His
career spanned nearly 70 years and he performed with the finest musicians at
the best venues in New England .
At the time of his death in 2011 at the age of 90, radio personality Ron Della Chiesa told the Associated Press that Vega was “one of the most beloved musicians in the history of the city."
His real
name was Aram Vagramian. In an interview a few years before his death he told
me, “I’m Armenian. Worcester Armenia Worcester Mecca
His
father was an artist and a sign painter. “He used the name Vega; that’s
how I got the name. In the 1930s and ‘40s you didn’t want to put an Arabic name
on your orchestra. They didn’t go for ethnic names and it was a little too long
to put on the marquee,” the pianist said.
The
Vagramian family did not stay in Worcester Lynn Worcester VIP party for Frank Sinatra.” (His
family later moved to Chelsea
Vega
started playing the piano at the age of 5 years-old. “My mother was a real
believer in studying,” he said. “She made me practice an hour a day. I wanted
to play ball. I did classical right through high school.”
In high
school Vega also started playing in dance bands. “Just about every weekend we’d
go out and play big ballrooms,” he said. “We’d play Sun Valley near Worcester
According
to Della Chiesa, Vega, joined a big band that included, “other local musicians
like Joe MacDonald, Al Natale and Varty Haroutunian. His piano idol at the time
was Count Basie who performed frequently in the Boston
Also during his teen years, Vega began making the rounds at all of the local jazz jams. One of the more popular was held at the Ken Club.
Richard Vacca documented the scene in his book, The
“The
local musicians always showed up on Sundays, hoping for a chance to sit in with
the stars. With the supply of musicians depleted by the draft, even a handful
of high school musicians got their chance.
“Among
them was pianist Al Vega: ‘The first time I sat in at the Ken was with J.C.
Higginbotham from Red Allen’s band, and Jo Jones was on drums because Basie was
across the street at the Metropolitan Theater. I look up and I see Jo Jones,
and I look to one side and I see Red Allen, and I look theother way and I see J.C.
Higginbotham, so I put my head down and played and hoped I’d make it. And I did
pretty well, so every week I’d end up playing a few numbers. I’d hear “Body and
Soul” one week and I’d go home and practice it. I’d get back there, and they’d
ask what do you want to play and I’d say Body and Soul.”
Vega
graduated from Chelsea High School Northeastern University
Della
Chiesa noted that, “after serving in the Army during World War II, Al married
and returned home where he formed the first of his many trios.”
Following
his military service, Vega formed a quintet with saxophonist Ted Goddard and played
with the George Graham orchestra. “When money was tight and jobs were few,”
Vacca wrote, “they worked society dates for Ruby Newman. In 1949, Vega joined
the dance band of Syd Ross and began teaching at Schillinger House. Then came
the Hi-Hat.”
 |
| Berklee College of Music founder Lawrence Berk teaching the Schillinger Method |
Vega was
the intermission pianist at the fabled club. There, he got to play with the
likes of Charlie Parker. In an interview with Vacca, Vega recalled a typical
night at the venue: “First I’d play a few tunes, then the headliner’s bass
player would sit in for a few more – some of them were Ray Brown, Oscar
Pettiford, and George Duvivier – and then the headliner would take over. I’d
play 20 minutes and the headliner would play 40.
“When Bird came in, though, he only wanted to play 30-minute sets, and that’s how I got my trio in there, I put together a trio with Frank Gallagher and Jimmy Zitano and we’d play 30 minutes and Bird would play 30. Other guys, I’d play the 40 minutes, if somebody didn’t show up or didn’t want play the last set.”
 |
| Oscar Pettiford |
Playing
at the Hi-Hat put Vega at the hub of Boston
Speaking
of his standing in chronicles of the city’s jazz lore, Vacca put it this way: “Al
Vega achieved legendary status in Boston
Continuing
with our conversation of all things Worcester
Vega also made mention of his stint at the Maridor in
“The Carousel Theater was going then. I’d look up and I’d see Tony Bennett. Their show would break around
When
asked what kept him going in the music, without stopping to think Vega answered,
“The secret is to enjoy what you do.”
Al Vega
DOB:June
22, 1921
DOB:
DOD: December
2, 2011
*Note: This is a work in progress. Comments, corrections, and suggestions are always welcome at: walnutharmonicas@gmail.com. Thank you. Please see other features at www.worcestersongs.blogspot.com
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