Rec Center Rocks with Big Band Memories

Lou Zegarelli, a Peters Township resident for 40 years, introduced his orchestra, Big Band Memories, to an enthusiastic audience inside the .

Originally, the free concert—part of Peters Township Parks and Recreation's Summer Concert Series—was to be held at the Peterswood Park Amphitheater, but the threat of rain moved the party inside.

Big Band Memories consists of Lou Zegarelli; Mike Caporizzi; Norm Gross; Rich Long; Milt Barney; Dave Heineman; Rick Tolbert; Mark Matty; Mike Rauch; John Christian; Marty Wassel; Ron Levi; Fred Perino; Chuck Lesko; Gene Turtzer; George Fecik, and Bill McCarthy. Sound equipment was provided by Mugs of Maximum Sound.

Guests sat on bleachers to listen to some of their favorite tunes from a bygone era, and the sweet sound of the big bands. Some of the band’s friends, fans and relatives attended the event.

Thomas Tolbert, 23, said, “Even though my dad (Rick) is in the band, I grew up listening to jazz and big band music. I’d probably be here anyway.”

“In the 30s, 40s, and 50s, there were over 400 big bands," Zegarelli said. "The most famous were Benny Goodman, Count Basey, Glenn Miller, and Les Brown and his Band of Renown.”

Big Band Memories, consisting of several saxophones, trumpets, trombones, a guitar player, drums and a keyboard player, started out their show with an old standard, “At Last.”

They covered Glenn Miller’s “In the Mood,” which actually put everyone in the mood—toes started tapping and heads were bopping. Some people got up and did a little swing dancing.

Big Band Memories also covered Cole Porter’s “Night and Day.” The band played a few more contemporary numbers as well.

They played “Gonna Fly Now,” a song widely known as the theme from “Rocky.”  Zegarelli said, “Not only did the movie win an academy award, the music did, too.”

Zegarelli told a lovely anecdotal story about Pittsburgher Billy “Sweet Pea” Strayhorn.

“Strayhorn grew up in Homewood," he said. "He auditioned right here in Pittsburgh for Duke Ellington’s band. Ellington loved his music and hired him on the spot. Ellington told him to come to New York in two weeks to start working.

"He gave Strayhorn directions. Strayhorn was so delighted about being hired for such a famous musician, he composed a jazz number based on those directions. It became a huge hit. That song was ‘Take the A Train,’ and it became part of Ellington’s repertoire.”

They followed it up with a sleepy Count Basey tune, “Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me,” which led right into a booming rendition of Basey’s “Just Friends.”

After a brief intermission, the band returned to play Billy Joel’s “Just the Way You Are.” But when the joint started jumping was when the band played a series of Frank Sinatra songs, “Witchcraft,” “New York, New York” and “Come Fly with Me.”

Zegarelli also highlighted the career of another famous Pittsburgh performer, Henry Mancini. Big Band Memories delighted the crowd with a big brassy version of “Days of Wine and Roses,” an arrangement originally performed by the Spitfire Band.

Zegarelli reminisced about the big band days in Pittsburgh, fondly recollecting the good old days at Westview Danceland, a premier big band era venue.

After playing "Stars fell on Alabama,” the band played their signature song, “Day In, Day Out.”

At the end of the show, Zegarelli said, “We can’t let you go home without playing our happy song.” The band launched into “Singing in the Rain,” an appropriate end to a soggy Wednesday evening.

The song is proof that a little rain never dampened anyone’s spirit when they were filled with joy and music.

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