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Over the years, I have received pictures and recordings from friends that highlighted some great events in my Verona
history.
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My Verona history includes many of the great people that I have met in Verona over the years and many great memories
that I fortunately can remember, sort of, now that I'm getting older...
I have a reputation for saying "a quick story..." and then telling a story of a past event in my Verona history
(of course, the story gets better with age, because that's the way of the world! And it's fun)
So here 'tis...
I love this great photo - Laning Elementary - 1973 - Joe Montini, Donna
Cole and me - BLUE ROCK Rules!
Pop Quiz: Can you identify these 3 people in the VHS Jazz Band 1979 picture below?
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Harry Owens
Among the great music teachers in Verona, Harry Owens
will always be one of the best. I also include Lou Budz on that short list. My first experience with Mr. O was at
age 9, when the VHS jazz band was invited to play at the Montreaux Jazz Festival. My brother played guitar in that band,
and Mr. O loved the Cry Baby wah-wah pedal (yeah! yeah! Play that thing!!). Mr. O had a great tenure in Verona. He built a
music program that was consistently top-notch. Always winning awards, always instilling the skills that you need to succeed
as a musician. Hey - we even lost sometimes! But we lost with dignity. One of the best!
VHS Jazz Band 1979 - Joe Cheu and Lisa Zichelli
I remember this band as being the best in
NJ in various competitions. We could sight-read, we could play.
I also remember those cheezy "silk" shirts
- each section of the band wore the same color - very 80s!
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Joe Cheu was an amazing person. Grand Master in T’ai Chi Chuan, board certified Osteopathic Doctor, Pharmacist,
and Ph.D. in Neuroscience. He left us recently - cancer.
Lisa Zichelli had a quiet, calming and very sarcastic approach to life. She was very talented. I lost track of her
over the years after 1980. She left us - cancer.
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Mike Watters
Mike always wanted to be a top-gun pilot. He would
watch old war movies at night. And he eventually lived his dream of becoming a top-gun pilot, which can have dire consequences.
My good Verona friend Doug Kistner created a tribute recording for Mike called "Smile Down
On Me". I believe this recording was created in 1991. Interesting... Doug also recorded "Just Like Soldiers"
talking about war. History has a way of repeating itself, doesn't it?
Smile Down On Me
Just Like Soldiers
Vintage Verona
Doug Kistner's "Dont Stop Me Now" always makes my day bright.
Enjoy!
Dont Stop Me Now
My good Verona friend Joe Montini (pictured above twice) has been performing with "Royal
Scam" - a Steely Dan tribute band for many years. Here's a great example of his sax playing on a recent live jazz festival
gig. Enjoy!
Deacon Blues
Another great sax solo from Joe Montini. The band was called Online, and
the cd was recorded in 1991. I saw these guys at the China Club in Manhattan. They were smokin'! Here's Joe playing with
the Online horns and a feature solo on "Chains"
Chains
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A great picture from 1971, maybe 1972. The VHS Jazz Band, under the direction of Harry
Owens. This band played at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Many stories from my brother (guitar, on the far left). All hail
the Crybaby wah-wah pedal!
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