Two-Voiced Tony

Week 6 of the Long Beach Municipal Band summer concert season opened in Bluff Park yesterday.

We've been blessed with mild weather on the coast. Last summer we froze as a brisk wind swirled around the band stand, rustling the sheet music and snatching flute notes from our very lips.

Tony Galla is back with us for another week.

What a magnificent performer the man is!

This week he's singing one of my all time favorite selections, inspired by this YouTube video of James Brown and Pavarotti:



Here's the beauty of Tony's rendition:

HE SINGS BOTH PARTS!!!

Come see this for yourself tonight at Los Cerritos Park.

6:30.

Free.

Tony!

If it's week three of the Long Beach Municipal Band season it must be "Dixieland on Parade".

I caught this shot of the Dixieland soloists right before they spontaneously combusted. They are BURNING hot players.

To top off a blazing line up, the magnificent Tony Galla joins the band as featured vocalist this week.

Not only is he a supremely talented singer, he is also an extremely nice guy.

Some of you may remember Tony from his younger days:



Please join us at Marine Stadium tonight, El Dorado Park tomorrow, or at a special Sunday concert at the Aquarium of the Pacific. All concerts are free and start at 6:30pm.

Farewell Los Cerritos Park

The Long Beach Municipal Band farewell tour continued last night at Los Cerritos Park.

It's time to say so long for another year to my marvelous recipe source and friend Betty:

Singer Tony Galla sat on the other side of the rope to take in the first half of the concert:

Oh, and the Men in Pink?

They STINK!

Tonight we're cruising into Marine Stadium.

So Long Bluff Park

We froze our socks off at Bluff Park last week.

The weather was decidedly warmer last night.

We're doing our farewell tour this week.

The great Tony Galla returned:

As of Friday we're all unemployed.

Hurry on down while you still can!

A Mom Remembered

My friend Monica (on the left) was at Marine Stadium with her sister for this evening's Muni Band Concert.

Monica's husband Gordon is the band's incredible drummer:

It's been almost a year since the last time Monica visited this particular park.

Last year she was with her mother:

"Mom" came to the Muni Band concerts faithfully for many years.

She called me "her girl" and always had a big smile and hug for me.

I was able to snap these pictures from the band stand last year.

"Mom" loved to hear Tony Galla sing, and he was on the program that evening.

Monica's mom passed away in November.

Tony, seen at tonight's concert, sang at her funeral.

Monica was so happy to get the above pictures last year.

She told me this evening that she wrote a note on the back of one of them and placed it in her mom's casket.

I know Monica's mom is with the Lord in heaven. I look forward to seeing her there.

Meanwhile, though, I sure do miss her.

Tomorrow, El Dorado Park.

Dancin' At Los Cerritos

The theme of this week's concert is "Happy Feet".

The concert band set is an esoteric collection of dance music from around the world.

Aunt Charlo is having knee surgery on Friday, so she and Uncle Joe came to the concert tonight instead of their usual El Dorado Park venue:

Remember how I found Nemo at Disneyland last month?

I met fellow Annual Pass Holders Linda and Jim while waiting in that long line line.

We had a lot of time to get acquainted while we waited.

They made it to tonight's concert:

It was great to see them again!

John plays a mean marimba:

Here are are Charlo and Joe in the crowd...

...enjoying the magnificent Tony Galla:

Sound engineer Bob (my dear husband) and stage manager Greg are surrounded by a sea of people:

If you haven't heard Tony, what are you waiting for???

We'll be at Marine Stadium (the party park) tomorrow evening.

Come on down!

P.S. Check out this video of an 11-year-old Tony Galla on the Original Amateur Hour:

Coastal Concert

Today was our first concert of the season at Bluff Park.

I could see the Queen Mary from my chair:

Here is one of the scenic oil well islands:

We had a lenslinger from the Port of Long Beach on hand:

The wind blew briskly during the concert band half of the concert.

This is the place to come if you need cooling off.

The amazing Tony Galla rocked the second half of the concert.

The men were in black today (until the tear down, anyway).

Tomorrow finds us back at Los Cerritos Park.

Will you be there?