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| Gene Morvay |
| A Lifetime of Music |
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| Bibliography: Gene Morvay. Born in the South Bronx, NYC. My love of drums began from listening to the BIg Bands at the Worlds Fair in 1939. My father, Albert Morvay would take me |
| to the Dancing Campus to hear all of the new bands that formed. Gene Krupa who had just left Benny Goodman, Harry James Band, Charlie Barnet, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and numerous other bands. I was hooked on drums and studied hours everyday on a drum pad at home. I started playing in Morris Junior High- School Band and then moved to Queens, NY, where I played with the Bryant Highschool Orchestra and Jazz Band. |
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| Here I met my life long friend Sonny LaRosa who now has the worldly acclaimed "Sonny LaRosa - America's Youngest Jazz Band." (see links) I was then drafted into the US Army and went overseas to Berlin, Germany where I was the youngest SGT. to direct the percussion section of the US 298th Army Ground Force Band. After being discharged I traveled all over the United States and Canada playing with numerous bands, such as the Don Michaels comedy band. Combos bands: Gus Vali and Billy Arnold's Manhattenites. I was back up drummer for many artists and singers like Tony Bennet, Buddy Greco, Cab Calloway, Jan August, and doing jazz work with Charles Mingus, Charlie Shavers, plus telethons with Marvin Hamlisch, where I met Jeff Ganz, world renown Bass Player. |
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| Married in 1958, I stopped touring and started playing Club Dates in the NYC area that lasted almost 30 years. Playing some of the top Club Date Musical Offices in New York City. ie. Steven Scott, Lester Lanin, Hal Darnell, The Noblemen, and many others. I had two beautiful children, Arlene and John. Arlene is now a teacher on Long Island and John is a band leader and contractor in Las Vegas, NV. Also four grandchildren that are all musically talented. Christopher, and Elizabeth, Sara and Amanda. My teaching career started in 1958 also at The North Shore Conservatory in Great Neck, L.I. Public schools in the Bronx and numerous music schools in Queens. Private teaching in my home in Whitestone, NY. One of my early students was Keith Copeland, world class renown Jazz drummer in USA and Europe. Jeff Ganz- Bass player and drummer was one of my students. After 60 years of performing and teaching, I now live in Safety Harbor, FL. Still teaching and playing club dates. GENE |
| My favorite links http://www.sonnylarosa.com http://www.jeffganz.com http://www.keithcopeland.com My son John's webpage: http://www.harborlightsmusicwest.com |
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