Book Presentation: “Bebop, Swing and Bella Musica” by Authors Bill Dal Cerro & David Anthony Witter
From its origins in New Orleans through the Big Band, Swing, Be-Bop, and Modern Era, Americans of Italian heritage have made vital contributions to Jazz Music. Frank Sinatra, Louis Prima, Louie Bellson, Lennie Tristano, Tony Bennett, Buddy DeFranco, Flip Phillips and Joe Lovano: These are just some of the hundreds of musicians of Italian descent whose talents have enriched jazz.
But Bebop, Swing and Bella Musica is more than just a book about music. From the lynching of Italian immigrants in New Orleans in 1891 through hard times and prejudice, this book documents the cultural barriers which Italians faced in their pursuit of the American Dream. It also profiles musicians like Joe Marsala who played an active role in the integration of jazz music.
Bebop, Swing and Bella Musica features original, in-depth interviews with many artists who overcame poverty, illness and other personal tragedies. In the end, they drew strength from the musical traditions of their ancestors, bringing Italian passion to America’s greatest art form.
Bill Dal Cerro is a native of the Grand and Ogden neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side, Bill Dal Cerro is a teacher, writer and researcher who has been extensively involved in the local and national Italian-American community over the past 15 years. Dal Cerro is President of The Italic Institute of America, a national educational non-profit, and was an Associate Producer of “And They Came to Chicago: The Italian American Legacy,” a PBS documentary which he initiated and supervised. Bill was a reporter and columnist for Fra Noi, Chicagoland’s monthly Italian-American newspaper, where he wrote a column, Sempre Avanti, highlighting positive achievements of Italian Americans across the country. Bill studied Film and Journalism at Columbia College, Chicago, and received degrees in English and Education from Northeastern Illinois University. His articles on Italian/Italian-American history have been featured in the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times and the Los Angeles Times as well as in such periodicals as Primo Magazine.
David Anthony Witter is a Chicago-based freelance writer, photographer, blues musician and teacher. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Living Blues, New City, the Chicago Reader, Bay Area Music Magazine, Primo, Ambassador Magazine, The Italic Way, Fra Noi and the Italian-American Experience, an Encyclopedia. Witter holds degrees in Writing from Columbia College, Chicago, and Secondary Education in English from Northeastern Illinois University. He currently teaches at the Chicago Public Schools. Other upcoming works include Oldest Chicago from Lake Claremont Press and The Best of the Chicago Blues Annual from the University of Illinois Press.
Copies of the books will be available for sale.
Registration for non members begins on March 21
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