Remembering The Sounds

Joe Pecoraro

Remembering The Music

Joe Pecoraro

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Joe was called the "King of the Saxophone" by Tommy Dorsey.

He was thought of as one of the best alto saxophonists of his era. Born in 1902 in New York City and raised in Coney Island, Brooklyn, N.Y. His father Filomeno, who came to America from Colliano, Italy fulfilled the American dream. Joe's father, Filomeno owned the Pecoraro Restaurant and Hotel on Surf Avenue in Coney Island. Filomeno wanted his son to become a doctor, but Joe loved music from when he could first reach the keys on the family piano. He had four sisters, two were in the arts; Laura was an acclaimed concert pianist, and Katherine a fashion designer. When his father refused him music lessons Joe took a job after school and took banjo lessons, then saxophone, which was his passion. He also studied guitar and violin. Achieving success in all. As he grew older he took music lessons from a private teacher in New York City, studying also, music theory, orchestration and composition. Against his fathers wishes, Joe began his musical career as a teenager, playing in small bands. Like the success stories of so many others, someone heard him play sax at a club in New York City and his career was off and running. That someone was Joe Venuti who was closely associated with the Dorsey brothers and connected with Paul Whiteman, the most popular band leader of the 20's. A close association between the two Joe's began in the mid 20's. Joe Venuti was known as the first violinist of Jazz. He did many Broadway shows and recommended Joe for a number of alternate musician spots in many top clubs. In 1928 Joe Venuti was recording records under the name of Joe Venuti and the New Yorkers. Joe Pecoraro was moving up big time in the music business. Around 1925 Joe became what was called the "Houseman" for NBC Radio. Here he played saxophone, banjo and violin with many of the early NBC greats and for live radio drama, programs which were so popular in those days. In the late 1920's NBC featured him and four others in a program called "The Radio Joe's." One of the members of that NBC group was friend and well know musician Joe Biviano. Joe Pecoraro remained the NBC Houseman until the early 1930's. It was in the late 20's when he met Guy Lombardo at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City. This was the music of a great generation.

In 1931 he married Veronica Campanile of Brooklyn. They had two daughters, Leonore and Jo-Ann. He extended his vision to Hollywood, at the suggestion of his sister Laura, a concert pianist. That was short lived. While in Hollywood, Joe invested in his father's second restaurant, the famed Hollywood Bella Napoli Cafe. This was a local "hang-out" for a number of Hollywood's golden era celebrities. Joe once said "Hollywood is great to visit but my joy and musical success will always be in New York." When he returned to the city he loved, he re-joined NBC. He did have what he called a "golden opportunity," when he was invited to be part of a music tour to France. On that tour, Joe played at a number of top hotels and clubs in Paris.

He was featured on sax with both the Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey bands. He played with Major Bowes Amateur Show where the "Hoboken Four" performed. The Hoboken Four is where Frank Sinatra made his debut as a performer. He was a guest saxophonists many times for Eddy Duchin, Gene Krupa and also with Glenn Miller in the late 1930's. It was in the late 1920's when Joe met Artie Shaw who was playing alto sax and clarinet. Artie became a Jazz legend as a brilliant clarinetist and bandleader, with such hits as "Begin the Beguine" and "Stardust." Veronica, Joe's wife love to hear "Stardust," it was her favorite song. She would go to the rehearsal hall anytime the band was rehearsing that number for a show, just to hear it played. Veronica told the story of Artie dedicating the song to her while she was with her family on a special occasion, at one of New York's supper clubs.

Joe played as an alternate musician behind Helen O'Connell just around the time she joined the Jimmy Dorsey orchestra in 1939. She replaced Ella Mae Morse who Dorsey called inexperienced. When Ella Mae forgot the lyrics twice while performing on live radio, singing alternate lyrics both times, Dorsey asked her to leave. Helen remained with Dorsey until 1943. For a time, Joe was with Poncho and the Nick D'Amico Band where he performed in a number of hotels in high society style. He was introduced to Carmen Carvallaro known as "the poet of the piano" on NBC. Carmen's fame grew through his regular radio program on NBC. During this time, Joe recorded a number of 78 rpm records. Before his death in 1997, he reminisced about his career and reflected many times about playing some of the U.S.O shows with Kate Smith, who liked being called Kathryn. He met Kate in the early days at NBC. The "Radio Joe's" were often called to work as back up musicians with Kate to alleviate the high cost of a full orchestra. Joe Biviano on accordion and Joe Pecoraro on violin and sax with one or two others fit the bill. A trio or quartet behind a number of singing artists, was popular in those days to keep production costs at a minimum. Joe worked with Kate both on radio and very briefly at the start of her TV program "The Kate Smith Hour." Kate visited Joe and Veronica after the birth of their first daughter, bringing a sweater set and blanket for the baby. Many times he thought about being called to play back up sax for Carmen Miranda when she appeared in New York and wrote orchestrations for her. He said she was always happy-go-lucky and outgoing, just as she appeared on stage and loved to teasing the musicians.

He was at the top of his career when he developed an acute and rare case of arthritis of his jaw. A devastating blow emotionally. This painful and debilitating medical condition ended his career as a much respected and sort after saxophonist. His jaw would only partially open. Even after consulting top medical professionals he could not fully open his mouth. A young army surgeon who had heard his story and heard him play, contacted him offering his help. What could he do, Joe thought, when so many top specialists could do nothing? But young Dr. David Fischetti insisted and Joe received pure gold injections in his jaw and little by little, after about a year, he was able to open his mouth. He was so grateful but he quickly realized he could never play saxophone again. This was a sadness he carried for a number of years. He then turned to his violin and his guitar which led him through the years that followed, but his true love was the sax. After Joe retired he became a teacher of music and then coached a number of gifted students, some forming their own bands and achieving their own success. In his late seventies he was playing finger guitar like a pro. Joe died at ninety four years old. He had a life time of music and memories of those great days gone by.

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Dorsey Brothers Saxophone section- Waldorf Astoria
Joe Pecoraro 3rd from left.

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Left to Right Joe Pecoraro, Sheppard, Yorkes, Joe Biviano & Mackels

Three NBC Radio programs

Luncheon Five 12 Noon Program
Manhattan Rise & Shine 7:30 AM Program
Manhatters 10:30 AM Program

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Another picture of the five above. Joe with his banjo , sax and fiddle at his feet.

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Orchestra leader Nick D'Amico, Singer Mary Ellen and Joe

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Nick D'Amico musicians, Christie Maisto on left, Don Romeo center and Joe Pecoraro on right. Picture taken around 1940. Can anyone share any information about this photo, or Don who was called "Romeo? " Please e-mail us.

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1930's Joe Pecoraro ( fourth from left) Alto Sax and Banjo

Letters to Joe from Frank Vagnoni of NBC
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Remembering the great names of music Joe knew and played with

Left to right first row Joe Venuti, Kate Smith, Major Bowes, Eddy Duchin, & Carmen Miranda,
Second row Helen O'Connell , Guy Lombardo, Paul Whiteman ,Carmen Carvallaro
& Artie Shaw

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Thank you for visiting this site your comments are always welcomed.
If you know anything about the early musicians pictured here, if have any of Joe's 78 rpm records, or photos, just want to reminisce we would love to hear from you. Some comments, letters and pictures will be posted on the Music Memory page. We are still building this site, so please come and visit again.

Music - Sleepy Lagoon recorded by Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. One of Joe's favorite songs written by British composer Eric Coates in 1942

Web site created & designed by - JoAnn Pecoraro Corsiatto
Web Research - Leonore Pecoraro Canevari