Rhode Island’s Harry Allen is considered one of America’s finest tenor saxophone players. Although he was born in Washington D.C., he grew up in Rhode Island, where he became an All-State Baseball player. His father, Maurice, was a big band drummer who taught his son the American Songbook and the secrets of the entertainment world. […]
Bobby Hackett, a one-of-a-kind original soft-performing trumpet-player, was born in Providence in 1915. His slow and romantic high-quality tone has never been properly imitated, though many performers have tried. He became popular in the last part of the previous century after being recorded with seven labels, including his most important recordings with the Capital Studios. Over the […]
Big band pianist and songwriter Frankie Carle passed away at age 98 in 2001 in Mesa, Arizona, where he had retired. Frankie (Francesco Carlone) was born in Providence in 1903, and his unusual piano styling and orchestra concepts were perfect for dancing and jazz. Frankie began performing with the Mal Hallett Orchestra in 1934. He […]
Three years ago we lost one of jazz’s popular cabaret singers. Eighty-five year old Bonnie Mann (Boncorsi Wotherspoon) was born in Pawtucket. Known for her big-band style singing she regularly could be found throughout Rhode Island with many of the great performing jazz and dance groups. Bonnie sang at the old King & Queens’ Restaurant […]
Jazz enthusiast and veteran violinist Catherine Pratte was born in Providence. Cathy, who now lives in Bristol, graduated Salve Regina University in Newport and went on to receive two master’s degrees and a doctorate in education. She has played violin for more than 60 years, of which some 35 years were with the late famous Joseph […]
One of Rhode Island’s finest all-around jazz entertainer is Debra Mann. Her young talents brought her to Boston’s Berklee College, where she studied jazz and classical music. Soon, she became a premier jazz pianist and singer, gracing top performing halls, restaurants and hotels. She operated as a solo artist for a period and then formed a trio and later a quintet. […]
One the premier reed players in New England represents Rhode Island. Joe C. Esposito was born in Westerly, grew-up in Warwick and now lives in Cranston. His smooth tenor saxophone style shows off his education — he’s a graduate of Boston’s Berklee College. Joe is a proud freelance reedman, who also provides private lessons in several […]
Newport’s Mike Coffey is one of Southern New England’s premier veteran drummers. He was born in New London, Connecticut, and grew up in nearby Niantic, Connecticut. His father, Louis Coffey, was a noted percussion teacher and Mike became one of his students. For 22 years, Mike played in the US Navy Performing Band. After ending his […]
One of America’s top-rated musical entertainers today hails from Westerly, Rhode Island. Nicolas King, who is 26, began crooning at age 8. He quickly developed a style touching cabaret and jazz-swing — his famous grandmother, Angela Bacari, worked with his special skills, and another one of his mentors was Liza Minnelli. As he advanced, people began comparing […]
R.J.Von See, (Robert John Von See) has played a major role in musical efforts in Rhode Island. He grew up in New Jersey, and began his jazz infusion quite early in life. The accordion and the trombone were his first instruments, and he joined a group called the Rhythnaires that performed on the “Jimmy Dean […]