New York Conservatory of Modern Music

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The New York Conservatory of Modern Music was a music school in New York City, founded soon after World War II [lower-alpha 1] by principal Alfred Francis Sculco, [lower-alpha 2] a professional trumpeter from Westerly, Rhode Island who attended the Juilliard School, and played with the big bands of Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and Harry James. [5] [8]

Located at 552 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, [1] it is notable for the alumni who went on to become working jazz musicians, [lower-alpha 3] including Jimmy Cheatham, [10] Wally Cirillo, [11] Seldon Powell, [12] and George Tucker. [13] Jazz record producer Don Schlitten is also a former student. [14] [15]

In addition to Sculco (affectionately known as "Squeak" by the students) [16] and others, Tony Aless, [2] [12] Billy Bauer, [2] [17] Jim Chapin, [18] [19] and Don Lamond [2] were all instructors at the college.

Notes

  1. ↑ Adverts for the conservatory may be found in the music press from 1947, [1] 1948, [2] 1949, [3] and 1950. [4]
  2. ↑ Sculco's full middle name can be verified through a combination of his newspaper obituary, [5] army draft card, [6] and social security details. [7]
  3. ↑ In the immediate postwar period, the school was possibly the only institution in the United States teaching big band jazz. [9]

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References

  1. 1 2 "New York Conservatory of Modern Music [Advert]". International Musician . Vol. 46, no. 3. Newark, NJ: American Federation of Musicians. September 1947. p. 19. ISSN   0020-8051 . Retrieved January 15, 2023– via Internet Archive.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "New York Conservatory of Modern Music: For the Serious Minded Musician [Advert]". Down Beat. Vol. 15, no. 12. Chicago: Down Beat, Inc. June 16, 1948. p. 13. ISSN   0012-5768 . Retrieved January 15, 2023– via Internet Archive.
  3. ↑ "Achievement in Music Education [Advert]". Down Beat . Vol. 16, no. 14. Chicago: Down Beat, Inc. July 29, 1949. p. 18. ISSN   0012-5768 . Retrieved January 15, 2023– via Internet Archive.
  4. ↑ "New York Conservatory of Modern Music: Thorough Professional Training in All Phases of Music [Advert]". Down Beat. Vol. 17, no. 16. Chicago: Down Beat, Inc. August 11, 1950. p. 13. ISSN   0012-5768 . Retrieved January 15, 2023– via Internet Archive.
  5. 1 2 "Obituaries (Westerly)". The Providence Journal . Providence, RI. August 23, 2001. p. C7. ISSN   2574-3406.
  6. ↑ "Alfred Francis Sculco in Records of the Selective Service System 147, Box 146, WWII Draft Registration Cards for Rhode Island, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947" . Ancestry . St. Louis, MO: National Archives at St. Louis . Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Alfred F Sculco, 20 Aug 2001 U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File". FamilySearch . Alexandria, VA: National Technical Information Service . Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  8. ↑ Burns-Fusaro, Nancy (October 2, 2021). "Giving the Gift of Music: Class of 1970 Creates Westerly High Music Hall of Fame". The Westerly Sun . Westerly, RI: The Sun Media Group. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  9. ↑ Gonzalez, Linda (September 25, 1988). "He Leads the Bands that Crowds Follow" . Press & Sun-Bulletin. Vol. 3, no. 360. Binghamton, NY: Gannett Satellite Information Network Inc. pp. C1, C5. ISSN   0886-8816 . Retrieved January 15, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
    Article continued to p. C5 under title "Ricco Zizzi".
  10. ↑ Rye, Howard (2002). "Cheatham, Jimmy (James Rudolph)" . Grove Music Online . Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.J733900 . Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  11. ↑ Bohländer, Carlo; Holler, Karl Heinz & Pfarr, Christian (2000). "Cirillo, Wally (Wallace Joseph)". Reclams Jazzführer [Reclam's Jazz Guide] (in German) (Fifth ed.). Stuttgart: Phillipp Reclam. p. 80. ISBN   0313296278 . Retrieved January 15, 2023– via Internet Archive.
  12. 1 2 Ulanov, Barry (1986). Tony Aless and his Long Island Suite (Media notes). Tony Aless. New York: Roost Records. RLP 2202. Retrieved January 15, 2023– via Internet Archive.
  13. ↑ Feather, Leonard G. (1960). "Tucker, George Andrew". The Encyclopedia of Jazz (Revised ed.). New York: Horizon Press. p. 466. Retrieved January 15, 2023– via Internet Archive.
  14. ↑ Four Decades of Jazz: A Musical History of Xanadu (Media notes). Various artists. Hollywood, CA: Xanadu Records. 1978. Xanadu 5001. Retrieved January 15, 2023– via Internet Archive.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ↑ Gans, Charles J. (1978). "Don Schlitten: Generating Xanadu's Treasures" . Jazz Forum . No. 52 (International ed.). Vienna: International Jazz Federation. pp. 29–32. Retrieved January 15, 2023– via Internet Archive.
  16. ↑ Cheatham, Jeannie (April 2021). "Trail of Two Trombones". San Diego Troubadour. San Diego, CA. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  17. ↑ Ind, Peter (June 22, 2005). "Billy Bauer: Innovate jazz guitarist" . The Independent . No. 5828. London. p. 36. ISSN   0951-9467 . Retrieved January 15, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ Drummer Delights: Jazz Band Music Minus One Drummer (Media notes). The Sonny Truitt Quintet/Octet. New York: Music Minus One. 1961. MMO 4004. Retrieved January 15, 2023– via Internet Archive.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ↑ Barnhart, Stephen L. (2000). "Chapin, James 'Jim'". Percussionists: A Biographical Dictionary (Revised ed.). Westport, CN: Greenwood Press. p. 63. ISBN   0313296278 . Retrieved January 15, 2023– via Internet Archive.
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