Bios

	Chuck Genduso, Trumpet Chuck Genduso (b. 1923) began his career in the early 1940s playing with the well-known Tony Pastor Big Band. In this group Genduso made a name for himself and soon found himself working with other groups such as Freddie Slack and Will Osborn, with whom he would travel to California with. While in California Genduso got his big break and became part of the famed Harry James Orchestra. During his tenure with Harry James Genduso would perform at all the famed Hollywood ballrooms such as the Palladium and the Brown Derby. Genduso also performed as well in many of the nightclubs and in films for Paramount. Genduso traveled back to New York with James where due to a bout with polio he left James’ band. After his recovery, which was greatly assisted by Mr. James, Genduso joined the gentleman of swing himself, Tommy Dorsey. Genduso’s tenure with Dorsey lasted throughout the 1950s until he joined the Ray McKinley Big Band. During his tenure with the McKinley organization (which originally practiced at the colonial style Patchogue Hotel right here on Long Island) Genduso would travel extensively and take part in several recordings as well. Settling in New York City Genduso would work for the NBC Studio orchestra, all the major Broadway theaters, and at the Westbury Music Fair. Genduso has worked with all the greats including Bob Hope, Perry Como, Tony Bennett, and countless others. Mr. Genduso still performs full time and is often featured with the top ensembles in the Long Island area.
	Lloyd Trotman, Bass When jazz was cool and R&B was hot, Lloyd Trotman (1923-2007) was laying down bass lines as one of the most in-demand sidemen in the business. Through his countless collaborations with the likes of Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Thelonious Monk, Oscar Pettiford, and saxophonist Johnny Hodges, Trotman has proven himself as one of music’s most highly respected bass players. Beginning in Boston’s South End, Lloyd Nelson Trotman studied double bass at the New England Conservatory. Lloyd left New England for the excitement of New York in 1945 after touring with Blanche Calloway (1941). Working the jazz spots on 52nd street Trotman also did concerts and recording dates. He played jazz, gospel, and show tunes. Quickly accepted, Trotman was soon playing with the organizations of Duke Ellington, Boyd Raeburn, Johnny Hodges, and others. In the 1950s rhythm and blues broke through and Trotman was in the middle of it doing studio work. He was in the Alan Freed band that brought a joyful noise unto the Brooklyn and New York Paramount theatres and the Brooklyn Fox, and appeared in two movies starring Freed and a cast of rock and roll headliners. Trotman has made hundreds of records with some of the world’s top headliner artists from Della Reese to Dinah Washington. He has covered the labels of Norgran, Verve, Mercury, Atlantic, Chess, King, and countless more. Trotman has also explored his own compositions and recordings as heard with the Lloyd Trotman Trio on the Tuxedo and Vogue record labels, as well as his own innovative choral jazz compositions "Trottin’ In" and "Take Five" recorded with the Lloyd Trotman Orchestra on the Brunswick label in 1959. One of the most in demand sideman of his time Trotman recorded with Lucky Millinder (1952), Ray Charles (1953), Joe Turner (1956-8), and many other musicians whose styles were strongly influenced by rhythm and blues. He also recorded with Oscar Pettiford (1950), in a trio with Bud Powell and Art Blakey (1955), and with Henry "Red" Allen (1957), with whom he later performed with at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1959. Mr. Trotman enjoyed small concentrated bands. He recalls, "One of the best things I did, a two man gig, was one of the last things I did". Trotman’s engagement was collaboration with Perry Como’s piano player, Billy Rowland. The engagement was one which would last eight years at a Class A restaurant on Long Island called the Seascape. Lloyd Trotman resides in Huntington, New York. He has been active within the past year highly in demand for interviews, documentaries, and honors.
	Rosario Coletta, Clarinet The great clarinetist Rosario Coletta (b. 1922) was hailed in his time as one of the best clarinetists in the New York City scene. A graduate of the Julliard School of Music Roe performed with Vivian Lee, Lawrence Olivier, Jimmy Roselli, Lionel Hampton, Henry Mancini and others. He trained under the famed Augustin Duques of the New York Philharmonic. Mr. Coletta performed with the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra, served in World War II as a 62nd infantry bandleader, and recorded extensively for WOR. Rosario’s performing and recordings from Nice, France during the war years represent an outstanding representation of modern jazz during that time.
	Ray Williams, Bass Bassist Ray Williams (b. 1944) now resides on the east end of Long Island in the quaint historic fishing town of Greenport. Williams was born into a musical family and his talents, inherited or not, took him many places. After his time in the United States Navy Williams made New York City his home base where he free-lanced the city jazz scene as well as Broadway. A graduate of the Julliard School of Music his busy recording schedule as well as traveling added many credits to Williams’s reputation. As a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra under the direction of Buddy DeFranco, The Sammy Kaye Orchestra, The Jackie Gleason Orchestra, and The Les & Larry Elgart Orchestra, a bus became Ray’s home for many years. Recordings such as: "Live at Glen Island Casino" and "Going Great" would follow in the mid 1960s. William’s career would gain a further boost by his collaborations with Tony Bennett, Bobby Rydel, Jackie Mason, Steve Lawrence & Edie Gormet, as well as many others. Ray Williams’s talent and virtuosity abounds and he is still actively performing throughout Long Island as well as at festivals and jazz events throughout the US.
	Jimmy Pirone, Drums Jimmy Pirone (b. 1942) is currently an adjunct professor of Hofstra University and a free-lance jazz drummer residing in Bayville, New York. A graduate of the Julliard School of Music Jimmy embarked upon a career, which spanned some six decades and still continues. Pirone began early on serving in the US Army 199th Band for six years. After his armed forces tour as a member of the Lionel Hampton Orchestra Mr. Pirone quickly gained a reputation as one of the top east coast big band drummers. Working and collaborating with the likes of Roy Eldridge, Cat Anderson, Al Grey, Curtis Fuller, Frank Foster, Buddy DeFranco, Frank West, Margaret Whitting and others, Jimmy was a standard within the New York City jazz scene. Touring and recording Jimmy made many television and movie appearances such as The Jackie Gleason Show, The Tonight Show, as well as the movie "Sabrina" starring Harrison Ford. Mr. Pirone was also a part of the soundtrack for Ken Burns’ "Civil War" documentary soundtrack. Some outstanding concert appearances include the Robert Moog Synthesizer Concert at the NYC Museum of Modern Art with Hank Jones, as well as legendary performances at Town Hall, Carnegie Hall, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
	Billy Rignola, Tenor Sax There are few musicians in the national scene, which garner a household name, an infamous reputation, yet limit their travels indefinitely. Von Freeman of Chicago comes to mind; the organ players of Red Bank, New Jersey, and so on. Tenor saxophonist Billy Rignola (b. 1933) is yet another of these rare hidden legends. A native of Patchogue, Long Island, Rignola began playing clarinet at age 16. Influenced by his father, whom played clarinet as well as numerous family member musicians, Rignola was surrounded by music. An early influence was the trumpeter Johnny Wintherst whom played with Eddie Condon and whom lived with the Rignola family for a brief while. It wasn’t long before Rignola made the switch to tenor saxophone and was playing with the John Dell Quartet. The US Army found Rignola overseas and performing in Germany from 1953-1955. Upon returning a 1957-1959 stint with the Mike Greco Orchestra proved artistically rewarding. Rignola left the group to be replaced by Johnny Mince from Tommy Dorsey’s orchestra. 1959-1962 found Rignola with drummer Fred Kelly’s group, which at the time included many top soloists from the big band era. Billy Rignola’s sound is classic, yet fresh. His improvisations incorporate a marriage of melodic fluidity and tasteful extensions of the chordal material as well as exciting and experimental rhythmic variations. Rignola is currently freelancing throughout the Long Island area.
	Frank Vaccaro, Trombone Frank Vaccaro (b. 19 ) not only premiered many Broadway classics such as "Mame", and "Hello Dolly!" but also performed with the Glenn Miller Orchestra under Ray McKinley, Fred Warring & His Pennsylvanians, The Tommy Dorsey/Warren Covington Orchestra, and countless other famed groups. Vaccaro’s standing as one of the top New York City studio players of his time afforded him the opportunity to perform on countless jazz and pop albums as well as television, radio, and movies.
	Thomas Manuel, Trumpet Thomas Manuel (b. 1979) received his bachelors’ degree in Music Education, Trumpet Performance, from Boston University School of Fine Arts where he studied under the tutelage of Roger Voisin and Joseph Foley. While in Boston Manuel formed and lead his own Big Band, the Black Tie Affair Orchestra which toured extensively throughout the east coast performing on radio, television, and countless icon venues. His first album, "Flying Home" was released in the fall of 2000. Receiving his masters degree in Jazz Commercial Music from Five Towns College, Manuel, now teaching, holds positions as Director of Bands at Islip High School, as well as Director of Jazz Studies at the Stony Brook School, (both on Long Island, New York). Currently freelancing in the New York area in the classical and jazz mediums, Manuel is a member of the Sonny Dallas Big Band, The Sound Symphony, New Directions Quintet lead by Teddy Charles, and his own group, The All Stars which boasts a legendary personnel of jazz greats. Also in demand as a workshop/clinician Manuel has presented at numerous colleges and universities throughout the United States. He is currently working on his upcoming book, "Sideman to the Stars".