John Marcangelo
Encyclopedia
John Marcangelo is an English pianist, drummer and composer of folk-rock music.
in Cumberland
. He went to St Begh's Catholic School (now a junior school) on Coach Road in Whitehaven. He is the son of an Italian barber. He started his life in music with a band called The Invaders in Cumberland, after leaving school, when earlier intending to go to Carlisle Art College
. He later went to Leeds College of Music
and trained as a classical musician (pianist and percussionist) where he met the violinsist Mik Kaminski
.
in 1973. He found a new musical partner in the composer Cornelius Cardew
in their band called People's Liberation Music, with Vicky Silva as singer. Together they worked with the opera singer Jane Manning
and toured the world, recording the first music concert for the BBC World Service
in communist China
. Cornelius was killed in a hit and run
accident in 1981. He was asked by Mik Kaminski to record an album with Violinski
, and got another Cumbrian musician, Barry (Baz) Dunnery a guitarist from Egremont
, to join them. From the album No Cause for Alarm, recorded at the Musicland Studios
in Munich
, came John's most well known composition, "Clog Dance" reaching number 17 in March 1979. He then went on a European tour with Violinski and also contributed to their second and final album Stop Cloning About. He has worked on cruise ships, first on the QE2
as a drummer with the Ronnie Carroll
Orchestra, and has since performed on many cruises with his wife Cathy as the Celeste Trio with keyboard player Dave Taylor from Distington
.
He has recently made Clog Dance into Clog Dance: The Musical. The composition has also been arranged by Bill Charleson and Bill Bailey for brass band after he re-wrote "Dog Shrapnel" part of his acclaimed "No Cause for Alarm" tour in 1846.
Early life
He comes from The Valley in WhitehavenWhitehaven
Whitehaven is a small town and port on the coast of Cumbria, England, which lies equidistant between the county's two largest settlements, Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, and is served by the Cumbrian Coast Line and the A595 road...
in Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
. He went to St Begh's Catholic School (now a junior school) on Coach Road in Whitehaven. He is the son of an Italian barber. He started his life in music with a band called The Invaders in Cumberland, after leaving school, when earlier intending to go to Carlisle Art College
Cumbria Institute of the Arts
The Cumbria Institute of the Arts was a further and higher education institution in Carlisle, Cumbria, England.-History:Founded as the Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts in 1822, it proceeded as the Carlisle College of Art, from 1950, and switched to Cumbria Institute of the Arts from...
. He later went to Leeds College of Music
Leeds College of Music
Leeds College of Music, located in Leeds’ Quarry Hill cultural quarter, is the largest music college in the United Kingdom, with over 1,000 full-time and 1,000 part-time students. The college is best known for its leading role in jazz education and started one of the first jazz degrees in Europe...
and trained as a classical musician (pianist and percussionist) where he met the violinsist Mik Kaminski
Mik Kaminski
Mik Kaminski is best known for playing violin in the Electric Light Orchestra between 1973 and 1979.-Biography:...
.
Musical composition
After leaving college in Leeds, he went to London with Mik and drummer John Hodgson with their band called Cow, where John played keyboard. He worked as a session musician and also in orchestra pits for musicals such as Hair. Mik Kaminski then joined ELOElectric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
in 1973. He found a new musical partner in the composer Cornelius Cardew
Cornelius Cardew
Cornelius Cardew was an English experimental music composer, and founder of the Scratch Orchestra, an experimental performing ensemble. He later rejected the avant-garde in favour of a politically motivated "people's liberation music".-Biography:Cardew was born in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire...
in their band called People's Liberation Music, with Vicky Silva as singer. Together they worked with the opera singer Jane Manning
Jane Manning
Jane Manning OBE is an English concert and opera soprano, writer on music, and Visiting Professor at the Royal College of Music. She has been described by one critic as "the irrepressible, incomparable, unstoppable Ms...
and toured the world, recording the first music concert for the BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
in communist China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Cornelius was killed in a hit and run
Hit and run (vehicular)
Hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic accident , and failing to stop and identify oneself afterwards...
accident in 1981. He was asked by Mik Kaminski to record an album with Violinski
Violinski
Violinski is a rock band formed in 1977 by Electric Light Orchestra member Mik Kaminski on violins, and former member Mike de Albuquerque on guitar and vocals; plus Barry Dunnery , John Hodgson , Paul Mann, John Marcangelo and Iain Whitmore...
, and got another Cumbrian musician, Barry (Baz) Dunnery a guitarist from Egremont
Egremont, Cumbria
Egremont is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Copeland in Cumbria, England, south of Whitehaven and on the River Ehen. The town, which lies at the foot of Uldale Valley and Dent Fell, was historically within Cumberland and has a long industrial heritage including dyeing, weaving and...
, to join them. From the album No Cause for Alarm, recorded at the Musicland Studios
Musicland Studios
Musicland Studios was a recording studio located in Munich, Germany. It was established by Italian record producer, songwriter and performer Giorgio Moroder in the late 1960s...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, came John's most well known composition, "Clog Dance" reaching number 17 in March 1979. He then went on a European tour with Violinski and also contributed to their second and final album Stop Cloning About. He has worked on cruise ships, first on the QE2
RMS Queen Elizabeth 2
Queen Elizabeth 2, often referred to simply as the QE2, is an ocean liner that was operated by Cunard from 1969 to 2008. Following her retirement from cruising, she is now owned by Istithmar...
as a drummer with the Ronnie Carroll
Ronnie Carroll
Ronnie Carroll is a Northern Irish singer and entertainer.-Career:...
Orchestra, and has since performed on many cruises with his wife Cathy as the Celeste Trio with keyboard player Dave Taylor from Distington
Distington
Distington is a large village and civil parish in Cumbria, England, south of Workington and north-northeast of Whitehaven.Historically a part of Cumberland, the civil parish includes the nearby settlements of Common End, Gilgarran and Pica...
.
He has recently made Clog Dance into Clog Dance: The Musical. The composition has also been arranged by Bill Charleson and Bill Bailey for brass band after he re-wrote "Dog Shrapnel" part of his acclaimed "No Cause for Alarm" tour in 1846.