RANDY WESTON

Local 802 helped recover money for jazz pianist Randy Weston, who was contracted by Paul Stache to perform two dates last April at Smoke, Stache’s Upper West Side jazz club. Weston used a contract supplied by the AFM. However, Stache claims that there was an additional oral agreement that prevented Weston from performing in public elsewhere the same weekend. Weston denies there was any such side agreement.

When Weston announced he was giving a concert for his own 75th birthday the same weekend at the Jazz Gallery in SoHo, Stache claimed that Weston was breaking the alleged agreement for an exclusive gig at Smoke. Weston consequently showed up for his Smoke gig, which was to pay $2,000 a night, and was told to go home.

Weston contacted the Organizing Department, which helped broker a settlement. Under its terms, the amount of the settlement is not to be disclosed. Local 802 attorney Harvey Mars assisted the Organizing Department in this case.