Vince Bilardo Tribute 2-23-09

Below is Vince's Bio from his website (vincebilardo.com):

Vince Bilardo began his drumming career at an early age in Cleveland, Ohio. At age 12 he was a member of his uncle's band known as The Bilardo Brothers Band and became the youngest musician in Cleveland to join the American Federation of Musicians. After graduation from high school, he traveled with several Midwest bands including the "Sugar Blues King," Clyde McCoy.

After a stint in the US Army, Vince attended both Cleveland Instutute of Music and Western Reserve University. After graduation Vince, his wife Joan, and new born son came to Kansas City. He performed as Principal Percussionist for 23 years with the Kansas City Philharmonic Orchestra and also served as its Personnel Manager for 16 years.

During his years in Kansas City he became a charter member of the Annual Jazz Festival, Entertainment Director of the Playboy Club, Consultant to the Charlie Parker Memorial Foundation, a noted percussion and jazz drum instructor, a recipient of the Mayor's "Jazz Heritage Award" and a member of the Board of Directors of the American Federation of Musicians, Local 34-627. He is a member of the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Kansas City, the Overland Park, KS Chamber of Commerce and the KC Jazz Ambassadors.

He has performed with such notables as Count Basie, Stan Kenton and Woody Herman. He has accompanied and/or contracted for top entertainers like Bob Hope, Red Skelton, Shirley Jones, Red Buttons, Marvin Hamlisch, Nancy Wilson, Elvis Presley, Danny Kaye, Jack Benny and many others.

After leaving the symphonic field, Vince started his own musical entertainment agency. He has produced the Corporate Woods Jazz Festival since its inception, the July 4th Star Spangled Spectacular in Overland Park, KS and the highly successful "Jazz Nite at Annie's Santa Fe." He continues to perform for prestigious social functions and is active in the local jazz club scene.

Through the years Vince has acquired a reputation as a versatile musician, a good businessman, and a gentleman with a touch of class.

The additional information and commentary below is added by Greg Richter, who learned these things from studying percussion with, speaking with, and eventually playing with Vince over the past 38 years:

Vince was a highly respected percussionist in Cleveland Ohio where he studied under the renowned percussionist, author, and educator Dr. Charles Wilcoxin. Partly due to his association with Mr. Wilcoxin he performed with the Cleveland Orchestra, pianist Ellie Frankel (later to become musical director for the "Mike Douglas Show"), and many other celebrated musicians including the great pianist Marian McPartland.
Vince networked into the Kansas City Jazz and Dance Band scene very quickly after moving here and made it his business to get to know all of the finest musicians in KC. He soon began to perform with many of the great artists who worked here or came through town. Some of those associations included many engagements with Marilyn Maye, Sammy Tucker, Karrin Allyson, John Elliot, Tony DiPardo's various groups, The Kansas City Kicks band (which performed on the Kansas City Jazz Festival every year during the 1960's), and artists like Jay McShann & Claude "Fiddler" Williams.
Vince once allowed me the honor (during my senior year of high school) of helping him to set up Louis Bellson's gold plated drum set (we had to put on white cotton gloves and carefully nail the drums into place on a large plywood board). I then got to meet both Louis and his wife, the great Pearl Bailey. After set-up I was permitted to stay around and attend both their rehearsal and performance with the Kansas City Philharmonic (both were inspired and thrilling to me). I can recall that at one point in the concert the PA system malfunctioned and Pearl went on to sing "Here's That Rainy Day" full voice over the orchestra which immediately adjusted to the new volume level and I remember being able to hear every word and nuance of her performance perfectly. I can still see Vince smiling as he played the tympani with perfect dynamics under her voice. It was a highlight of my life.
On a personal note Vince sponsored me into the Kansas City Musicians Union in 1971 where I met Pat Metheny and was then able to begin working as a professional musician in KC. Vince saw that I loved playing the vibraphone and loaned me his set of Yamaha porta-vibes for my entire senior year of high school. I took them to Pat's house more than once for jam sessions and I probably don't have to add that those were very important moments in my musical growth.
Vince was a great percussion instructor as well as a great performer and entertainer and many of the fine percussionists in this area were his private students. (Among those pupils are both Keith Mallory and myself. You can hear us both performing with him on the version of "A Night In Tunisia" which is linked to one of the photos below.)
Vince was a great believer in helping out important causes like scholarship funds, "The Heart Association" (he donated a band to play at their "Festival Of Wines" benefit every year), "The Coda Jazz Fund" (which helps to pay funeral costs for musicians who have no funds set aside to handle those kinds of expenses), Kansas City Youth Jazz ( he recently donated a huge number of big band and combo charts to expand their music library), and their were many other organizations that he donated his time and energy to over the years.
Vince and I became even closer friends in the years after I returned to Kansas City and I played many engagements at Plaza III, Corporate Woods events, the "Heart Association" benefits which he donated his time for every year, and many other parties and concerts. In particular I have fond memories of driving Vince to a gig in St. Louis and back, listening to CDs of great big bands and classic singers. Listening to his stories about playing with, meeting, or sitting in with many of the greats we were hearing, the time really flew by.
Vince and I had a steady Tuesday night gig at the "Old Chicago" restaurant in Overland Park for about a year with Bryan Hicks on Bass & Vocals, Loren Pickford on Sax & Vocals, and me on Vibes, Keyboards, & Vocals. On that job Vince really showed his versatility. We would play a full range of material from Swing to R&B, Ballades to Blues, from Oldies to Classic Rock, from Zydeco to Salsa, and even some authentic Calypso & Reggae beats too. Vince always chose just the right groove for each tune and the band was really a fun crowd pleaser.
Recently I had been calling Vince quite often to perform on my regular Saturday night gig at "Sullivan's" restaurant. He always swung like mad and listened to my left hand on the piano in a way that made it seem as if we rehearsed every song, although we never actually had a single rehearsal for any of those performances. Last September bassist Joe Straws and I borrowed a little multi-track recorder and spent a Sunday afternoon jamming in my living room with Vince. The following mp3s are the original rough cuts from that session. I confess to not having had time to mix or edit them but I find them very enjoyable and thought that the people who find themselves on this web-page might also want to hear some of the last tunes that he recorded. Attached to the photos below are a few tunes from the actual performance at Sullivan's at which the photos were taken. Just click on any of the titles below to hear or copy the tunes.

From The Corporate Woods Jazz Festival 2003:

What Is This Thing Called Love?

featuring Vince on Drums, Greg Richter-Piano, Gerald Spaits-Bass, and Bobby Watson-Alto Sax

Lonely Street

The Vince Bilardo Orchestra, featuring Bobby Watson on Alto Sax

The Flintstones

The Vince Bilardo Orchestra, featuring Jay Sollenberger on Trumpet and Bobby Watson on Alto Sax

A Night In Tunisia

The Vince Bilardo Orchestra, featuring Vince on Timbales and Percussion, Keith Mallory on Drums, Greg Richter on Vibes, and Bobby Watson on Alto Sax. The center section of the performance features an extended musical conversation between Vince on the timbales and Keith on the drum set.

Click the photo above to hear an mp3 of Greg Richter's arrangement of "A Night In Tunisia" performed by the Vince Bilardo Orchestra at the Corporate Woods Jazz Festival; featuring Vince on Timbales and Percussion, Keith Mallory on Drums, Greg Richter on Vibes, and Bobby Watson on Alto Sax. The center section of the performance features an extended musical conversation between Vince on the timbales and Keith on the drum set.

Click the photo of Vince, Greg, Claude "Fiddler" Williams, and bassist Bob Brandstetter to hear "Vince Bilardo and Friends" play "What Is This Thing Called Love?" from the Corporate Woods concert; featuring Vince-Drums, Greg Richter-Piano, Gerald Spaits-Bass, and Bobby Watson-Alto Sax.

The next two MP3s were both composed by Greg on the afternoon of February 23, 2009.

Click on the photo above to hear "VB: The Very Best" a Jazz composition dedicated to Vince and

click on the photo below to hear "Time Enough", an original ballad that was performed at the funeral mass on Friday, March 6, 2009.

Below is Dan Jaffe's poem, "Exchanging Choruses", which Dan read at the memorial jam session. For those not familiar with Kansas City Jazz heritage, the very important musicians referred to in Dan's poem are: Milt Able-bassist, George Salisbury-pianist, Arch Martin (who passed just one week after Vince) -trombonist, and Vince Bilardo-percussionist. Click on the poem to hear an mp3 of the reading.

From Vince Bilardo Jr.: A tribute to my father, Vince Bilardo Sr.

Dad,

I want to thank you for all the gifts you’ve given me during your lifetime.

Thank you for teaching me how to garden, the importance of composting, how to appreciate the moist earthiness of “black gold” as you called it: soil ready for planting. I will forever cherish the memories of getting up early on Saturday mornings to help you prepare your prize-winning roses for the Johnson County Rose Show.

Thank you for teaching me carpentry, and the simple pleasure of a well constructed project around the house.

Thank you for introducing me to the world of sports, from watching the first super bowl game at Don Winsell’s house, to helping you bring your drums into old Municipal Stadium to play in Tony DiPardo’s band during the Chief’s glory years.

Thank you for teaching me how to barbeque, how to make the perfect basil pesto and the simple pleasures of a meal cooked from scratch for the entire family to gather ‘round and enjoy.

Thank you for teaching me the basics of business, and how to meld a life’s passion into a successful business. I am still amazed at how you made the time, with boundless enthusiasm, to put Bilardo Brothers barbeque sauces onto the Kansas City grocery store shelves. I will forever cherish the times we spent together as a family going to the Fancy Food Shows, competing in the barbeque contests, and facing the many challenges along the way.

Thank you for the love of music you instilled in me. I remember the pride I felt when our grade school class went to see the Kansas City Philharmonic, the summer fun we had watching your bands play in the Parks & Rec. band-shell in Brush Creek, the vacations at Lake Okejobee to play with Marilyn Maye, and the joy of watching you and Bill Drybread lead the Sounds-in-Vince-a-Bill. Thank you for the remarkable gift of outstanding musicianship you gave to Kansas City over the past 50 years.

Thank you for paying for my education, and giving me the opportunities to create a successful life.

Thank you for being a loving and devoted Grampa to Kendall and Rachel. I will forever cherish the memory of you holding your first grandchild, our newborn baby Kendall, just hours after she was born.

Thank you for your devoted love of Mom over the past 51 golden years of your marriage together, especially the tender care you provided her these past few years. Watching you cherish these moments with her filled my heart with joy.

And Dad, thank you most of all for the example of how you lived your life. Your gentle demeanor, your firm leadership, your dedication to our family and the broader family of musicians you cared so deeply about, and the classiness you brought to everything you did will continue to be a guiding light for me the rest of my life.

With all my love, respect, and deepest gratitude,

Your son,

Vincent J. Bilardo Jr.

In the space below I am posting photos & commentaries from Vince's friends & family

Click the photos below to hear Marilyn singing with Greg Richter-piano, Gerald Spaits-bass, Ray DiMarchi-drums, and Tom Pender-Guitar at Vince's memorial jam session, March 6, 2009; right after the funeral mass.

" I did a few gigs with Vince Bilardo, who was extremely articulate about improvisation. I remember a long drive with him to a gig in Wichita and how he very gently encouraged me to work on developing a way of playing that was more melody-based and less pattern-oriented."

Life is full of mysteries. I was Music Director in KC when Vince was Personnel Manager, a more loyal and well meaning fellow you never met. He was a great friend and aide to me, and a great musician. Last week someone sent me a You Tube Film Clip and there was Vince playing snare drum, (many close up shots) on a Joplin Rag. We were so young and good. So I thought to myself today, "I'd like to call Vince and say hello. See how he's doing." And I google his name and there is a funeral Mass notice.

I am so sorry for your loss and so sorry I just missed him.

Maurice Peress

My thoughts on Vince: “This weekend, I was looking through our records to see the first contributors to the Coda Jazz Fund. At the top was Vince’s name, and he was alongside such greats as Buck O’Neil, Milt Abel, and Claude “Fiddler” Williams. The loss of Vince is difficult. But I know that the Coda Fund and the jazz community now have a wonderful friend in heaven.”

Chairman of The Coda Jazz Fund and Director of Strategic Development for The Kansas City Star

"Being his webmaster since Vince Bilardo.com started has been a total pleasure and I am proud to have been part of his team. My first time hearing Vince was back in the Ft. Riley days before I knew what jazz was. Next was in the 60s at Pusaleri's New Yorker in downtown KC where I heard those defining triplets in his brushwork. Interviewing him to review "Viva Bilardo" in JAM Magazine took over a day because we had so much fun walking through his career. Vince was a touch of class, bubbling with excitement about his life, his family and his music. I'm sure that when Vince arrived at those Heavenly gates, Gabriel asked,

Re: Vince Bilardo

Yeh, Vince was the first guy to hire me when I came to KC from evacuating Katrina in 2005. He was always concerned that I had some gigs, being new in town. Later on, I was able to return his kindness by hiring Vince to play all my school and retirement home gigs that The Jazz Foundation of America was funding. Vince was also the ONLY drummer in KC that could play New Orleans 2nd line beats like he'd been born there or something. I used to tease him on the mike saying " Vince lies to us about being from Cleveland...he's gotta be from New Orleans !" He managed and performed with the KC Philharmonic here for years, a great classical musician. One night I complimented him on a great sounding cymbal.....Vince says sadly "Yeh, someone stole my other one...they were my Debussy cymbals". Man, he had such finesse when he played....every drum and cymbal "sounded" great and Vince WAS the drummer around here for years.....he could play like Max Roach and he once played
the gig with the Basie Orchestra...and burned! My wife became good friends with Vince's wife, Joanie. They just hit it off. Joanie has Alzheimer's but at that time Vince was still caring for her at home. She could remember, having been a jazz singer, the lyrics to ANY standard tune. I phoned he once to get the lyrics to "I'll Be Seeing You". Later when she went to a care home, Vince moved in there to in an adjacent apt. He was SO devoted to her and they have really nice sons. Vince used to tell me that he was really enjoying this time with Joanie...that they had gotten even closer, because when he was younger he was so bent on wood shedding and playing constantly that he wasn't home as much. When she first went into a home, Vince was lost. He would say "Well..I live like a bachelor now and I don't like it much" Man, Vince was a prince among men..let me tell you. I and everybody else loved him. Gentle little guy, still playing and swinging at age 80. The last gig I had with Vince was at an old folks home two weeks before he passed. He had a bad cold and was suffering from it, but he still played great and did his solo thing on St Thomas, singing all these "Day Oh.....Day Ee A Yos" to
the audience. I caught the cold from him and after he passed I figured that cold was my last little leftover part of Vince. A kid here filmed a documentary on me and Vince is in it. We were playing an inner city after school center at Christmas time. So yeh, like everyone else around here I knew and loved him and admired him greatly. If I had to describe him in one word it would be "kindness" He was always concerned about other musicians....were they working enough? "How were they doing?" and he stayed loyal 100% to the musicians he'd been hiring for his big band for years. Yeh Larry, they don't make a Vince Bilardo everyday...tell your friend that her uncle was one of the best human beings and best drummers I have met, in any city I've been in.

First of all, thank you for letting me express my thoughts about Vince and my father. God, I wish I knew where to start, my name is Joe Bilardo I’m around 57 and Vince and my dad Sam were two of the most respected men I have ever known. Both were instrumental in my start and continued success in music. I know my wife will say “oh no not another story….” But I have so many stories about these men that I need to record them for our children’s children. The humor was plentiful in our family. I remember when I was nine years old and playing drums with Vince and my dad with the Bilardo concert band. What a wonderful heritage. We would play at St. Rocco's parish in Cleveland, Ohio. We had to get up at 6 on Sunday to wake up the neighborhood for the Feast day. The band would march up and down every street in the Parish and play all these great Italian marches. Then at night there would be a concert and we would play classics and opera, etc... I remember my dad having to pick up Vince on those mornings, because he hated to get up that early. You see, he played a late gig at the Theatrical downtown with Ellie Frankel. But, he always made it. Being as young as I was, I thought we were going to really march all the time. Well….its a street band and we walked, but the musicianship was amazing. One thing I could not understand, though, is why when the folks in the neighborhood would put out coffee and pastry on every street corner, we had to stop for each one. Well I didn’t understand until…I decided I should have a little sip of that coffee …Wow! Guess what, that was not just coffee! By the end of the march everyone was real happy and having a real good time.

Being a Bilardo had a lot of responsibility back in the day for a young kid. I would be playing Hendrix and James Brown, and “in” some of the early Cleveland one hit wonder bands; I.e.: Pony Tales Outsiders, The Grasshoppers (Bennie Orr from the Cars was a friend), etc… I would be on the “Big 5 show” with them. But then I would get a call from Vince to play in a big band with my high school band director Omar Blackman, and who was the female vocalist? None other than my Aunt Joan, and let me tell you, she smoked it! The next day Vince called and I got to play the Polish Ballet at the Palace. So, you see, I probably had more opportunity than most because of my family name. It wasn’t always the stress of how well you played, but because you're Vince’s nephew, the social graces were very important, (as I always try to explain to my son). It’s who we are as Bilardos, it’s not a really a learning process, its natural. Vince radiated this natural charisma to everyone he met. Vince called me from KC to check on me at Kent State College when I was there on May 4th 1970, during the shootings. He wanted to make sure I was O.K. Vince said “You know Joey I’m very proud of you, my friends say you are quite the musician, not just a drummer.” What can you say after that?

Vince on the drums with "The Ellie Frankel Trio" at "The Theatrical Room" in Cleveland, Ohio

^Click the photo to hear Vince with Greg Richter & Joe Straws at "Sullivan's"9-27-08 playing "Lester Leaps In". ^

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Click on the famous caricature of Vince below for a very good link to a page on Vince:

followed by a reception with a hospitality buffet in the adjacent Parish Hall from 11am - 1pm

Greg Richter (keys & vibes), Brian Hicks (bass), Tom Pender (guitar), Mike Thompson (drums).

Greg Richter-Piano/Vibes, Tom Pender-Guitar, Mike Thompson-Drums, Bryan Hicks-Bass, Kerry Strayer-Baritone Sax, ? -violin, ?-Trumpet (if anyone can fill in these personnel "blanks" please write with names)

Joe Cartwright-piano, Bryan Hicks-Bass, Mike Thompson-Drums, Kerry Strayer-Baritone Sax, Rich Koble-Trombone, Tom Pender-Guitar, Greg Richter-vibes, ?-violin, ?- trumpet

Greg Meise-Piano, Gerald Spaits-Bass, Tom Pender-Guitar, Doug Auwarter-Drums

Greg Richter-piano, Gerald Spaits-bass, Ray DiMarchi-drums, and Tom Pender-Guitar

To all of Vince's friends and family, thank you all for your wonderful respect and love in attending the two separate memorial services and especially to all of the GREAT musicians of Kansas City, Florida, & Cleveland who came and contributed their hearts, respects, and talents at the reception. We know there was not time for every wonderful musician there to get a chance to perform, but your attendance speaks volumes for you. You all helped to make his memorial truly memorable and fitting to his great heart, talent, and spirit.

VINCENT JAMES BILARDO

Vincent James Bilardo, 80, of Lenexa, Kansas, passed away Monday, February 23, 2009, at home from natural causes.

Vince was born July 22, 1928, in Cleveland, Ohio. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, teacher, mentor, businessman and professional musician. He began his drumming career at age 12 as a member of his uncle’s band, The Bilardo Brothers Band. After graduation from high school, he played on the road with several Midwest big bands including the “Sugar Blues King” Clyde McCoy. After serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, he attended Western Reserve University, graduating with a degree in music. After graduation, he moved to Kansas City with his wife Joan and newborn son, Vince Jr., to play percussion with the Kansas City Philharmonic Orchestra. He performed as principal percussionist with the Orchestra for 23 years and also served as its personnel manager for 16 years. During his years in Kansas City, he became a charter member of the Annual KC Jazz Festival, Entertainment Director of the Playboy Club, consultant to the Charlie Parker Memorial Foundation, a recipient of the Mayor’s “Jazz Heritage Award,” and an inductee into the KC Jazz Hall of Fame. He was a lifelong member of the American Federation of Musicians, and served on the Board of Directors of the Local 34-627. Vince was a member of The Convention and Visitors Bureau of Kansas City, The Overland Park Chamber of Commerce and the KC Jazz Ambassadors. Over the years, he performed with such notables as Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Bob Hope, Red Skelton, Jack Benny, Elvis Presley, and many others. After leaving the symphonic field, Vince expanded his own music entertainment agency, arranging music for all occasions. He founded the Corporate Woods Jazz Festival. Through the years, Vince Bilardo acquired a reputation as a versatile musician, a good businessman, a teacher and mentor to many, and a gentleman with a touch of class.

Vince was preceded in death by his brother, Sam. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Joanie; his sister, Lillian Martini of Avon, Ohio; his children, Vince Bilardo, Jr., of Bay Village, Ohio, Matt Bilardo of Kansas City and Cindy Hague of Overland Park; his beloved grandchildren, Kendall, Rachel, Ian, Erika and Aidan; and countless cousins, nieces and nephews.