Allegro

Currently Browsing: September, 2010

President’s Report

Music Matters

Tino Gagliardi

WEST COAST VISIT: Leslie Lashinsky, the secretary/treasurer of Local 47 (Los Angeles), recently visited the Local 802 Executive Board. Pictured in the front row, from left, are Tino Gagliardi, Leslie Lashinsky and Jay Blumenthal. In the back row, from left,

George Soros Donates $11 Million to NYC Arts

Karen Fisher

About 80 small and midsized performing arts organizations in New York City received some good news this summer. Billionaire hedge fund manager George Soros announced he will donate $11 million through his Open Society Institute. “George Soros is to be

What it means when a string section is cut by half

Paul Woodiel

Many readers read an edited version of this essay in the New York Times. Below, Allegro presents the original. The tragedy of cutting the music at “West Side Story” was picked up by media all over the world. In 1983,

Local 802 Endorsements

Paul Molloy

For those who don’t follow politics, it might be easy to subscribe to the ginned-up, hyperbolic anti-incumbent rhetoric heard on cable TV and talk radio. To go nowhere beyond the daily broadcasts of fear, anger and protest, one could easily

'Justice for Jazz Artists!' wont' succeed without the clubs

John O'Connor

Musicians make a joyful noise at a Justice for Jazz Artists campaign rally a year ago. Photo by Enid Farber Every year we see jazz musicians who have dedicated their lives to their art fall into poverty, relying on charitable

‘The World’s Most Perfect Drummer’

The musical life of Charli Persip

Todd Bryant Weeks

Charli Persip is doing one of the things he does best. He is telling a story. “Red Foxx came to town,” Persip remembers, “and he was M.C. of a club in Newark called the Piccadilly, which was a very big,

Spreading good will through softball

Clint Sharman

Hometown heroes: the Local 802 softball team. Front row, from left: Wayne DuMaine (assistant manager), Clint Sharman (manager), Jack Mead, Jeff Nelson and Marc Rosenthal. Middle row: Shawn Andrew, Jason Covey, Gregory Toroian, Al Espinosa and Rod Kinter. Back row:

Live Music Back at Rose Club

Jim Hannen

From left, Chris Pistorino, Shawn Clark (vocals), Tom Abbott, John Merrill and Brian Floody. The Plaza Hotel’s Rose Club swings! Since reopening in the spring of 2008 the Plaza Hotel’s Palm Court has featured live music in the form of

Public Outreach is Key to Success

Wally Usiatynski

As chair of the Broadway Theatre Committee, I was approached earlier this year with the concern about the need to promote the image of the Broadway musician. I set out to appoint a public relations subcommittee to come up with

Indie Musicians Come Together

Earlier this year, Local 802 sponsored “Indie Musicians Unite!” a panel discussion on the future of indie music in New York City. It was held at University Settlement, on the Lower East Side. Panelists included musician/activist Marc Ribot, Local 802

Theatre Roundup

A scene from “Power Balladz” Local 802 recently negotiated several theatre contracts. Davenport Theatre signed the Commercial Off Broadway Area Standards with a side letter for “Power Balladz.” The show is a 90-minute musical that pays homage to music from

RMA Looks to the Future

The Board of Directors of the New York chapter of the Recording Musicians Association is pleased to present this excerpt from the statement of RMA International President Phil Ayling acknowledging the commencement of a newly elected AFM administration: A recurring

$500K for ring tones and more is claimed by the AFM

Harvey Mars, Esq.

“American Idol” is in trouble with the union. In June, the AFM and Local 47 (Los Angeles) initiated a lawsuit in district court against the producers of “American Idol” due to their failure to pay the performing musicians for secondary

Reminiscences

Andy Schwartz

The New Found Sound, in this publicity picture from 1967, featured (from left) Jerry Hyman, Billy Bockhold, Mike Thuroff, David Spinozza, Bob Gil, Andy Newmark and Andy Deno. Photo: James J. Kriegsmann Sr., courtesy: Joseph Germani It was very sad

Reminiscences

George Ricci, 89, a cellist and a Local 802 member since 1941, died on March 12. In the last issue of Allegro, we printed an abbreviated obituary for Mr. Ricci. Since then, we’ve learned much more about his life, and

Requiem

JOSEPH FINK Joseph Fink, 90, a pianist, singer and guitarist, died on June 28. He had been a Local 802 member since 1944. By the time he was six years old, Mr. Fink’s talent for playing the piano was evident.

Senior Concert Orchestra to present its annual free concert

Dr. Lyn Christie

The Senior Concert Orchestra rehearsing for its 2008 performance. The Senior Musicians Association of Local 802, together with the Lucille Lortel Foundation, will present a free performance of the Senior Concert Orchestra at Merkin Concert Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 20

NYU's 4th annual Broadway Percussion

Want to know what it takes to be a percussionist on Broadway? The New York University Classical Percussion Program, under the direction of Jonathan Haas, recently hosted the fourth annual Broadway Percussion Seminar/Summit. The event brought together an array of

Deryck Clarke talks about the Actors Fund Work Program

Photo: Jenny Ducaud Deryck Clarke, born and bred in Brooklyn, started taking music lessons at seven. He was introduced to music at his local public school. Although his first instrument was the violin, he fell in love with the French

In Brief

UNION’S LIVE MUSIC CAMPAIGN IS REVIVED Local 802’s plan to reinstate a long-dormant media campaign is moving forward on several fronts. The focus of the campaign will be to remind the public why live performance art is important and raise

Tips to make transitions easier

Cindy Green, LCSW

The office of the Musicians’ Assistance Program is your one-stop shop for musicians’ health. We offer counseling – both one-on-one and in groups – as well as information on all kinds of social services, including health insurance, food stamps and

The Musicians’ Voice

The Musicians’ Voice is an open forum for discussion about the state of union affairs. The letters here do not necessarily express the views of Local 802. E-mail letters to Allegro@Local802afm.org or write to Allegro, Local 802, 322 West 48th

‘Why we joined the union’

Carrie Dowell Rachel Z Rebekah Heller Photo: Liz Linder Mauricio Herrera I was previously a member of AFM Local 9-535 (Boston). I lived there for nearly 10 years as a violin teacher and performed with BMOP and the Portland Symphony

June 1, 2010 - August 3, 2010

TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 2010 Meeting called to order at 11:10 AM. Present: President Gagliardi, Financial Vice President Blumenthal, Recording Vice President O’Connor, Executive Board members Babich, Burridge, Dougherty, Hyde, Schwartz, Sharman, Assistant to the President Donovan. It was moved and

September 2010

Date Event Time Location 9/6 Mon. CLOSED: LABOR DAY 9/13 Mon. MAP NETWORKING MEETING 2:00 PM Club Room 9/13 Mon. JAZZ FOUNDATION JAM SESSION 7:00 PM Club Room 9/14 Tue. PRIMARY ELECTIONS ALL DAY Club Room 9/16 Mon.

Bill Crow’s Band Room

Bill Crow

The vuvuzela has become popular with its exposure at World Cup soccer games. Cathy Calabrese, in the Electronic Media (Recording Dept.) office on the second floor at Local 802, brought one in one morning. A long plastic horn, It looked