Al Cass
Encyclopedia
Al Cass was an inventor, performer, trumpeter, manufacturer and consultant
to other brass musicians.
at the turn of the 20th century. Later the name was changed to "Cassinelli" by an older sibling, a fad of the day to enable other immigrants to spell and pronounce the name more easily. Though both parents did not agree to the name change thus kept their original last name. He asked his mother for a horn at age 12 after hearing Harry James
on the radio.
President four years class of 1941 Milford High School
. Had own orchestra by age 14 performing at Proms/weddings and area clubs notably the Crystal Room a club frequented by many touring legends of the day whom he met and was inspired by.
Entered into World War II
as a machine gunner after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Along with 2 older brothers, Isadore and Louis. An older sister Rita went to Detroit to become a "Rosy the Riviter". Alfred took his trumpet with him and was seen playing. He was immediately transferred into Special Services touring the European theater performing for troops who were awaiting the arrival of Hollywood's Andrews Sisters, Bob Hope
and Mickey Rooney
among others. He left service as Private 1st class.
, Count Basie
, Duke Ellington
, and Stan Kenton
, some whom he first met earlier at the Crystal room before World War II. Following an important gig to which members of his orchestra failed to show up, he ended his tour as a band leader and returned home to care for his ailing father Stephano Cascianell (d.1952) Stephano had been a stone cutter at one of Milford's famous Pink granite
quarries.
It was at this time that Al built a workshop in the two-car garage next to his family home, opened his high school physics book and began work on his long time idea for a mouthpiece that would enable brass musicians to play more than just their declared instrument of choice using the same embouchure
. After several years of research and development, he invented "doubling" mouthpieces for brass musicians which he patented with Patent # 2,917,964.
He was a mouthpiece consultant, manufacturer of mouthpieces for trumpeter Jazz
musician, creator of bebop
John Birks Dizzy Gillespie
and many other legends from the Big Band era. His clientele reads like a "who's who" of trumpeters, most notably from the jazz generation Louis Armstrong
, Roy Eldridge
, Harry Sweets Edison
, Booker Little
, Blue Mitchell
, Buck Clayton
and Doc Cheatham.
He was the manufacturer/creator of Al Cass "FAST" valve/slide/key oil combination for Brass instruments, which has been considered the industry standard since inception. It was developed after 18 months of R&D at the request and final approval of Dizzy Gillespie.
.
For several years, up until his death, he was working on a portable water-saving irrigation system for crop production in drought-ridden areas of the world.
Alfred S. Cassinelli died August 23, 1989 intestate.
On April 19th 1989, Alfred S. Cassinelli, Al Cass, via a transfer of ownership, signed over to his elder sister Mary I. Cassinelli, all rights associated with Al Cass and his products. Shortly thereafter, Mary assigned her nephew Stephen, eldest son of Al Cass, in full control of those rights, of which Stephen has since made available Al Cass mouthpieces. Upon the death of Mary I. Cassinelli, October 26, 2006, at age 99, Zoe A. Cassinelli, the daughter of Stephen Cassinelli, was named sole beneficiary in the will of Mary I. Cassinelli. Stephen J. Cassinelli, was named Trustee.
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
to other brass musicians.
Early life
Youngest of nine children(Anna, Isadore, Mary, Louis, Rita, Hellen, Alba, and Concetta) of Italian immigrants who came to America and settled in Milford, MassachusettsMilford, Massachusetts
Milford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It had a population of 27,999 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Milford, constituting the center of the town, please see the article Milford ,...
at the turn of the 20th century. Later the name was changed to "Cassinelli" by an older sibling, a fad of the day to enable other immigrants to spell and pronounce the name more easily. Though both parents did not agree to the name change thus kept their original last name. He asked his mother for a horn at age 12 after hearing Harry James
Harry James
Henry Haag “Harry” James was a trumpeter who led a jazz swing band during the Big Band Era of the 1930s and 1940s. He was especially known among musicians for his astonishing technical proficiency as well as his superior tone.-Biography:He was born in Albany, Georgia, the son of a bandleader of a...
on the radio.
President four years class of 1941 Milford High School
Milford High School (Massachusetts)
Milford High School is the secondary school for the district of Milford, Massachusetts. It is one choice for Milford students to attend high school. Another is Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School. As seen on the side, the principal is Mr. Michael Tempesta, formerly of...
. Had own orchestra by age 14 performing at Proms/weddings and area clubs notably the Crystal Room a club frequented by many touring legends of the day whom he met and was inspired by.
Entered into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a machine gunner after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
Along with 2 older brothers, Isadore and Louis. An older sister Rita went to Detroit to become a "Rosy the Riviter". Alfred took his trumpet with him and was seen playing. He was immediately transferred into Special Services touring the European theater performing for troops who were awaiting the arrival of Hollywood's Andrews Sisters, Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
and Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney is an American film actor and entertainer whose film, television, and stage appearances span nearly his entire lifetime. He has won multiple awards, including an Honorary Academy Award, a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award...
among others. He left service as Private 1st class.
Career
After the War, the reformed "Al Cass Orchestra" toured the East Coast befriending fellow band leaders such as Cab CallowayCab Calloway
Cabell "Cab" Calloway III was an American jazz singer and bandleader. He was strongly associated with the Cotton Club in Harlem, New York City where he was a regular performer....
, Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
, Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, and Stan Kenton
Stan Kenton
Stanley Newcomb "Stan" Kenton was a pianist, composer, and arranger who led a highly innovative, influential, and often controversial American jazz orchestra. In later years he was widely active as an educator....
, some whom he first met earlier at the Crystal room before World War II. Following an important gig to which members of his orchestra failed to show up, he ended his tour as a band leader and returned home to care for his ailing father Stephano Cascianell (d.1952) Stephano had been a stone cutter at one of Milford's famous Pink granite
Milford granite (Massachusetts)
Milford granite is a Proterozoic igneous rock located in and around the town of Milford, Massachusetts, covering an area of approximately 100 sq km, as mapped by the USGS. It is described as a light-gray to pale orange-pink biotite granite. The biotite is typically in clots or short streaks...
quarries.
It was at this time that Al built a workshop in the two-car garage next to his family home, opened his high school physics book and began work on his long time idea for a mouthpiece that would enable brass musicians to play more than just their declared instrument of choice using the same embouchure
Embouchure
The embouchure is the use of facial muscles and the shaping of the lips to the mouthpiece of woodwind instruments or the mouthpiece of the brass instruments.The word is of French origin and is related to the root bouche , 'mouth'....
. After several years of research and development, he invented "doubling" mouthpieces for brass musicians which he patented with Patent # 2,917,964.
He was a mouthpiece consultant, manufacturer of mouthpieces for trumpeter Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician, creator of bebop
Bebop
Bebop differed drastically from the straightforward compositions of the swing era, and was instead characterized by fast tempos, asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers...
John Birks Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
and many other legends from the Big Band era. His clientele reads like a "who's who" of trumpeters, most notably from the jazz generation Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
, Roy Eldridge
Roy Eldridge
Roy David Eldridge , nicknamed "Little Jazz" was an American jazz trumpet player. His sophisticated use of harmony, including the use of tritone substitutions, his virtuosic solos and his strong influence on Dizzy Gillespie mark him as one of the most exciting musicians of the swing era and a...
, Harry Sweets Edison
Sweets Edison
Harry "Sweets" Edison , born in Columbus, Ohio, was an American jazz trumpeter and member of the Count Basie Orchestra.-Biography:He spent his early childhood in Kentucky, where he was introduced to music by an uncle...
, Booker Little
Booker Little
Booker Little, Jr was an American jazz trumpeter and composer.-Biography:Despite his premature death from kidney failure at the age of 23, Little made an important contribution to jazz. Stylistically, his sound is rooted in the playing of Clifford Brown, featuring crisp articulation, a burnished...
, Blue Mitchell
Blue Mitchell
Richard Allen Mitchell was an American jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock, and funk trumpeter, known for many albums recorded as leader and sideman for Riverside, Blue Note and then Mainstream Records.-Biography:...
, Buck Clayton
Buck Clayton
Buck Clayton was an American jazz trumpet player who was a leading member of Count Basie’s "Old Testament" orchestra and a leader of mainstream-oriented jam session recordings in the 1950s. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong...
and Doc Cheatham.
He was the manufacturer/creator of Al Cass "FAST" valve/slide/key oil combination for Brass instruments, which has been considered the industry standard since inception. It was developed after 18 months of R&D at the request and final approval of Dizzy Gillespie.
Later personal life
In 1980 his mother Josephine, died at 99 years of age, and was told by his own physicians he had just 5% of his liver with just months to live. He purchased a home away from his business and older surviving siblings, and taught his son Stephen (b.1968) the business. By 1981 he stopped making mouthpieces and left his son Stephen in control of oil production. He stopped going to his "factory" on a regular basis to spend more time with his youngest son Joseph (b.1977). A third son, Alfred the 2nd, was born in 1982. Fearing the end was near, he spent most of his time designing his two youngest sons a backyard in the tradition of Walt DisneyWalt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
.
For several years, up until his death, he was working on a portable water-saving irrigation system for crop production in drought-ridden areas of the world.
Alfred S. Cassinelli died August 23, 1989 intestate.
On April 19th 1989, Alfred S. Cassinelli, Al Cass, via a transfer of ownership, signed over to his elder sister Mary I. Cassinelli, all rights associated with Al Cass and his products. Shortly thereafter, Mary assigned her nephew Stephen, eldest son of Al Cass, in full control of those rights, of which Stephen has since made available Al Cass mouthpieces. Upon the death of Mary I. Cassinelli, October 26, 2006, at age 99, Zoe A. Cassinelli, the daughter of Stephen Cassinelli, was named sole beneficiary in the will of Mary I. Cassinelli. Stephen J. Cassinelli, was named Trustee.
External links
- http://abel.hive.no/trumpet/playerhorn/ Player Horn & Mouthpiece Combinations
- http://www.hnwhitekings.com/silverflair.html Dizzy Gillespie KING Silver Flair & Al Cass mouthpiece on display at the Smithsonian Institution
- http://abel.hive.no/trumpet/al_cass/ Al Cass clients/photo's/brochures
- http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:XTd2jbL_o1wJ:www.guernseys.com/auctions/jazz/jazz_addendum.pdf+al+cass+mouthpiece+consultant+auction&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&client=safari Guernsey's auction(scroll to page 11, this feature does not appear to work in reference section above)