Allegro

Currently Browsing: July, 2008

Live Music Back at the Plaza

Kirsten Agresta (above) and fellow Local 802 harpist Anna Reinersman have brought back live music to the Plaza Hotel. They play at the Palm Court room seven days a week. Photo by Claire Houston. The Plaza Hotel has live music

President's Report

Mary Landolfi

I write this column in the aftermath of our June 11 membership meeting, at which charges were read against an officer. It is clear, at least in my opinion, that we are still dealing with the fallout of the Radio

New Club Date Agreement Reached

Musicians who perform with the Alex donner band enjoy the benefits of the Local 802 club date agreement. A new four-year agreement was reached with club date employers on April 15, replacing the previous agreement that expired the day before.

Recording Vice President's Report

Bill Dennison

Members filled up the club room at the June 11 membership meeting. Photo by Jon Hammond. For much of Local 802’s early history, most musicians worked for bandleaders. There were few collective bargaining agreements as we know them today. The

Jazz Education Association Takes Final Bow

Todd Bryant Weeks

Local 802 members Candido Camero (congas), Joe Wilder (flugelhorn) and Paquito D’Rivera (clarinet) were honored at this year’s IAJE conference. The conference turned out to be the association’s last one. Photo by Ed Berger. Goodbye to the International Association of

Union Collects Big Money for Members

Money for musicians. That’s one reason Local 802 exists: to enforce your contracts and make sure that you get your fair share. The figures are now in — in 2007, the union collected more than $2.8 million for members. Most

Politics Gets a New Face at Local 802

Paul Molloy

Someone once said that success is about how well you deal with plan B. After 21 years of earning a living as a musician (and sometimes not), I set out on two different career paths: politics and teaching. I’d been

New York City Opera Ratifies Sideletter

George Manahan conducts the New York City Opera Orchestra during a workshop performance of “VOX: Showcasing American Performers. Photo by Carol Rosegg. By a margin of 54 to 1, the New York City Opera Orchestra has ratified a sideletter modifying

Music & Power

Ethan Fein

I recently visited the orchestra pits of seven shows on Broadway to spread the word about building a corporate campaign to promote live music in New York. Musicians told me that they are concerned about the loss of recording work

Musician seeks the father - and singer - he never knew

Ann Wilmer

Paul Turner, pictured at far left and far right, is searching for his father. His mother, pictured in the middle, was Sylvia Brooks. Paul Turner, an adult adoptee, singer and lyricist, is searching for the musician father he never knew.

‘Send a Piana to Havana’

Ben Treuhaft and Nancy Wallace

Viva el piano! Piano technician Ben Treuhaft (at top) has collected hundreds of pianos to bring to Cuba. Below, a young Cuban musician practices. Photos by LaaraMatsen. It was Jim Forman, the radical student leader and civil rights activist, who

Lifeline: The Emergency Relief Fund

Robert Bander

Download In Concert… the 2007-2008 Emergency Relief Fund Benefit Journal Download Art Folio from Fountain Gallery! Click here for more information on the Emergency Relief Fund. What is Local 802’s Emergency Relief Fund? To put it simply, it’s financial help.

Are You Sure Your Medical Bill Was Really Paid?

You have just had a major medical procedure done — surgery or an expensive test. Now an envelope from your health insurance company arrives in the mail. Are you confident that the bill was paid? Or do you worry that

Legal Corner

Harvey Mars, Esq.

My column this month may seem a little unrelated to the day-to-day art of music, but there is a chance it may relate to the business or legal angle of your career. It’s about mental competency. If you’ve ever been

The Musicians’ Voice

The Musicians’ Voice is an open forum for discussion about the state of union affairs. The letters published here do not necessarily express the views of Local 802. Letters must be 300 words or less. Send them to Allegro, c/o Local

New & Readmitted Members

From time to time, as space permits, Allegro will spotlight some new or readmitted members. Why did you join the union? I am finishing my doctorate at SUNY Stony Brook, where I study double bass with Joe Carver. I also play

Honor Roll

Roll out the red carpet! Abba Bogin (left) and Seymour Lipkin have been honored by the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Both received the Alumni Award, which is the highest honor that Curtis confers on its alumni. The award

In Brief

DON’T FORGET TO PAY Currently, members who are on the union’s Health Plan A must pay a quarterly fee. Checks are due Jan. 1, April 1, July 1, and Oct. 1. If you forget to mail in your check, you

Negotiations Roundup

Advanced students from the School of American Ballet dance at a workshop performance. The piece is “Serenade” with choreography by George Balanchine. Photo by Paul Kolnik. Local 802 has reached an agreement with the School of American Ballet Orchestra. Performance

Requiem

Stan Antin – Drums Stanley Aronson – Saxophone Henry Brant – Harmonica/Composer Stephen Dremuk – Saxophone Jimmy Giuffre – Saxophone Peter Howard – Piano Herman F. Jobelmann – Bass Robert Lehrfeld – Oboe Charles Libove – Violin Utah Phillips –

Photo Op

It was another great night in Harlem. Local 802 member Lucien Barbarin takes a wailing solo on trombone at the Jazz Foundation’s annual fundraiser at the Apollo. Photo by Enid Farber.

May 6, 2008 - May 27, 2008

TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2008 Meeting called to order at 11:05 a.m. Present: President Landolfi, Recording Vice President Dennison, Financial Vice President Blumenthal, Executive Board members Burridge, Fein, Giannini, Hunt, Rizzo, Schwartz and Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens. Recording Vice President

Recommendations by the Limited Pressing Committee

MEMORANDUM To: Local 802 Executive Board From: Limited Pressing Committee Re: Recommendations to the Executive Board Date: May 5, 2008 In September 2007, Local 802 President Mary Landolfi created this committee to assess the issue of Local 802’s granting producers permission

Crossword Puzzle & Sight-Sing Challenge

SIGHT-SING CHALLENGE:Theme from “Carmen” by Georges Bizet CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS Across 1- One of a Latin trio AMAS 5- Accumulate AMASS 10- Teen woe ACNE 14- Old Dodge DART 15- Like the underside SEAMY 16- Lump of earth CLOD 17- Aboriginal

Bill Crow’s Band Room

Bill Crow

Paquito D’Rivera told me about a Cuban composer, pianist and conductor named Fernando Mulens. Before the communists came into power in 1959, Mulens had established a solid reputation in Cuba. He held several jobs around La Habana, recording jingles, working