PADDY FITZALLAN and FRIENDS

Mon 2 Nov 2009 @ 8:00pm

Admission Members $10 Student members $5 Non members $15

STAR veteran Paddy Fitzallan (trumpet) is joined by Russell Holmes (piano), Phil Hatton (tenor sax/clarinet), Mike Wiese (baritone & tenor sax), Bill McAllister (trombone), Dijon Summers (bass), Rick Alderson (drums).

It's quite a group, but Paddy's used to grooving with the best! The line-up of famous artists he's been associated with over the years is stunning. Managers have relied on Paddy Fitzallan - as featured guest soloist, conductor, musical director or organiser with such luminaries as Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra.
"Sinatra, he called me Curly," admits Paddy ruefully, stroking today's pate.
There were so many more - Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Torme, Dickie Valentine, Johnny Ray, Tiny Tim, Lana Cantrell, Diana Trask, Max Bygraves, Roger Miller, Marlene Dietrich, Liza Minnelli, Buddy Rich, Wayne Newton, Judy Garland, Gene Krupa, Buddy De Franco, Shirley Bassey, June Christy, Frankie Laine, Ray Stevens and Roy Orbison!

Early days
Paddy Fitzallan first played cornet, in 1935 with the `Westmead Boys' a Sydney brass band led by Ossie Summerton.
"It was a great foundation of correct style and I value that time with Ossie for such valuable experience," says Paddy. The Westmead Boys won many awards while Paddy was playing cornet, among them the Boosey and Hawkes Challenge Shield for performance and marching.
When war hit Australia, Paddy joined the RAAF in Darwin. On return to Melbourne he then played in every dance hall in town under various leaders.
Opportunity came to Paddy in 1949, fronting a band at Malvern Town Hall.
From there he moved to Leggetts for a season, before joining the brass section of Max Bostock's Orchestra at the Orama Ballroom. When he won the trumpet lead with Bruce Kennett's Orchestra out in the Ziegfeld Palais, Paddy Fitzallan really started to hit the public eye.
In a Musician's Poll, he topped the list in the big band, trumpet and popular musician sections.

Hollywood
`Paddy Fitzallan and his Stadium Orchestra' appeared on Channel Seven and was destined for world-wide exposure.
In the 1950s the Melbourne dance palais circuit was home to `the brass man's brass man'. But in 1959 he was `on the beach' chosen by Hollywood producer Stanley Kramer to select and lead the on screen orchestra in the Ciro's Nightclub scene of the Australian-set production of `On The Beach'.
Before finally settling in Perth, Australia, Paddy played through the 1960s and 70s on the Melbourne and Sydney club scenes by night - while joining in numerous recording sessions by day.
In 1998 he entered the recording studio again (backed by a fine Western Australian rhythm section) to recall his youthful influences on the album Do Nuthin' till you Hear from Me.
As you will hear, the hair may no longer curl, but he's still blowing strong!