RICO TURCHETTI

a treasury of rhode island jazz & swing musicians 197

RICO TURCHETTI

a treasury of rhode island jazz & swing musicians 197

T-U-Vis forDAVE TAGGERT A ARTHUR TANCRED I O N ICHOL AS TELL A TOMMY TERRAN BUZ TERRY Q ANDREW THOMPSON ED TOMASSI T O N Y T O M A S S O K H E R B T O R O N J O H N T O R T O L A R I C O TURCHETTI J LOIS VAUGHAN R ALBERT VIOLETTE SAL VITULLI MARION VON MORAY

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198 a treasury of rhode island jazz & swing musicians

TAGGERT DAVIDtrumpetb. Great Barrington, MA, 10/22/1939 Searles High School; Lowell State College (B.M.); Springfield College (M.A.)

DAVE TAGGERT STUDIED VIOLIN AND TRUMPET. He joined the Pittsfield Musicians Union at age 13. While in high school, he performed in many nightclubs, resorts and with the Berkshire Symphony at Williams College. He taught for nine years in the Ware, MA, public schools, worked at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in the admissions office (13 years) and was dean of admissions at the University of Rhode Island (20 years).

Taggert resumed his music career after retirement from URI in 2005. His almost 60 years of professional work throughout the Northeast include engagements with: Herb Pomeroy, Alan Dawson, Lenny Hockman, Dick Madison, Lou Colombo, Lee Childs, Paul Nossiter, Mac Chrupcala, the Paradise City Jazz Band, the Eastover Revival Band, the Coastline Swing Band and various Dixieland bands on Cape Cod. H

TANCREDI ARTHURtrumpet, leader b. Providence, RI, 5/16/1922; d. 4/12/1991Mt. Pleasant High School, 1942

ART TANCREDI STUDIED WITH GEORGE MAGER, Bennie Baker, Mr. Maggio, Julio Tancredi (brother) and John Tancredi (father). He started his career in 1940. From 1952 to 1954, he was a mem-ber of the Tommy Dorsey Band with which he also recorded. He was a member of the Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Reynolds, Frankie Carle and Horace Heidt bands as well the Latin Quarters (NYC) house band. He gigged regularly with Louis Bellson. His own group, the Art Tancredi Band, was named one of the ten best big bands in North America in a major competition sponsored by the American Federation of Musicians in 1964. He was also a member of the Ray Belaire and Ed Drew bands. He performed for 12 years at the Warwick Musical Theater. H

TELLA NICHOLAS L .drumsb. Providence, RI, 12/21/1929; d. 11/11/2007High school; barber school; hairdressing school

NICHOLAS TELLA STUDIED DRUMS with Yank Ragosta and Amie Triangolo; piano with Alfonse Antonelli and Sully Fransosi; and bass with Bob Petteruti. He started his career in 1944.

Tella began his professional career playing in his father's band with such musicians as Bill Latina, Louis Lupo and Gil DiBenedetto. In 1947, he had his first union job with Perry Borrelli’s band, playing with fellow band members Dominick Pagnozzi, Mike Marra and Nick Abbenanti. For a major portion of his career, he worked with Billy Poore doing mostly club work and shows throughout New England as well as such states as Florida and Pennsylvania. H

TERRAN TOMMY reeds, arrangerb. Providence, RI, 8/29/1925Hope High School; Schillinger House; Rhode Island College; New England Conservatory of Music; Berklee College of Music (B.M.); Providence College (M.A.)

TOMMY TERRAN STUDIED REEDS with Joe and Andy Piacitelli and Joe Viola. He started his career in 1942. In the early 1940s, he performed with the Bob Clifford and the Ray Belaire bands, and he later organized his own 16-piece band. He worked with

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territory bands from 1947 to 1949 and with Stan Kenton in 1951 during Kenton’s New England tour. After the tour, Terran returned to Rhode Island to perform with his own general busi-ness band in many clubs in Newport and throughout the state.He was music director at Shea High School in Pawtucket start-ing in 1969, producing two national-award-winning stage bands (1975 and 1979), both of which appeared with Buddy Rich and Phil Woods at the Newport Jazz Festival.

He has performed with many of the local Rhode Island musicians and was involved in the Rhode Island Chapter of the National Association of Jazz Educators (serving as an officer). H

TERRY BUZ(Ennis Bisbano) trumpetb. Bristol, RI, 4/19/1930 Colt Memorial High School; Rhode Island College (B.A., M.A.); Nova University (Ph.D.)

BUZ TERRY STUDIED TRUMPET WITH HIS FATHER at age 9, with Edward Dennish at age 11, and later with Al Rainone and Julio Tancredi. He started his career when he was 10, making public appearances at parties and school functions.

In high school, he was selected for the Rhode Island All-State Band and shared 1st chair with Harry Chellel (who became a member of the Ralph Flanagan and Billy May bands). Terry received offers to join those bands (as well as the Sonia Henney Ice Show) but declined in order to finish college, taking his father’s advice. He was active, playing 1st trumpet in the Portuguese Independent Band competing in many “battle of the bands.”

He played lead trumpet with the Jimmy Martin Big Band (1948–49); led a group in jam sessions at the Lobster Claw in Bristol, RI (Paul Motian, drums; Herb Toro, tenor sax; Bob Freedman, alto sax; Ernie England, piano; and John Carbone, bass); and played lead trumpet with the Perry Borelli Big Band (1949–51) and jazz trumpet chair with Ray Belaire and Bob Clifford Big Bands (1951–52). He worked with the Tommy Terran Quintet (1952–55), playing numerous jam sessions throughout Rhode Island including Sunday nights at the Samson Club in Woonsocket. At this club, he had the opportunity to play with Boots Musselli, Serge Chaloff and Joe Maini. (They were the house band at the Celebrity Club, in 1954, working with such artists as Sarah Vaughan, Della Reese, Terry Gibbs and many others.) Terry played jazz trumpet chair with the Tony Abbott Big Band (1955–58) and in 1958, he formed the Buz Terry Orchestra, which quickly became a prominent orchestra in Rhode Island and southern New England. His band was the house band at the Alhambra Ballroom, New Farm Supper Club and several other venues. From the ’50s through the ’70s, they played all the local ballrooms including: Rhodes-on-the Pawtuxet, Alhambra Ballroom at Crescent Park, Palladium Ballroom at Rocky Point Park, and the Grist Mill

Ballroom in Seekonk, MA. Other celebrities he had the pleasure of performing with and backing up include: Al Martino, Jerry Vale, Billy Eckstein, Connie Francis, Bobby Vinton, the Maguire Sisters, Frankie Avalon, Paul Anka, Sylvia Simms, Della Reese, Johnny Nash, Guy Mitchell, the Four Lads, Don Cornell and Della Reese.

One of his most memorable accomplishments was when Fred Grady, Carl Henry and Jim Mendes selected him along with Jake Brill to play at the Rhode Island Jazz Festival at Lombardi’s in North Providence in the early ’50s. When he became superin-tendent of schools in Bristol, RI, he retired from playing for 25 years. Presently living in Florida, he plays with the 16-piece-band INGROOV and the 17-piece Charlotte City County Big Band, composed of retired professional musicians. H

THOMPSON ANDREW E.tromboneb. Pawtucket, RI, 8/20/1913; d. 12/15/2008Pawtucket High School

ANDREW THOMPSON WAS MOSTLY SELF-TAUGHT until age 20, when he began formal instruction with Henry Langevine and Walter Smith. He also studied for brief periods with Hans Valdemar Lillebach and John Coffee of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

In the 1930s, Thompson did theater tours with the orchestras of Jimmy DiSarro, Billy Faucher and Cliff Nazarro, and general business work with the Billy Lossez and Ed Drew orchestras. He also played with the orchestras and bands of Al Mitchell, Mike Calderone, Billy Carlin and Joe Spaziano in such establishments as Rhodes–on-the-Pawtuxet, the Arcadia Ballroom and Fay’s Theater.

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From 1945 to 1956, Thompson performed at Rhodes with the Ed Drew Orchestra. From 1954 to 1956, he performed on WBRO radio with Ed Drew’s orchestra. From 1954 to 1960, he was a member of the pit orchestra of the Warwick Musical Theater.

His varied general business work included performances with ice shows, water ballets, circuses, fairs, parades and rodeos. He also played with the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, the Ballet Russe and D’Oyly Carte Opera’s Gilbert and Sullivan productions throughout New England. He also subbed with the Vaughn Monroe and Woody Herman bands, and played with Dudley Santaniello’s jazz band at various local clubs.

Thompson’s first exposure to jazz was at Eric Peterson’s lodging on Benefit Street. This group, which consisted of Thompson (trombone), Peterson (bass), Mickey Latina (guitar), Phil Solomon (violin) and Bobby Hackett (cornet), held regular jam sessions playing the tunes of Armstrong, Nichols and Beiderbecke.

In the 1950s, as a member of Dudley Santaniello’s band, he played at various clubs in the Providence area, including Windy’s and Bovi’s Town Tavern. He also performed with vari-ous local groups such as John Worsley’s Swingtime.

In addition to his long career as a musician, Thompson traveled extensively for the 21 years he served as international representative of the American Federation of Musicians. H

TOMASSI ED S.saxophone, clarinet, flute, pianob. Providence, RI, 8/19/1954Cranston High School West, 1972; Berklee College of Music, 1976 (B.M.)

ED TOMASSI STUDIED SAXOPHONE AND IMPROVISATION with Joe Viola, Charlie Banacos, Charlie Mariano, George Coleman, Dave Liebman and Jerry Bergonzi. His influences are John Coltrane, Charlie Parker and Ornette Coleman. He began his career in 1960.

He has performed with the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, Carl Fontana, Hal Galper, Nick Brignola, Bob Mover, Herb Pomeroy, the Four Tops, Vic Damone, Gloria Loring and the Temptations. He has played with many of the local Rhode Island musicians and played gigs throughout the New England area. He has been a professor at Berklee College of Music since 1976 and is one of the most-liked and well-thought-of teachers at Berklee. He teaches improvisation and woodwinds. He has presented clinics for Dave Liebman (International Association of Schools of Jazz). He has a published DVD called Starting Out with Motivic Development (Berklee Press, 2003) and also teaches improvisation and woodwinds at Brown University. H

TOMASSO TONY(Anthony)trumpetb. Providence, RI, 07/15/1924; d. 9/27/2000 Central High School

TONY TOMASSO STUDIED WITH SAL MUCCILLO. He was influenced by Bunny Berigan, Bobby Hackett, Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge and Billy Butterfield. A highly respected player in Rhode Island, he started his career in 1939. He began perform-ing with Art Pelosi, Al Conte and Lou Capobianco. He played with Tony Mandell’s group and in the Army Air Forces Band (1943–46).

In 1951, he joined Pete Colaluca’s Dixieland Band with Colaluca (clarinet), Eddie Soares (piano), Ray Cerce (drums) and Porky Cohen (trombone). He took over the leadership of the group when Colaluca moved to Connecticut, at which time Pete Peligian (clarinet) joined the band. The group performed steady engagements at the Village Rendezvous, the Green Orchard and the Governor Dyer for most of the 1950s. It was during a 13-week engagement in the Jewel Room at the Bostonian Hotel that the band adopted the name the “Jewels of Dixie,” coined in the Boston Daily Record by George Clark in a glowing review of the band’s performance.

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In the ensuing years, Tomasso and the “Jewels” performed at most of the area’s most popular clubs and nightspots, including extended engagements at Bovi’s Town Tavern, the Helm, Top of the Court, Christy’s and the Warehouse Tavern. In 1962, they opened the Newport Jazz Festival with a performance that won critical acclaim.

Some of his other career highlights include: Louis Armstrong borrowing his horn to sit in with the Jewels of Dixie at the Green Orchard, his numerous performances with Bobby Hackett, and his live radio performances with Louis Armstrong and Velma Middleton.

In addition to the scores of local musicians with whom he has played, Tomasso played with such jazz luminaries as Wild Bill Davison, Clark Terry, Pee Wee Russell, Lou McGarrity, Bud Freeman, Dave McKenna, Joe Pass, Henry Red Allen, Coleman Hawkins, Edmund Hall, Bobby Hackett and Carol Sloane.

In 1985, he became a member of John Worsley’s Swingtime and performed regularly throughout southern New England. When asked why he never left Rhode Island to go to the big time, Tomasso said: “I just want to be at home with my family.” H

TORO HERB(Herman L.) reeds, fluteb. Providence, RI, 07/16/1929; d. 10/15/2009 Mt. Pleasant High School; Boston University, 1961 (M.A.T.); Rhode Island College, 1974

HERB TORO STUDIED SAXOPHONE with Ricardo DiBenedetto, Joe Andreozzi and Carmine Caruso. He studied clarinet with Pasquale Cardillo. He started his career in 1949. He performed at the Celebrity Club from 1950 to 1954 and was a member of George Masso’s group from 1954 to 1961. In 1954, he performed with Bobby Hackett at the Rhode Island School of Design. He was also a member of the Duke Belaire Orchestra (1972–75). He performed with Tony Giorgianni’s Jazz Odyssey in 1977.

For more than 25 years, he was a member of the Warwick Musical Theater Orchestra backing numerous celebrities. He was a member of the Rhode Island Opera Guild Orchestra and principal clarinet from 1961 to 1973. Toro worked throughout the years with the Ralph Stuart Agency and with Jeff Carlton’s Orchestra.

A music educator, he spent many years at Dartmouth High School and with his private students. He composed choral and instrumental music for the church. H

TORTOLA JOHN E.clarinet, saxophoneb. Providence, RI, 11/9/1917; d.n.d. Central High School

JOHN TORTOLA STUDIED CLARINET AND SAXOPHONE with Joe Andreozzi. In the 1930s, Tortola played such clubs as Marconi’s and the Little French Casino, toured with Ray Belaire’s band and played in Greenwich Village with Rico Vallese and Nick Pelico. In the 1940s, he performed at Izzi’s with Rico Vallese, on WPRO radio as a member of Ed Drew’s orchestra and played in jam sessions at the Crown Hotel with such guest artists as Bobby Hackett, Coleman Hawkins, Pee Wee Russell and Cozy Cole. During that time, he also performed throughout the United States and Europe as a member of the 90th Infantry Division Band.

In the 1950s, Tortola performed at such clubs as Twin Rivers and Tutalo’s with Dudley Santaniello, at Governor Dyers with Tony Tomasso’s groups and in Ben Pollack’s nightclub in Hollywood, CA. From 1959 to 1961, he performed at the Roaring ’20s in Beverly Hills with Wild Bill Davison and Nick Pelico. H

TURCHETTI RICOultrasonic guitarb. Providence, RI, 1/22/1917; d. 1/24/2005Central High School, 1934

RICO TURCHETTI STUDIED STEEL GUITAR with Joseph Petteruti Sr. and trumpet with Emilio DiPietro. In the early part of his career, Turchetti played in many local clubs, including the Flamingo and the Pirate’s Den, and in the Biltmore, Narragansett, Dreyfus and Crown hotels. He also performed on live broadcasts on local radio stations and was discovered by Arthur Godfrey while performing on Godfrey’s Talent Scouts television program. He became a regular on Godfrey and His Friends television and radio programs.

Turchetti’s instrument is a modified steel guitar, which he fashioned himself. He was a featured artist on numerous record-ings including “Limehouse Blues” and “St. Louis Blues,” with backup by the Archie Bleyer Orchestra, and That DaDa Strain and There’s a Small Hotel for RCA Victor. He also performed in numerous clubs throughout the United States and Canada, and appeared on such network television programs as The Caesar Romero Show and Melody Tour, which both aired on ABC.

Turchetti performed with numerous artists and celebrities including Margaret Whiting, Milton Berle, Bobby Hackett, Louis Prima, Frankie Carle, Remo Palmieri, Eydie Gormé, Jan Murray and Skitch Henderson. He performed many years locally with Ralph Stuart’s orchestras. H

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VAUGHAN LOISpiano, leaderb. Buffalo, NY, 12/8/1949 Cornell University; Community College of Rhode Island; Chaloff School of Music

LOIS VAUGHAN STUDIED CLASSICAL PIANO with Harold Bradley and jazz piano with Harvey Diamond and Dr. Steve LaJoie. She started her career in Newport in 1984. She has played solo piano and worked with ensembles for many venues including concerts, schools, restaurants, hotels, weddings, private parties, corporate receptions and jazz cocktail hours. She has hired and played with many of the local jazz musi-cians. She played piano for the Community College All–Stars Big Band at the International Association of Jazz Educators Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA. She was the recipient of Community College of Rhode Island’s Piano Scholarship and the 1999 Outstanding Jazz Studies Graduate Award. She was fea-tured in an extensive article entitled “Following Her Own Score” in the Sunday Providence Journal (1/11/2004), an article in Newport This Week entitled “Musician Takes the Stage All Over Newport” (8/8–9/2009) and in a piece in the Newport Daily News entitled “In Tune with Her Calling.” She founded Newport Bridge Fest, a celebration of local live music in Newport County, RI, that spans the four days between the world-famous Newport Folk and Jazz Festivals in early August. Vaughan teaches private piano lessons and jazz piano/improvisation at St. George’s School. She has been the house pianist for more than seven years at the Rhumbline restaurant in Newport, RI. H

VIOLETTE ALBERT L .saxophone, clarinetb. Woonsocket, RI, 1/8/1946 Berklee College of Music

ALBERT VIOLETTE STUDIED CLARINET AND SAXOPHONE with Henry Devuyst. He started his career in 1958. He performed in a U.S. Air Force band for eight years (1964–72) and traveled around the world. A good swing musician, he has played extensively with many big bands. He now freelances with small groups in the Rhode Island area. H

VITULLI SALVATORE J.clarinet, saxophoneb. Providence, RI, 6/11/1923

SAL VITULLI STUDIED WITH JOSEPH ALLARD of the Julliard School of Music. He began his career in 1940. In 1942, he enlisted in the Army Air Force Band. He played lead alto sax in the swing band and 1st clarinet in the con-cert band. He toured and played at air force bases throughout Europe. At Fort Dix, the home base for the band, Vitulli appeared in a show called Sad Sacks. The show was hilarious and proved to

be such a huge success that it played for three sold-out months at a theater in Philadelphia. It was later recorded by Victor Records. The musicians were members of the 395th Air Force Band that also included 12 musicians from Rhode Island.

He has backed up various singers including: Al Martino, Jerry Vale, Connie Francis, the Ames Brothers, Ray Eberle and Lou Monti. He is a veteran of such big bands as the Art Tancredi Dance Band (12 years), George Burke’s Summer of ’42 Orchestra, Bob Payola’s Big Band (four years), Gary Sugal’s Contemporary Big Band (five years). As of this writing, he still practices three hours a day. He says: “There is nothing like music to keep a person young.” H

VONIMORAY MARIAN“Rachel”vocals, vibes, bass, composerb. Rhode Island, 9/17/1922

MOSTLY SELF-TAUGHT, MARIAN VON MORAY studied bass and vibes in Los Angeles with John Dort. She started her career in 1932 and was part of a family group known as the Couper Trio. She worked for several years with a group that included Manny Enos, Tommy Terran and Gerry Lauren. In the 1950s and ’60s, she also worked with such musicians as Mike Renzi, Bob Petteruti, Maurice Dixon, Bob Scotty, Eddie Polito, Andy DiPaola, Tommy Wheeler and Bobby Greene. In 1983, Von Moray recorded a live album called And So It Goes, comprised of mostly originals, at the St. Louis Sheraton with Louis Forstino, Rodney Jones, Victor Gaskin and others. H

SALVATORE VITULLI

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TABER MARKpianoMark Taber is one of the original members of the Tombstone Blues Band with Ken Lyons.

TASCA BILLpianoBill Tasca was house pianist at the Ranch House in the 1950s. He played for such artists as Peggy Lee, Eydie Gormé, Steve Lawrence and Buddy DeFranco.

TETRAULT WALTER “The Count”pianoFrom Woonsocket, RI

THEODOROFF PETERreedsPeter Theodoroff works and lives in Florida. He worked locally until the early 1950s.

THOMAS TOMBass

THOMAS WILLARDdrums

THOMPSON JACKtrumpetJack Thompson worked with the famous big bands of the Swing Era.

TORO MANNYdrums, valve tromboneManny Toro performed with Art Pelosi, Artie Marco Jr. and Bob Petteruti.

TRANT RAYdrumsFrom Woonsocket, RI, Ray Trant worked with Tommy Terran.

TRAYLOR RUDYdrumsLives in New York City.

TRIBELLI ALtrumpet, vocalsDeceased Al Tribelli played many years with Lou Baccari and the Nomads.

TURGEON LESTERsteel guitarLester Turgeon was a member of the Tune Twisters; they worked an extended gig at Tutalo’s Café. He taught guitar for many years.

TURNER WILLIAMvibes, drums

TUTALO RONaccordionRon Tutalo worked often with Ron Iannazzi, Tom Ragosta, Bill Demarco and Debbie Shea.

VALESE RICOtrumpetOne of the first Rhode Islanders to play Dixieland and swing, Rico Valese did many jam sessions in RI before moving to California in the late 1940s. He worked often with Peter Colaluca, Johnny Beatini and Ray Cerce.

VILLETRI JOEdrumsd. 6/27/2008 Joe Villetri played with Mike Renzi and Tom Wheeler at the Kings & Queens. He played with the Tony Cipolla Group and other RI musicians.

VITALI CHICKaccordionChick Vitali worked with Nick D’Aquila and Rico Turchetti. For a long time, he was a member of the house band at the Beach Comber, where Benny Goodman once sat in with the group.

VIVEROS JOEsaxophoneFrom Newport, RI

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