WWII and NEW YORK CITY: CONNECTING TIME and PLACE

I recently returned from France, which included a two-day stop in Normandy. I was pursuing the story of a Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City born soldier, John R. Simonetti, the son of Italian immigrants, who was killed during the Battle of the Hedgerows, on June 16, 1944, in the fields of St. Germain d’Elle, France. (Photo attached.)  

John’s name appears on the Tablets of the Missing at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France since his body was not recovered from the battlefield where he died. It was a tragedy that the family lived with for generations. In the years that followed his death, the family was in contact with the Army and pursued various paths to determine what had happened to their son and uncle on that fateful day. Finally, in May 2009, while doing some minor excavation work, the skeletal remains of an American soldier, with his dog tags still around his neck, was unearthed in the center of the town. It was John Simonetti.

It’s stories like these that will be included in my show, “New York City and WWII: Connecting Time and Place,” on October 26, 27 and 28, 2020 at The Cell Theatre, which is part of the series, “Classically Exposed: Musical Crossroads.”

For more information on the series and to purchase a subscription for all eight events at 25% discount CLICK HERE.

NEW YORK CITY MUSICAL HISTORY: GREAT PERFORMERS and PERFORMANCES

Interested in the musical history of New York City? Then you might like the site I’ve created at Facebook, called “The Musical History of New York City.”  Have a look by CLICKING HERE

Pictured here, counter-clockwise from upper left: Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, Dion and the Belmonts, the Chantels, Frank Sinatra, Jules Munshin and Gene Kelly, Lena Horne and Cole Porter. 

THE MUSICAL HISTORY OF NEW YORK CITY

 

So many great New York City musical moments: Sinatra, the Beatles, Marian Anderson, the Ronettes and the Ramones, Billy Joel, Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington…and that’s just scratching the surface.

From the time I was three or four years old, thanks to my mother, I was listening to the radio. First it was what we now call the American Songbook, then it was Doo Wop, the Girl Groups, Rock, Jazz, and Classical. And then there were/are the venues….the Village Vanguard, Carnegie Hall, the Apollo, Central Park, 55 Bar and on and on.

I, like so many of us, live for good music…and I’m also very interested in the history of music, particularly in New York City.

So join me at Facebook by CLICKING HERE: Share your favorite New York music stories with a photo. (No YouTube videos, please, I’d like this to be a story and photos page.) If you want to personalize a story, go ahead. Everyone loves a universal story…it may be your story, your parents, your grandparents, a friend or an old family acquaintance.

A few rules…please don’t use this sight to promote a product or your career…no politics….no musical downloads such as YouTube videos…no more than two posts a day…please do not repeat what someone else has already posted…and remember…this should be specific to New York City.

FENWICK, LEE, MACK, MALONEY, YANG and HALE: FABULOUS NIGHT at THE CELL

“From Carnegie Hall to the Cell,”  the last show of the 2019 series “Classically Exposed,” featured a night of wonderful music presented by fabulous musicians…and a dose of Carnegie Hall’s history. 

The performers, who are pictured below, were Jiin Yang, Baron Fenwick, Robert Anthony Mack, Clare Maloney, Seunghee Lee and me, Charles R. Hale

Seunghee Lee and I, co-producers of the series, are looking forward to 2020 when we will be presenting the second installment of “Classically Exposed.” We will be providing the dates and details within the next few weeks. 

Photos by Arnette Janine and Seunghee Lee.

Jiin Yang and Baron Fenwick

 

Baron Fenwick

 

Clare Maloney

 

Charles R. Hale

 

Robert Anthony Mack

 

Baron Fenwick and Seunghee Lee

 

Clare Maloney and Robert Anthony Mack

 

Jiin Yang, Baron Fenwick, Seunghee Lee, Clare Maloney and Robert Anthony Mack

CARNEGIE HALL: THE PAST COMES ALIVE at THE CELL, DECEMBER 13, 7:30pm

What do country singer Patsy Cline, French chanteuse Edith Piaf, soprano Licia Albanese and “From Carnegie Hall to the Cell’s” vocalist Clare Maloney have in common? Join us this Friday, December 13 at The Cell to find out.
 
For tix and info CLICK HERE 
 
In addition to Clare the show, which looks back at Carnegie’s legendary performs and performances, features a wonderfully gifted group of performers including Seunghee Lee (Sunny), Robert Anthony Mack, Jiin Yang and Baron Fenwick.
.
The Cell is located at 338 West 23rd St in the Chelsea section of Manhattan. Doors and bar at 7:00pm. The show begins at 7:30pm.

FROM CARNEGIE HALL TO THE CELL: DECEMBER 13, 7:30PM at the CELL

 

“Charles, a chronicler of New York life and culture, blends the city’s rich history with music imagery and performance art and captures the vibrant and unique experience that is New York City.” Author and Historian Peter Quinn

*****

From the time I was a young boy growing up in New York, I was fascinated by the connection between, music, imagery and history. Pure and simple…that’s my passion. Now I am bringing this passion forward through personal recollections, anecdotes and stories of the artists and musical geniuses who have intertwined the history of Carnegie Hall with the history of New York, making Carnegie one of the world’s most prestigious venues.   

I know some of you have purchased tickets, but if you haven’t or if you’d like one or two more there are eight seats left. https://bit.ly/2ODqsjL

I hope you can join Seunghee Lee (Sunny), Clare Maloney, Robert Anthony Mack, Jiin Yang, Baron Fenwick and me for an evening of entertainment and conviviality at “the cell,” on December 13, 7:30pm. 

Thank you for your support, 

Charles