Amanda Pascarella aka Amanda Carr, CEO and Co-Founder of the ABBPS: a jazz vocalist and daughter of a big band vocalist and trumpeter Nick Capezuto, who played with notable big bands such as Tex Beneke, Larry Clinton, Louis Prima and Herb Pomeroy. Just before her father passed away, Amanda promised her dad she would carry the torch into the next generations, and to do what she could to preserve the American heritage of big bands. She has assembled a talented group of passionate volunteers to preserve the heritage of American big bands. Amanda has performed for over 30 years, recording five albums including a critically acclaimed Big Band CD, Common Thread, with the Kenny Hadley Big Band.
Arnold C. Sholovitz, Treasurer : a practicing lawyer concentrating in the areas of commercial and intellectual law and related areas of litigation. He has had a lifetime love of The American Songbook. While not a professional musician or educator, he has an extensive collection of big band music. Arnie’s love of history along with a lifetime joy of playing trumpet, piano and guitar has fueled his passion to assist the talented group of Officers and Directors of ABBPS to realize their vision
Elizabeth Irvin, PhD, ABBPS Secretary: a practicing clinical social worker who has divided her world between her two loves, music, and working with children. She trained originally as a cellist at the Eastman School of Music and taught public school music before training as a clinical social worker. She has played professionally and as an avid “armature” for over 40 years in the greater Boston area. Liz shares the commitment to preserve big band music for future generations. Her experience as a grant writer lends great support to the organization.
Richard Lowell : an Associate Professor in the Jazz Composition Department at Berklee College of Music, where he also received his diploma. His passion and experience with teaching young people the art of arranging spans decades and his dedication to keeping the integrity of the big band art form is demonstrated in his extra-curricular efforts in adjudicating big band competitions and giving master classes. He has performed with Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dionne Warwick, Lou Rawls, the Pointer Sisters, and others. He has composed for Buddy Rich and Dave Stall, and has arrangements featured on A Beautiful Friendship and Common Thread, both with the Kenny Hadley Big Band and for My Kind of Broadway CD by Dick Johnson.
Bob Freedman is Grammy®-award winning composer/arranger with a long list of clients and accomplishments. Bob has arranged for big bands like Maynard Ferguson, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Herb Pomeroy, and icons such as Wynton Marsalis, Ron Carter, Joe Williams, Harry Belafonte, Billy Joel, Lena Horne, Marvin Hamlisch, Grover Washington Jr., Sarah Vaughan and even Carly Simon. He has won awards for his musical contribution to motion pictures such as The Wiz and China Syndrome and arranged, conducted and composed for countless television and live music productions. Bob taught at Berklee College of Music during the 1950s and 60s, and later on in the 80s when he was Chair of the Arranging Department. He’s created series for big band arranging curricula available from his website. His contributions to education and knowledge of big band arranging and composition are invaluable to the ABBPS. Bob is a passionate educator who is dedicating his efforts to the mission of preserving the American big band with a strong emphasis on the art of arranging. Bob currently resides in Arizona.
Marilyn Volpe: Drawing on dual careers, Marilyn brings both managerial and musical experience to the ABBPS board. She is president of The Madison Consulting Group, an elite New York City training and consulting firm, and a professional singer of tunes from the Great American Songbook. Marilyn began her career in the 1970s at Bank of America and rose to the position of Vice President of Global Information Systems. She moved to Italy in the 1980s to follow her dream of a singing career. She appeared on television, recorded her first album, and lived the life of an entertainer for nearly five years. In 1989 she returned to New York and developed and delivered sales, management and customer service-programs as an independent consultant. In 1993, Marilyn started The Madison Consulting Group, which has grown to include more than 40 consultants, offering more than 65 different seminars and programs. All the while, Marilyn continued to develop her singing career. Highlights include an appearance with Frank Sinatra at New York’s Tavern on the Green, where she recorded a live CD and singing at top New York City supper clubs, including Rainbow and Stars, The Algonquin, and Carnegie Hall. Marilyn belongs to both the National Arts Club and the Women Presidents Organization.
Al Saloky: Al Saloky is the Director of the Compaq Big Band. His passion for big band music began at an early age, growing up in household where his older brother played alto sax in the high school ‘dance band’ and the LPs of Stan Kenton, Dave Brubeck, Count Basie, and Woody Herman were often played, then continued through college and beyond with becoming a ‘disciple’ of the Buddy Rich and Maynard Ferguson big bands. He was an original member of the then-DECbigband at Digital Equipment Corporation in Maynard, Massachusetts in 1975 and played lead alto sax with the group for nearly twenty years. After taking over its leader in 1996 Al led their transition from a ‘high tech company club’ to one of the New England region’s most prominent full-sized big bands. In addition to charting their musical direction and recruiting dedicated area jazz musicians that match his passion for the genre, he directs the day-to-day business management and marketing of the nonprofit ensemble. He’s produced two highly acclaimed, sold out shows with the Compaq Big Band opening for Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band in Manchester, New Hampshire in 2008 and 2009, and in 2006 planned, promoted, and managed the band’s successful 10-day/7-gig tour of the United Kingdom Al has a full-time ‘day job’ in high tech and resides in New Hampshire.
