An Early Christmas Present

Back before fusion was invented , I was a conoisseur of the British Invasion groups and the Motown masters ! Around late 1965 a band appeared in the New York/New Jersey area that combined many of the elements of those styles and quickly became my first "favorite" band. That band was the Young Rascals . They began by doing covers of hits by Wilson Pickett, Bob Dylan, the Beau Brummels but they infused them with their own takes on the music, coupling them with the blasting Hammond B-3 fire of Felix Cavaliere and the monster drumming of Dino Danelli . They were all over the radio, in all the teen magazines of the day, and their music was played at the local dances I attended. To say that I am a fan of this band would be an understatement. Before I became entranced with Boomer, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, RTF and all the other greats, I devoured every note the Rascals played. But I was not able to see them live ...... and then they disbanded around 1970. Like some band break-ups, it was acrimonious, mainly between Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati .
Over the years since then, I've managed to see Felix live at least a half-dozen times and got to meet him at a record convention where he signed the first Rascal album for me. There was an attempt at a reunion in 1988 for the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert. 3 of the 4 played but Eddie Brigati refused. So I had to content myself with seeing the 3 of them. They reunited for their induction into the R & R Hall of Fame back in 2005, but only played a couple of songs and the tension was still present. Guitarist Steven Van Zandt has been trying to get them back together for years.... in 2010 he managed to get them to play a short set at a cancer benefit for a mutual friend along with Bruce Springsteen. It was a private event.
So what's my Christmas present ??? Well, all 4 original members are reuniting for 3 shows this December at the newly refurbished Captiol Theatre in Port Chester, NY which is about 5 minutes drive from my house. I am going all 3 nights and there are no words to describe my anticipation of this event !!!!! Van Zandt has written a show for them, and is also trying to raise an additional $100,000 through a fundraiser called Kickstarter, with rewards for pledges. I truly wish I had $5,000 to have backstage access and dinner with all of them . So far 8 people do ! LOL You can check out the story here:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stevenvanzandt/the-rascals-once-upon-a-dream-reunion-shows


So that's my Christmas present. I will be getting a New Years present in January when Boomer visits NY again to play. I am truly grateful for all these blessings !

Peace, TED

Dino was like watching a big band drummer play rock and roll. fast, too. What was the drum solo on the double album? Freedom Suite, something like that? Haven't heard that in ages. Boom? A real drum composition.



The cool thing about that clip? Not a lipsync. It's live.

Live on the David Steinberg show, '69. Dino does a rowdy fill at the end of the song. he was the bomb back then.

Yeah - BOOM, Freedom Suite. The BOMB back then.






Would love to have seen him live.

I don't know as I ever read anything about his influences, but I certainly hear Buddy, Max, and Tony in there.

So nice to hear that someone besides me appreciates Dino's playing Asaph ! And thanks for posting Boom for everyone to hear. That's probably the most underrated drum solo in rock recording history. The album Freedom Suite did not sell very well, and I know I never heard that cut played anywhere on the radio .

As far as Dino's influences, you are right about the big band influence on him. There's an interview with Liberty DeVito for Modern Drummer where Dino talks about living at the Metropole in NYC when he was 14 years old. That used to be a big band type club back in the day but I remember seeing it later on when it became a strip club. Anytime I visited Manny's Music in the city, we would go by the Metropole and try to peek in ! LOL

Dino cites Gene Krupa as his influence for the reason he used a 24" bass drum [ long before John Bonham brought it back to popularity }, and also Sonny Payne as the reason he played his cymbals flat instead of angled. He also cites Buddy Rich as an influence. I'm sure Max was also an influence but as far as Tony, he was more a contemporary rather than an influence. But they probably bumped into each other sometime !

I do have 1 Dino stick in my collection : it's a signature model Ludwig 2A for those interested.

Also wanted to mention that the clip of People Got to Be Free is from a show called Music Scene - David Steinberg was one of the hosts. There are some DVD's out there of clips from that show, which I have.

Hope they will do more shows so you can get the chance to see him play !

Peace, TED

In listening to Boom and hearing some "Tony" riffs, I wonder if Dino just caught some stuff Tony did with Miles and it grabbed him?

Krupa, definitely. Can hear that. Not ever seeing him live he apparently was doing the stick twirling, too, well before rock drummers got into it.

I don't know if he still plays with the same fire, but back then, technique considered, he was the best in pop music.

I had all their albums, including Freedom Suite, but to be honest, aside from Boom (and youtube brought that to remembrance) I couldn't tell you another song on the album.

The Rascals, from a pop point of view, still stand up today. They kind of remind me of a "city" version of Credence Clearwater Revival in the sense of really catchy tunes and gravely lead voices.

I watched Steve Van Zandt's Hall of Fame intro speech for the Rascals on youtube. Hilarious. Does seem odd it took that long for them to enter it.

Memories. I can still see myself looking at the pic of Dino on the album while Boom played. It was startling to hear for the first time. Stunning.

I noticed on the Kickstarter vid that Van Zandt said, "We are looking for investors, but nobody has the vision."

That really seems strange, given the Rascals history and impact. I guess in this economy no one wants to risk anything. It's all over, not just music.

well, the hit song from Freedom Suite was People Got To Be Free and the other single release from that album was A Ray Of Hope, which had moderate success.

Little Steven's HOF induction speech is priceless, and he actually got the job on the Sopranos after producer David Chase saw the speech and offered him the role.

I expect the show to kick ass. Eddie Brigati appears to have lost some of his vocal prowess in some recent vids I've viewed of him, but I know Felix, Dino , and Gene are still in good form. There will probably be some background vocalists as well as a bassist, which they didn't use in the early days. What will be interesting is whether or not Dave Brigati, Eddie's brother, will be included in the show. Dave used to sing background on most of their records but wasn't credited until the 4th album on [ Once Upon a Dream }. Part of the dissension between Felix and Eddie centered around Dave being part of the band or not. Hopefully , old wounds are healed and my guess is that he will be included in the show. We shall see.

Dino was playing with Lionel Hampton when he was 17, which was around the time Tony was playing with Miles. Hard to say who may have influenced who , but I hear what you're saying !


Peace, TED

Ted, being the Rascal fan you are do you know of any films of Dino soloing live?

NO I don't Asaph, but I haven't really done any looking either. I don't think he did much soloing in the Rascals, though I've only seen him live once which isn't much to go on.

There might be some stuff from when he played with Gene in Fotomaker or Bulldog but we would have to check. If I find something I will post it .


peace, TED

Try not to go to the bathroom in your pants....LOL!

Too bad Boomer is not bringing his fusion band to the Blue Note NYC,
that straight ahead stuff doesn't appeal to me as much, but still good to have Boomer back in the U.S.A. !!

Mr. Danelli is apparently an active modern artist, as well:

http://dinodanelliart.com/

Now this is going to be a great event! And to read your intimacy with it reminds me of how I felt when the Young Rascals were in their heyday! I absolutely LOVED the group! Listening to them helped me to "Come On Up!"

Ted E. Bear wrote:
Back before fusion was invented, I was a connoisseur of the British Invasion groups and the Motown masters!

Around late 1965 a band appeared in the New York/New Jersey area that combined many of the elements of those styles and quickly became my first "favorite" band. That band was the Young Rascals... with the blasting Hammond B-3 fire of Felix Cavaliere and the monster drumming of Dino Danelli . They were all over the radio, in all the teen magazines of the day, and their music was played at the local dances I attended.... and then they disbanded around 1970. Like some band break-ups, it was acrimonious, mainly between Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati.


So what's my Christmas present ???

Well, all 4 original members are reuniting for 3 shows this December at the newly refurbished Capitol Theater in Port Chester, NY [which is about 5 minutes drive from my house.] I am going all 3 nights and there are no words to describe my anticipation of this event !!!!! Van Zandt has written a show for them, and is also trying to raise an additional $100,000 through a fundraiser called Kickstarter, with rewards for pledges. ... You can check out the story here:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stevenvanzandt/the-rascals-once-upon-a-dream-reunion-shows


Peace, TED

Now this is going to be a great event!

And to read your intimacy with it reminds me of how I felt when the Young Rascals were in their heyday! I absolutely LOVED the group! Listening to them helped me to "Come On Up" behind the drums and (later on) In God's "Good Love!" So I try to make everyday a "Groovin' [one] on a Sunday Afternoon!"

And to think you're able to be there Ted - a mere 5 minutes from your house!? What a rascal you are!

I'm going environ-Mental here: ... I'm Green with jealousy!

Jazztastic Cousin!

thanks for all the rascally references Cuz ! Yes, it will be special - and guess what ? The first 3 nights already sold out so they added 3 more !!! Of course, I had to get one more nights worth too.

They had so many hits , both written by them and covers of others : Good Lovin, Groovin' , Lonely Too Long, I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore, People Got to be Free, It's wonderful, How Can I Be Sure, I't s A Beautiful Mornin ', Mustang Sally, In the Midnight Hour, Come on Up, Love is A Beautiful Thing, What is the Reason , A Girl Like You, You Better Run, Carry Me Back, A Ray of Hope .

Here's a true story I always like to tell. When the Beatles played Shea Stadium in August of 1965 , I was two months shy of my 13th birthday. A few of the girls I hung out with in my neighborhood were going to see them with their older sisters who were driving there. I was invited to go. Back then, your social status was determined by who was your favorite band, as much as the kind of sneakers you wore [ converse} . My favorite band at that time was the Young Rascals. So I turned down the offer to go see the BEATLES at Shea stadium. Why ? Because I felt I was damaging my allegiance to "my band" if I went. Pretty stupid , right ? hahahahahaha Don't think it's something that hasn't bothered me to this day . But that's how passionate I was about music and I'm not going to apologize for that. Who knew the Beatles would never play New York again ..... But the lesson I learned is that I don't put off seeing a band or an artist that I have an opportunity to see, because who knows if I will ever get the opportunity again ? Carpe diem - sieze the day !! That's why I''m going to see the Rascals 4 nights in December !

Peace, TED

Hey Ted,

I just want to thank you for this post which I enjoyed viewing. It seems so much like a documentary on one of my fave bands of the 70's when I was just a teen with a prematured cockiness . I remembered one lik that Dino did that was a rock-latin kind of sound that I still use, in fact just three nights ago on a gig.

Great post and just realized It was here. It was probably posted when I was gone for a few months or so.

Thanks for pulling it back up from the archives.

rac