Alumnotes
Alum Notes
Compiled by Ryan Fleming '03
Al Di Meola '74
Alan Palanker '74
Jawanza Kobie '79
Emil Viklicky '78 (left) and George Mraz '70
1966
1974
1978
1980
Alf Clausen of Canyon Country,
CA, is a newly elected member of
the ASCAP (or American Society of
Composers, Authors and Publishers)
Board of Directors, in the writer
member at-large feld.
Al Di Meola of Westwood, NJ,
recorded All Your Life, an acoustic
guitar tribute featuring the music of
the Beatles, at Abbey Road Studios
in London. Visitwww.aldimeola.com.
Stan Bann of Eden Prairie, MN, was
commissioned to compose the brass
works "Of Warmer Days" for the
Wild Prairie Brass Choir; and "New
Wings" and "Caution: Dark Alleys"
for the Minneapolis Trombone
Choir's 40th anniversary concert.
Visit www.stanbann.com.
Tom Santagata of Johnston, RI, plays
trumpet with Chris Jason and the
Sinatra Live Big Band (www.
chrisjasonentertainment.com) and
is the trumpeter and vocalist for his
own band the Down City Horns.
1970
Ralph Hammer of Meadow Vista,
CA, has performed and recorded
with Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Joe
Cocker, Etta James, the O'Jays, and
others. He has also worked as a studio guitarist for Motown, CBS, and
Capitol Records. He currently performs with his group Blue Rhythm.
Visit www.bluerhythmmusic.com.
1971
Saxophonist Greg Abate of
Coventry, RI, released the album The
Greg Abate Quintet Featuring Phil
Woods. Visit www.gregabate.com.
1973
Keyboardist John Novello of North
Hollywood, CA, and his trio Niacin
released the CD Krush. The supergroup includes bassist Billy Sheehan
and drummer Dennis Chambers.
Visit www.keysnovello.com.
30
Berklee today
Alan Palanker of Palm Beach
Gardens, FL, has been the music
director for John Davidson, Melba
Moore, Nicholas King, Ariana
Savalas, and Avery Sommers. Visit
www.alpalmusic.com.
1975
Steven Saulls of Redmond, WA,
teaches theory, musicianship, and
music and sound design at DigiPen.
He is also the designer and teacher
of the workshop Sound Design for
Games and Animation, and since
2009 he has been an engraver for
Hal Leonard.
Johan van Rensburg of Lyttelton,
South Africa, was a pianist and
bandleader for a South African television game show from 1991 to 2012
and recorded nearly 600 episodes.
Now retired, he composes and
records music in his home studio.
1977
James Nicoloro of Arlington, MA,
heads East Cambridge Piano, which
is celebrating its 35th year. Jay
Natale '95 is the manager, and Reed
Cournoyer '74 is a team member.
Visit www.eastcambridgepiano.com.
Bill McGoldrick of Norfolk, MA, and
Pamela Stiebler '13, were named the
best acoustic act in the 2012 local
music awards hosted by WMRC
Radio in Milford, MA. Visit www.
billmcgoldrick.net.
Pianist and composer Emil Viklicky
of Prague, Czech Republic, and bassist George Mraz '70 released the duo
album Together Again.
1979
Pianist Jawanza Kobie of
Wilmington, DE, released the new
CD Feels Better Than It Sounds. It features several alumni musicians. Visit
www.jawanzakobie.com.
Pianist Lulu Martin of Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, is teaching music students
in a program by Funarte, a Brazilian
government arts entity. He is touring with Ithamara Koorax and has
written television music. Visit www.
songbirdtracks.com.
1981
Michael Cassidy of Canoga Park, CA,
released the collection of remakes
I'm the Man (In Some Alternate
Universe). He produced; arranged;
and played guitars, bass, vocals, and
keyboards with Ronnie Ciago '77,
who played drums on the album.
Visit www.michaelcassidy.org.
Joseph Napolitano of Attleboro, MA,
and his dark-wave electronic duo A
Fifth Column completed a video for
the release of the group's latest song
"If Winter Comes" for release on
YouTube, Vimeo, ReverbNation, and
other outlets.
1982
Bob Ross of New York City has been
recording and performing in the
New York area with the RMA Trio
and is the president of the New York
Cycle Club.
1983
Angela Wiggins of Honolulu, HI,
appeared on the radio show "The
Jazz Intersection." Visit www.
thejazzintersection.com.