The Valentino Orchestra
| The Valentino Orchestra | |
|---|---|
| Years active | 1996–2002 |
| Members | Andrew Homzy bandleader, George Doxas bass, Chester Doxas tenor sax, Pamela Fong tenor sax, Jim Doxas drums, Michael Cartile trumpet, Jeff Fong trumpet, Bruce Lochhead trumpet |
| Past members | Gerald Danovitch lead-alto, Boris Khodorkovsky alto sax, clarinet, flute, Yosef Tamir viola |
The Valentino Orchestra is a Canadian 17-piece pre-swing style big band formed in Montreal in 1996 and led by musicologist and composer Andrew Homzy. Gerald Danovitch was the lead alto player until he died in 1997.
The Valentino Orchestra—named after Rudolph Valentino—bases its repertoire of “sophisticated swing” on the standards of the golden age of American popular music—compositions by Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, and the many others who in the Jazz Age established what is often called the Great American Songbook. Most of the music performed by the band was drawn stylistically from the period between the two world wars, and performed accordingly: often with exaggerated “old style” pre-swing era rhythm.
The band has chosen to preserve the original musical settings of these great songs: the arrangements that were written for the dance bands and hotel orchestras of the 1920s and 1930s, complete with the string section: two violins and an viola.
History
1995 Formation
In 1995 jazz musicologist, composer, and arranger Andrew Homzy together with music educator and bass player George Doxas invited saxophonist Gerald Danovich to start a pre-swing era styled jazz band. Andrew Homzy introduced his large collection of Duke Ellington stock arrangements, George Doxas and Gerald Danovitch invited several friends and students to try the sound of this vintage jazz project. Danovitch at first was designated to supervise the rehearsals as he had the most practical expertise in performing the music of 20s and 30s, but with the time Homzy and others understood that Gerald has to lead the saxophone section for the band to sound authentic.
1996–98 First recording and early years
After several months of rehearsals led by Anrew Homzy band started to record in George Doxas home studio. The recording was an experiment which attracted attention of the recording company «Justin Time Records». After release of the band's first CD entitled «My Foolish Heart» under label «Just a Memory Records» band was invited to perform on many venues, including Montreal International Jazz Festival.
The Valentino Orchestra performed at the du Maurier stage of the festival in 1997 and 1998 in front of 50,000 people, and on other stages in 1999 and 2002.[1]
Musicians
- Andrew Homzy — bandleader
- Gerald Danovitch — lead-alto, clarinet
- Boris Khodorkovsky — alto sax, flute, clarinet
- Chester Doxas — tenor sax
- Jim Doxas — drums
Discography
- 17 June 1996 — My Foolish Heart. Just A Memory Records (CD)
- 1997 — Feelin' No Pain. Just A Memory Records (CD)
- 29 August 2000 — Daybreak Express. Just A Memory Records (CD)