Carmen Cavallaro
Encyclopedia
Carmen Cavallaro was an American
pianist. He established himself as one of the most accomplished and admired light music pianists of his generation.
. Known as the “Poet of the Piano”, he showed a gift for music from age three, picking out tunes on a toy piano. His parents were encouraged to develop the child’s musical talents and he studied classical piano in the United States. As a young pianist, he toured Europe performing in many capitals.
In 1933 Cavallaro joined Al Kavelin
's orchestra, where he quickly became the featured soloist. After four years he switched to a series of other big bands, including Rudy Vallee
's in 1937. He also worked briefly with Enrico Madriguera and Abe Lyman
.
Cavallaro formed his own band, a five-piece combo, in St. Louis, Missouri
in 1939. His popularity grew and his group expanded into a 14-piece orchestra, releasing some 19 albums for Decca
over the years. Although his band traveled the country and played in all the top spots, he made a particular impact at the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco, which became a favored venue, and which also later became a favorite spot of George Shearing
and Mel Tormé
. Other venues where he drew large audiences included New York’s Waldorf-Astoria
, Chicago’s Palmer House and the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles. In 1963 he had a million-seller hit recording of the song Sukiyaki
.
One of Cavallaro's vocalists, Guy Mitchell
, later became famous in his own right.
Cavallaro's single best-selling recording was his pop version of "Chopin's 'Polonaise.'"
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
s to augment his melody, which was often arranged in thick and lush triple- and quadruple-octave chords. His musical interests and arrangements included dance music, particularly Latin rhythms, tangos and strict tempo dancing styles, as well as some pop and jazz arrangements of classical melodies. In this, he is often cited as being influenced by pianist Eddy Duchin
. Liberace
was greatly influenced by both Cavallaro and Duchin. All three shared a propensity for arranging classical piano themes in a pop idiom.
Cavallaro became a member of ASCAP in 1957. He wrote several songs which became popular, including "While the Nightwind Sings" and "Masquerade Waltz".
during the 1940s, The Schaeffer Parade, of which he was the host and later in films where he played himself, starting with Hollywood Canteen (1944), then Diamond Horseshoe and Out of This World (both 1945). His most celebrated film achievement was playing the piano music for actor Tyrone Power
’s hands to mime, in The Eddy Duchin Story
(1956).
Cavallaro died from cancer on 12 October 1989 in Columbus, Ohio
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pianist. He established himself as one of the most accomplished and admired light music pianists of his generation.
Music career
Carmen Cavallaro was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Known as the “Poet of the Piano”, he showed a gift for music from age three, picking out tunes on a toy piano. His parents were encouraged to develop the child’s musical talents and he studied classical piano in the United States. As a young pianist, he toured Europe performing in many capitals.
In 1933 Cavallaro joined Al Kavelin
Al Kavelin
Al Kavelin was considered by many to be one of the best sweet bandleaders of the 1930s and is best remembered today for featuring Carmen Cavallaro in his band. He was born in New York City....
's orchestra, where he quickly became the featured soloist. After four years he switched to a series of other big bands, including Rudy Vallee
Rudy Vallée
Rudy Vallée was an American singer, actor, bandleader, and entertainer.-Early life:Born Hubert Prior Vallée in Island Pond, Vermont, the son of Charles Alphonse and Catherine Lynch Vallée...
's in 1937. He also worked briefly with Enrico Madriguera and Abe Lyman
Abe Lyman
Abe Lyman was a popular bandleader from the 1920s to the 1940s. He made recordings, appeared in films and provided the music for numerous radio shows, including Your Hit Parade....
.
Cavallaro formed his own band, a five-piece combo, in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
in 1939. His popularity grew and his group expanded into a 14-piece orchestra, releasing some 19 albums for Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
over the years. Although his band traveled the country and played in all the top spots, he made a particular impact at the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco, which became a favored venue, and which also later became a favorite spot of George Shearing
George Shearing
Sir George Shearing, OBE was an Anglo-American jazz pianist who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for MGM Records and Capitol Records. The composer of over 300 titles, he had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s...
and Mel Tormé
Mel Tormé
Melvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
. Other venues where he drew large audiences included New York’s Waldorf-Astoria
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
The Waldorf-Astoria is a luxury hotel in New York. It has been housed in two historic landmark buildings in New York City. The first, designed by architect Henry J. Hardenbergh, was on the Fifth Avenue site of the Empire State Building. The present building at 301 Park Avenue in Manhattan is a...
, Chicago’s Palmer House and the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles. In 1963 he had a million-seller hit recording of the song Sukiyaki
Sukiyaki (song)
The cover version by A Taste of Honey reached number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also went to number 1 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart and Soul chart)....
.
One of Cavallaro's vocalists, Guy Mitchell
Guy Mitchell
Guy Mitchell, born Albert George Cernik, was an American pop singer, successful in his homeland, the U.K. and Australia...
, later became famous in his own right.
Cavallaro's single best-selling recording was his pop version of "Chopin's 'Polonaise.'"
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
Influences and style
Cavallaro developed a piano-playing style of glittering and rippling arpeggioArpeggio
An arpeggio is a musical technique where notes in a chord are played or sung in sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing out simultaneously...
s to augment his melody, which was often arranged in thick and lush triple- and quadruple-octave chords. His musical interests and arrangements included dance music, particularly Latin rhythms, tangos and strict tempo dancing styles, as well as some pop and jazz arrangements of classical melodies. In this, he is often cited as being influenced by pianist Eddy Duchin
Eddy Duchin
Eddy Duchin was an American popular pianist and bandleader of the 1930s and 1940s, famous for his engaging onstage personality, his elegant piano style, and his fight against leukemia.-Early career:...
. Liberace
Liberace
Wladziu Valentino Liberace , best known simply as Liberace, was a famous American pianist and vocalist.In a career that spanned four decades of concerts, recordings, motion pictures, television and endorsements, Liberace became world-renowned...
was greatly influenced by both Cavallaro and Duchin. All three shared a propensity for arranging classical piano themes in a pop idiom.
Cavallaro became a member of ASCAP in 1957. He wrote several songs which became popular, including "While the Nightwind Sings" and "Masquerade Waltz".
Radio and film
Cavallaro also became famous through the media of radio and film, firstly with his regular program on NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
during the 1940s, The Schaeffer Parade, of which he was the host and later in films where he played himself, starting with Hollywood Canteen (1944), then Diamond Horseshoe and Out of This World (both 1945). His most celebrated film achievement was playing the piano music for actor Tyrone Power
Tyrone Power
Tyrone Edmund Power, Jr. , usually credited as Tyrone Power and known sometimes as Ty Power, was an American film and stage actor who appeared in dozens of films from the 1930s to the 1950s, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads such as in The Mark of Zorro, Blood and Sand, The Black Swan,...
’s hands to mime, in The Eddy Duchin Story
The Eddy Duchin Story
The Eddy Duchin Story is a 1956 biopic of band leader and pianist Eddy Duchin. It was directed by George Sidney-helmed film, written by Samuel A. Taylor, and starred Tyrone Power and Kim Novak. The musical soundtrack recording, imitating Duchin's style, was performed by pianist Carmen Cavallaro....
(1956).
Personal
Cavallaro was married to Wanda Cavallaro on 6 May 1935. They had three children. They were divorced on 26 December 1958.Cavallaro died from cancer on 12 October 1989 in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
.