Motif

Author: Burt Jagolinzer

  • Farewell Mike Renzi: Rhode Island’s Great Musical Loss

    Farewell Mike Renzi: Rhode Island’s Great Musical Loss

    As one of Mike’s closest friends for more than sixty years, I’ve felt that I should express my feelings and share it with the rest of Motif’s readers. He was an inductee to the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame.
    Mike Renzi was among the top international jazz accompanists in the musical world. He owed his success to his mother, who convinced him, to give up playing in the streets with his friends… and practice the piano.

    And practice he did.

    Mike developed a love for the keyboard, and every available ivory. His early development won him performances at most of the state’s lounges, restaurants and group participations.  He became a regular at the Kings & Queens, in North Providence (at the Pawtucket city line). Soon, he worked his way to New York City, where his skills brought him jobs with famous  musicians.  

    Mike Renzi

    He became known and worked with a long list of top singers and performers, including: Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli, Sylvia Sims, Peggie Lee, Lena Horne, Jack Jones, John Pizzarelli, Kathy Lee Gifford, Michael Feinstein, Carol Sloan, Shawn Monteiro, Mark Lewis, Quincy Jones, Nelson Riddle, Si Zentner, Dick Lupino, Angelo Bocari and Nicholas King, recording with all of them. Mike also wrote, composed, arranged and performed at Sesame Street Television.
    His many years with Mel Tome and a two year stint with Tony Bennett were among the highlights of his career. He also was in charge of music for Macy’s Thanksgiving Parades, for several years.

    He won eight Emmy Awards. He displayed them in his home in Boca, Florida in a row on a white piano.
    Mike was a walking encyclopedia of all music, including jazz, motion pictures, Broadway musicals and famous classical works.

    But he never recorded solo performances of himself for commercial sale, and refused to perform “A night with just Mike Renzi” in New York or in Rhode Island.   He didn’t want to be a soloist, just known as the quality accompanist, that he was.

    Mike’s large following, his peers and family will never forget his skills, laughter and his firm handshake.  

    Our shared sympathy goes to all his friends and family.  May Mike Renzi rest in peace. 

  • Jazz Insights: The Bassman Playeth

    Local jazz bass-guitarist Joe Potenza’s dad provided a cool variety of instruments for his family, while growing up in Providence. He tried them all, and got to favor the bass-guitar.
    Joe began gigging with several of Rhode Island’s excellent musicians, including legends, trumpeter John Allmark, pianist Mike Renzi and reed great Dino Govoni. They taught him the music business.
    For nearly a decade, he held down a regular gig at the Rosmarin Restaurant, (now The Back-Stage Kitchen) at the Hotel Providence. It was one of the Capital City’s best happening, until closing during the pandemic.
    This summer Joe performed in a trio, with pianist (and vocalist) Eden Casteel and guitarist Ro Sati, at Luigi’s Restaurant in Johnston. Other performances included pianist Paul Buono and reedman Dino Govoni.
    Keep your eyes on Motif for up and coming events , that will include our local favorite, Joe Potenza

  • The Life and Success of George Wein: an appreciation

    The Life and Success of George Wein: an appreciation

    Burt Jagolinzer, who has attended the Newport Jazz concerts for 67 years writes: George was my friend and my association with him was very important to me, each year… I would always congratulate him, after each Newport performance.…

    George Wein discovered jazz, as one of his most important loves of his life.  (The other love was for his late wife Joyce.) While attending Boston University, he redirected his piano-playing talent to eventually open his own jazz club (Storyville), in downtown Boston. He brought in local talent and many others to perform, and built a reputation for great music and entertainment.

    Meanwhile, Lorraine Lorillard, herself a jazz singer and pianist was frustrated. She wanting to hear the talented jazz performers, who were only available in smoke-filled restaurants or lounges, where is was always noisy and very uncomfortable.

    She pleaded with her husband, Pierre Lorillard of the Lorillard tobacco family, to bring jazz to their summer home city of Newport. She wanted to put a variety of special musicians on a festival stage, where their full talents would be displayed to an audience.

    Pierre put up the money for the first two festivals.The Lorillards chose George Wein to produce both those shows.  George picked the performers and negotiated the entire programs.

    The shows were excellent, but the Lorillards lost plenty of money, and decided to give it up.

    George picked up the pieces, found sponsors and ran with it. He kept it running for several more years, still losing money (much of his own), until he finally found the generous sponsors he needed to begin making a profit.

    What most of us didn’t realize about the Jazz Festival was that the musicians enjoyed it, got paid and found and discovered new ideas from each other. The festival even gave the chance for new groups to form. But , most of all, performing on The Newport Stage exposed these great musicians to the media and to the world. The festival helped them to thrive and sell their records, albums and later CDs.

    Many musicians would say, “I knew I’ve made-it, when I performed at Newport.”

  • Jazz Insights: William “Billy” Osborne

    William “Billy” Osborne came from a Providence family of highly gifted and talented musicians. Rhode Island long enjoyed the voice and piano of his oldest brother Clay “Clarence” Osborn, who passed away several years ago, and today,  Billy is always first to claim being the brother of the younger and very successful Jeffrey Osborne.

    Billy was raised as a drummer and pianist, who at age 16 arrived in Manhattan. He was picked up by the Jimmy Giuffre Quartet, and became part of new modern jazz. Several magazines that recognized his talent named him “Best Jazz Drummer.”

    Osborne played with many of the top New York performers, including John Coltrane, Wes Montgomery, Lionel Hampton, Count Basie and Duke Ellington. In 1990 he toured with Ray Charles as his arranger, composer and producer, and continued touring with him until Ray’s death in 2004.

    Billy continues doing stints in Hollywood aamong others, and his voice and ivory skills keep the Osborne family of Rhode Island in front of musical audiences.

  • Jazz Insights: Joe Holtzman

    Rhode Island’s veteran drummer Joe Holtzman stills pats the snare and bass drums in greater Providence.
    In 1954, while growing up in South Carolina, Holtzman joined The Brooklyn-Cayce Marching Band. After a few beginners lessons, he taught himself the basic artform of drumming, began winning drum competitions and joined The All-State Band.

    In Junior High School, he and his brother began performing professionally with country and rock-and-roll bands. They also worked on early television with a country-western group.

    When Holtzman’s family moved to Rhode Island, he entered Central High School and began taking musical lessons from young trombonist Harold Crook and young trumpeter Paul Philips and Yank Ragosta. For many years Joe has performed regularly with local and regionally talented musicians and groups. His preferences in music has always been into jazz, the “oldies” and the wonderful American Songbook.

    Joe Holtzman’s professional rhythm is still remembered throughout his on-going preforming career.

  • Jazz Insights: Dan Moretti

    Jazz Insights: Dan Moretti

    Noted reedman Dan Moretti, one of the nation’s top tenor saxophone artists, lives in Narragansett. Dan has been composing, recording, leading, teaching and performing jazz and some R&B around the world for more than 30 years. He has played with many of the great names in jazz during his veteran years, and Dan represents quality sound in the art-form.                 

    Local musicians choose Dan to supplement and solo during their performances. His stints have included work in Europe, Asia, Africa and Greenland, and Dan’s recordings are well-known.

    He and his groups continue to appear locally, at Chan’s (Woonsocket) and several other establishments. Years ago, he was inducted into Rhode Island’s Music Hall of Fame.

  • Jazz Insights: The Downbeats

    Jazz Insights: The Downbeats

    The Downbeats were a group of young high school musicians that formed a quartet that was to play local school dances, featuring upbeat music of the times. These young performers were in the graduating Class of 1957 at Pawtucket West High School, where they excelled in the school band and orchestra.

    They chose jazz standards and dance favorites of that era in their performances. As a group they began playing parties, private events and a variety of local competitions.

    Featured was Fred Dupuis, a gifted pianist, who after graduating Brown University, went on to play local clubs and lounges. His skills remain even today. The reed section was handled by Sumner Fishbein, who later became a Doctor of Optometry in Augusta, Georgia. He continued with his skills in the Augusta Symphony Orchestra. Jerry Schwartz was the long-time drummer, who later went on to New York. The horn section featured John Gaskill and Burt Jagolinzer. Collectively, they performed several years around the state, offering excellent music for dancing and socializing.
    John Gaskill became a gifted and sought-after trumpet soloist, and a successful local business man. Burt Jagolinzer became a lead trumpet in the U.S. Army band at Fort Dix in New Jersey.  Later, he received a Doctorate in Jazzology, and is today a jazz critic, author and columnist behind Jazz Insights.

  • Jazz Insights: Frank D’Rone

    Jazz Insights: Frank D’Rone

    During 1932, the gifted international musician Frank D’Rone was born.
    He grew up in Providence, where at five years old he began singing and learning to play guitar. By age eleven he had his own radio show.

    While playing regularly in Rhode Island at all kinds of professional venues, he decided to try his luck in New York City. He was offered some gigs in Chicago, where he met singer and pianist, Nat “King” Cole who helped him record at Mercury Records.

    Soon, he began preforming with the likes of spectacular pianists Oscar Peterson and Stan Kenton. He recorded with many of these greats, and others, on records and CDs. Frank became internationally known, by this time.

    During the ’60s and ’70s, he performed regularly on “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson. Later, he worked with the renowned composer and performer, Bill May. Frank leaves as a legacy, his appearance and performance at The Chicago Jazz Festivals. He passed away in October of 2013.

  • Jazz Insights: Jean O’Donnell

    Jazz Insights: Jean O’Donnell

    A list of great musicians coming out of Woonsocket must include Jean (McKenna) O’Donnell. As the sister to the late fabulous internationally acclaimed pianist Dave McKenna, who had captured the jazz world and more, she had graciously accepted being a few paces in back of her gifted brother without any fanfare.

    Their mother was a violinist and dad, Bill, was a drummer. As a child, Jean began performing as a singer soloist with church groups, choral groups and even jazz groups and orchestras. She moved to Boston and recorded commercials, while singing at the Hotel Bostonian. When making a demo recording with her brother Dave, she was approached with an offer to go to New York. Instead, she taught high school English and worked weekends with local bands.

    John Chan’s Chinese Restaurant opened a Music Room in downtown Woonsocket and invited Jean, who was part of a group called “The Deacons,” to help perform in their inaugural event. She accepted and Jean stills sings at Chan’s.

    Over the years she has performed there and other locations with a long list of giant musicians that includes her brother Dave, trumpeter Bobby Hackett, clarinetist Dick Johnson, bassist Marshall Wood and the gifted pianist Mike Renzi.

    Renzi arranged her CD Full Circle, which highlights her skills as a professional singer. Her voice treats listeners to perfect pitch and an array of selections from the American Songbook that few can deliver.

    Fans can often catch Jean at the GreenVale Vineyards in Portsmouth or at Chan’s.

  • Jazz Insights: Billy Lipson

    Jazz Insights: Billy Lipson

    Providence’s Billy Lipson, born in 1911, was blessed with a terrific jazz singing voice. Billy sang with several large orchestras in greater Providence.
    His renditions often sounded like Frank Sinatra or Bing Crosby. Billy had a loyal group of followers who regularly cheered him on, and many a local woman swooned over his romantic deliveries. His torch songs were a special happening for the whole family, and his wife and two sons were among his loyal fan base. Billy’s day job found him working on electricity for the New Haven Railroad.

    After World War II, America’s popular music, including jazz, became an important element in the post-war happiness that surfaced here, in Rhode Island, and other parts of our country. Individuals like Billy Lipson performed to happy celebrations that were featured during those wonderful times.

    Billy passed away in 1983, but many of his followers still remember him, and his special voice.