DeSantis Orchestra features Liverpool saxman Joe Riposo on Aug. 14

By russ tarBy

writer

Contributing

Prominent Syracuse bandleader Mario DeSantis died March 26, 2020 at age 91, but the band plays on.

Under the direction of his vocalist daughter, Maria, the Mario DeSantis Orchestra is celebrating its 76th anniversary this year. Mario had first formed the ensemble in 1947 at Syracuse’s Central High School.

The 12-piece big band -which performs a wide variety of jazz standards, show tunes and popular dance numbers -- will play a free concert at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14, at Johnson Park. The performance is part of the 37 th annual Liverpool Is The Place Summer Concert Series.

That night, the orchestra will feature saxophonist Joe Riposo -- who lives in Liverpool -- on his new arrangement of “Body and Soul,” one of the most popular jazz standards in history. Composed by New

York City conductor Johnny Green in 1930, the tune was famously recorded by tenor saxman Coleman Hawkins in 1939.

“I asked Joe to write a feature arrangement of one of my favorite pieces,” Maria said. “That remarkable Coleman Hawkins arrangement had always been one of my dad’s favorites as well.”

One of the reasons Maria focused on Riposo is because the lifelong musician and educator marked a milestone birthday on Aug. 5.

“He’ll only say that ‘age is just a number,’” Maria reported. “He simply won’t say his age!”

A quick Google search, however, reveals that Riposo was born in 1933. In any case, Riposo’s new arrangement of “Body and Soul” will likely echo Hawkins’ pioneering work. The 1939 version is unusual in that the song’s melod y is barely hinted at in the recording. Hawkins’ two choruses of improvisa - tio n over the tune’s chord progressio n constitute almost the entire take. That approach clearly presaged the dawn of be-bop.

Riposo is writing the instrumental arrangement for the DeSantis Orchestra featuring his own horn, the alto sax. “Body and Soul” will join two other arrangements in the orchestra’s repertoire which feature Joe’s sax work, Bobby Shew’s “Blue” and “Nadelin.”

Central’s girls team, coached by Phoenix’s Troy Washington, had 12 players from 12 different high schools, including Liverpool , a sectional and regional champion last winter represented by A’briyah Cunningham, and Cicero-North Syracuse , who had Kat McRobbie-Taru.

Going 2-2 in pool play, Central nearly upended host Southern Tier in the July 28 opener, but lost 64-62 and followed with a 65-51 defeat to Rochester.

Recovering a day later, Central edged North Country 66-61 and battled past Buffalo 57-47 to get to the semifinals on July 30, only to fall 6741 in a rematch with Southern Tier before finishing third.

On the Central boys team, Bishop Ludden head coach Gallagher Driscoll led a side that included Liverpool standout Freddy Fowler, who helped the Warriors reach last

Another Liverpudlian, vocalist Keith Condon, is in his 45th year with the DeSantis Orchestra and will sing some his favorite Sinatra classics Monday including “Luck Be a Lady,” “All The Way” and “Night and Day.” “Keith skillfully covers alto saxophonist and arranger Joe riposo, a member of the Mario Desantis orchestra who will be featured at a free concert at 7 p.m. Monday, aug. 14, at Johnson Park.

Concert l Page 2 submitted photo