different strings might be the answer, don't you think?

Cheers, David

[John Amato]

But I suppose
> there could be
> some sort of New Age practitioner called a Vibes
> Teacher that really
> specialized in the non-musical kind of vibes....
>
> Cheers, DAvid

... Oh yeah, that's the new age Acupuncture Calm
Spirit Chiropractic with the funnel on fire in your
ear office -- my brother-in-law Vito says he'sgot the
same (almost) credentials as a doctor ...

... but his nurse, "...she's giving me EX-CI-TA-TIONS ...."

John Amato
Isaiah 55:11

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[John Amato]

Can you tell me if he ever
> fully recovered. I
> talked to him by phone in 1970 and he said he had
> gotten back only
> about 60 per cent. Also, did you know Howie Collns?
> I've heard he
> taught out of the same studio. Great guitar player!
>
> Ralph
>

Ralph,

Barry could hardly play a continuos section (due to
his accident) of what he was teaching ... but he was
still very comprehensible ... he was able to finger
the position and/or phrase but not play the entire
piece through ... he used to love to bring home made
cakes and pastries down to Ny from Vermont where he
lived ... his students not only enjoyed his expertise
and gentleness as great guy and player, but his baking
was excellent!

Barry shared a suite of lesson rooms in the Brill
building with Allan Hanlon and Sal Salvador who at the
time I believe were doing duo dates and recordings
...

John Amato
Isaiah 55:11

____________________________________________________________________________________

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[John Amato]

--- Will Halligan <wi...@post.com> wrote:
> > > John D'Angelico got the idea for his New Yorker
> > > headstock logo from the shape of the New Yorker
> hotel in Manhattan
>
> I saw one yesterday in a Manchester shop, nearly
> £3000. It didn`t have the stepped fingerboard
> design which I thought they all had. Completely
> acoustic archtop fitted with flatwound strings.
> Played like a dream - sounded like mud.
>
> Will

UNCATEGORICALLY: ... THE finest instrument I ever
played!

... I don't think you can touch one for under $12,000
....

... I remember years ago in the 70s of a chap who got
a call from a widow. Her husband had passed away and
she was cleaning out his closet. She called him over
to take her husband's old guitar case off her hands.
He asked how much, she didn't know its value, and said
he could have it for nothing if he just took it. He
gets there, opens the case, and finds an almost brand,
spanking new D'Angelico "New Yorker."

!!!!!!!!!

I would have died right there...

John Amato
Isaiah 55:11

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[ralphpatt]

--- In jazz_...@yahoogroups.com, John Amato <jamato316@...> wrote:

> Ralph,
>
> Barry could hardly play a continuos section (due to

> his accident) ... his students not only enjoyed his expertise

> and gentleness as great guy and player, but his baking
> was excellent!

John,

Thanks for the info on Barry. It wasn't an accident that caused the
problem. He had been experiencing numbness in his left hand for about
a year. It was diagnosed as a growth on a nerve in the spine
affecting the left arm and hand. He had surgery on the spine to
remove the growth and that left him with diminished control of the
hand. As for his baking skills, I studied with him in 1953 and 1954.
Howard Collins, Dyane Ander and myself would have lessons on Sunday
afernoon in his apartment. Then we would play guitar quartets that
Barry would arrange. He would always bake a pie for after the
playing. Dyane would often have to sell a pint of blood to make the
$5 lesson and usually Barry wouldn't accept it. The quartets went on
for many year and finaly got recorded (as a quintet)with arrangements
by Barry and John DeRisi.
Dyane and I were both studying with Chuck Wayne at the same time. We
could tell Barry that we were studying with Chuck...but didn't dare
tell Chuck that we were studying with Barry. With Chuck it was "my
way or the highway". Barry believed in studying with all sorts of
guitarists. He himself studied classic guitar, flamenco guitar, piano
at Manhattan School of music. For me, he was the model of what a
muscian should be and what a human being should aspire to.

Ralph

www.ralphpatt.com
______________________________________________________________________

[John Amato]

--- ralphpatt <ralp...@wbcable.net> wrote:

> With Chuck it was "my
> way or the highway". Barry believed in studying with
> all sorts of
> guitarists. He himself studied classic guitar,
> flamenco guitar, piano
> at Manhattan School of music. For me, he was the
> model of what a
> muscian should be and what a human being should
> aspire to.
>
Ralph

When I studied with Jimmy D'Angelis in the 70s, that's
exactly what he said when he studied with Chuck Wayne,
"my way or the highway." I debated with myself whether
or not I would continue that study -- because Jimmy
told me flat out that I would have to learn Chuck's
traverse picking method (today it's "sweep") if I
wanted to study with him ...

.. anyway, I decided to stay -- and today count it a
guitaristic and musical blessing ... to have that
picking plus alternate as immediate tools ... (I do
the same with my students today... the more versatile
a player we become the more sides of expression we can
exhibit and tap into ...)

... after about 6 months with Jimmy I took lessons
from Pat Martino when he was living on 14th Street in
the Village ...

Pat used to say, "music is the feast, it's the food of
the soul, and the guitar is just another tool, it's
like a 'fork" at that meal ..."

John Amato
Isaiah 55:11

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[Thesl...@aol.com]

-----Original Message-----
From: Will Halligan <wi...@post.com>
>I saw one yesterday in a Manchester shop, nearly
>£3000. It didn`t have the stepped fingerboard
>design which I thought they all had. Completely
>acoustic archtop fitted with flatwound strings.
>Played like a dream - sounded like mud.

No, only the Excel and the New Yorker

[Bob Hansmann]

> Barry believed in studying with all sorts of

> guitarists. He himself studied classic guitar...&c.

We shared the same classic guitat teacher - Albert valdes Blain, who, in
my opinion, was one of the greatest influences on guitarists in NYC
ever. Classic guitarists studied with him, as did plectrum guitarists
looking, like myself, for something deeper. The man was amazing!

best,
Bobby

[sgcim2001]

--- In jazz_...@yahoogroups.com, Bob Hansmann <bobbybmusic@...>
wrote:
>

> > John D'Angelico got the idea for his New Yorker
> > headstock logo from the shape of the New Yorker hotel
> > in Manhattan
>
>
> That's kool to know. I always thought it was the Empire State and
> Chrysler buildings.

Actually, in "Acquired of the Angels" by Paul William Schmidt p.64
D'Aquisto says "The step design for the headpiece (of the New
Yorker) was taken from the Empire State Building.
It was designed by a jewelry designer friend of John's named Duke,
who also made the templates John used for the split block
fingerboard inlays."

My father was best friends with that guy, Duke (real name Hugo
Cimelli), who was also an excellent guitarist, besides being a
jewelry designer.

My father bought Duke's D'Angelico (one of the early "Snakehead"
models, made in 1932) which I currently possess.

[Ron Becker]

This can be seen as an art decco influence. Just watched the Aviator
again. You can say what you want about the move but those marble
bathrooms in the fancy hotels and restaurants in the movie are a
decco wet dream. Another good one is The Two Jakes. It's a follow up
to China Town but in the early 50s. And the probable source for some
of the decco motifs is Japanese and southwestern indian cloud and
landscape influenced patterns. I'm sure its much older than that.

Ron
Living and playing outside the box.

On Feb 2, 2008, at 8:55 PM, sgcim2001 wrote:

> --- In jazz_...@yahoogroups.com, Bob Hansmann <bobbybmusic@...>
> wrote:
> >
> > > John D'Angelico got the idea for his New Yorker
> > > headstock logo from the shape of the New Yorker hotel
> > > in Manhattan
> >
> >
> > That's kool to know. I always thought it was the Empire State and
> > Chrysler buildings.
>
> Actually, in "Acquired of the Angels" by Paul William Schmidt p.64
> D'Aquisto says "The step design for the headpiece (of the New
> Yorker) was taken from the Empire State Building.
> It was designed by a jewelry designer friend of John's named Duke,
> who also made the templates John used for the split block
> fingerboard inlays."
>
> My father was best friends with that guy, Duke (real name Hugo
> Cimelli), who was also an excellent guitarist, besides being a
> jewelry designer.
>
> My father bought Duke's D'Angelico (one of the early "Snakehead"
> models, made in 1932) which I currently possess.
>
>
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[JVeg...@aol.com]

"And the probable source for some of the decco motifs is Japanese and
southwestern indian cloud and
landscape influenced patterns. I'm sure its much older than that."

If you like Art Deco, another good movie is "Victor, Victoria". That's got
some killer deco & streamline moderne in it as well. The influences for Art
Deco come from all sorts of areas, but the movement itself originated in the
late 1920s at an exhibition in Paris. Art Deco is a shortening of "arts
decoratifs"...

Cheers,
JV

Juan Vega
Guitarist/Teacher
JVeg...@aol.com
323-533-3359
_www.myspace.com/jvegafriends_ (http://www.myspace.com/jvegafriends)

**************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL Music.
(http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?NCID=aolcmp003000000025
48)

[Angelo]

On Feb 4, 2008 12:36 PM, <JVeg...@aol.com> wrote:
> If you like Art Deco, another good movie is "Victor, Victoria". That's
> got
> some killer deco & streamline moderne in it as well.

One of the Marx Bros. pics (I believe it was Duck Soup, I coud be wrong,
though) has beautiful examples of Art Deco...

[Ron Becker]

Thanks Angelo. This must be one of the threads I neglected to change
the subject line on. Whoops!! Busted again.
I think we have that movie. I'll check it out again.

Ron
Living and playing outside the box.