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Pierce College Big Band Performance
By Sheila Appleby Williams

On a recent chilly Wednesday evening, I had the opportunity to sit in on a concert rehearsal of the seventeen members of the Pierce College Big Band for the upcoming May concert.

Conductor Paul Colicchio, a USC music major, brings his extensive and wide range of performing experience to the Pierce College music department faculty. The band, created and assembled by Colicchio, is infused with the energy and exuberance of Pierce students and the professional expertise of seasoned jazz, classical and studio musicians. Listening to the vocalist accompanied performances of such classics as Witchcraft, Stormy Weather and South of the Border, transported this listener back in time to the era of glamorous nightclubs where bands members sporting white dinner jackets accompanied a boy crooner or glamorous torch singer singing love ballads or the latest novelty hit.

In a city like Los Angeles, where professional caliber musicians are as plentiful as actors and realtors, the opportunity to play with peers and mentor young musicians is all the incentive needed. The number of venues available for jazz, popular and classical musicians to play is limited, so that is has become difficult for professional and college musicians after graduation to keep their skills sharp after routinely practicing daily while in school. "This is a mutually respectful and rewarding collaboration," says conductor, Colicchio, who added, "The students do have to be at a certain level of ability to join the band."

Paul brings a youthful and congenial personality to the band, routinely checking with band members for their input, as he did following a medley of Porgy and Bess songs featuring an outstanding brass section (including several female trombone players). These musicians, many having played with well known bands, are clearly here for the love of the performance and the joy of performing with their peers.

This will be the second performance of the Pierce Big Band. Last month's performance was to a full house and received a standing ovation from the enthusiastic audience caught under the spell of "Witchcraft" and other Sinatra hits sung by one of the supremely talented vocalists. Family members of several of the student musicians expressed their appreciation for this opportunity to showcase the youthful talent.

This month’s free performance will be held on the grounds adjacent to the Pierce Music Department on Sunday, May 23, beginning at 6:30 pm. A delicious freshly prepared chicken and beef barbeque family style dinner will be available.

Mark your calendar now for a great evening outdoors and the chance to support the Pierce College Music Department.

Don't forget to brush up on those dancing lessons. You'll have plenty of room to swing, fox trot and cha-cha!

Kate L. Raynor Top Entertainment Immigration Attorney in the U.S.
By Herman Gregory

Attorney Kate L. Raynor has become legendary for her success as an immigration attorney in the Entertainment Industry. She earned her reputation by taking on the hard cases that other attorneys turned down, and getting them approved. Kate loves the challenge and making the impossible possible. Her honesty and integrity has earned her respect in the industry, which is why she is among the nation's most recognized entertainment immigration attorneys.

Kate Raynor is known for her talent in obtaining green cards and visas for the industry's top celebrities. It is no secret that the major television shows and blockbuster films are stacked with foreign celebs living in the U.S. via the services of the Law Offices of Kate L. Raynor. Her firm reps the world's leading producers, directors, actors, musicians, athletes, models, authors, inventors, researches, stuntmen, and artists.

Kate Raynor keeps her client's names highly confidential, having represented stars from countless hit shows such as, CSI: Miami, NY, and Las Vegas, Dollhouse, True Blood, Vampire Diaries, and hit movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Twilight Saga: New Moon, 88 Minutes, Around the World in 80 Days, Derailed, Oceans 12 and 13, Righteous Kill, Letters from Iwo Jima, Pink Panther 2, Push, The Last Airbender, and too many others to list.

Kate has also been called upon for her expert advice by Hollywood's major studios and record labels on immigration issues. She is regularly retained as an expert in entertainment immigration issues and has been featured in print, radio, and television news broadcasts regarding breaking news in immigration law.

Word on the street is that it is getting harder and harder to obtain visas and green cards, but not for Kate Raynor's Immigration law firm. She is consistently getting her cases approved. In fact, she has been known to get green cards for clients in less than one month.

Kate Raynor was recently sought after to join a task force of prominent entertainment immigration attorneys to assist in drafting legislation, comment on proposed regulations, and to further the interests of the entertainment industry.

Kate makes time to personally work with each client individually. She remains down-to-earth and accessible with a large staff of attorneys and paralegals, yet maintaining a warm and friendly ambiance. She offers free consultations at her Encino California law office, and refuses to accept any payments unless she accepts the case. She loves to help those starting out in the industry and struggling artists. For those who haven't yet hit the big time, she offers financing and goes out of her way to make her services accessible to everyone. There is no beating around the bush; she's honest and straight to the point.

Despite her busy schedule, Kate makes time to assist worthy causes, such as 46664, the Nelson Mandela Charitable Organization, for which she secured all of the O-1 and P-1 visas for world famous performers in order to perform at Nelson Mandela's 91st Birthday Celebration. This event, at Radio City Music Hall, was attended by the world's most prominent celebrities and political figures. All of the proceeds of this event went to raise money for AIDS awareness and prevention. Law Offices of Kate L. Raynor is our recommendation for the best U.S. Immigration attorney.

Rocking with American Bandstand
By Marie Rowe

When Dick Clark and American Bandstand first graced TV sets in the mid-50s, the show made an enormous impact on young people who were eager for new music and exciting dances. While rock 'n' roll greats such as Danny & the Juniors, Chubby Checker and Bobby Darin performed onstage, the Bandstand dancers taught kids how to do the latest dances, including: the Jitterbug, the Twist, the Cha Cha, the Bunny Hop and the Mash Potato. The show eventually moved from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and the show's dancers continued to teach new dance styles to teenagers across America to the music of Madonna and The Jackson Five.

Jennifer Lopez remembers those days. "When I was a little girl, I would do a lot of dancing in front of the mirror," she says. "One of the best places to pick up the latest steps was American Bandstand. I can remember seeing the kids do the New York Hustle, the Latin Hustle, the Moon Walk…and who can forget Popping and Locking?"

Merrilee Rush, known for her hit Angel of the Morning was also a huge fan of the show. "Every school day I'd hurry home to turn on Bandstand and watch my favorite dancers and hear the great music. I (used to dance) with my refrigerator, holding onto the door handle and practicing what I learned watching Bandstand."

A precursor to MTV, the influence of American Bandstand also extended to fashion and hairstyles…as well as creating the hand signals for The Village People song "YMCA".

Dancing on the show was a dream come true for so many teenagers, and such was the case for Kathleen "Bunny" Gibson. At the age of 14, she was one of the principal dancers and a favorite of American Bandstand fans, gracing the covers of fan magazines alongside the rock 'n' roll greats.

Frankie Avalon, who appeared several times on the show as a 'Teen Idol", says: "I made friends with the talented dancers. They were "Stars" in their own right and received more fan mail than I did!"

"I had the time of my life!" Bunny says. "Although I didn't realize it then, the show was quite revolutionary. It was a new era in styles of music and dance."

On November 30th, 2009, Bunny and many of the Bandstand dancers gathered at Dick Clark's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to celebrate his 80th birthday. While there, Bunny noticed a vacant star next to Clark's and knew this was the place for an American Bandstand star, to honor the dancers and the thousands of performers who appeared on the TV show during its four decades.

She is spearheading an effort, along with Bandstand regular dancers from Philadelphia and Los Angeles - Linda Gonzales, Hal Laws Landau, Luis Novoa, Annette Schulte, Sergio Lopez and David Frees - to get their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The AB dancers have had great support from performers such as: Trini Lopez, Pat Boone, Bill Haley & The Comets, Chubby Checker and many more who appeared on American Bandstand. They have also received support for their proposal from Councilman Tom LaBonge, Mayor Bric of Burbank and Pedro Nava (running for California's Attorney General).

Now the AB dancers need your support. You can contact them at their Facebook page: "American Bandstand Dancers' Star" and click on RSVP, confirming you are "In favor of our Star". At the same time, you can also contribute towards the cost of the star ($25,000), if the proposal is approved, by going to www.bunnygibson.com.

It's clear that the dancers of American Bandstand, who influenced so many teenagers of their day in a positive way, are worthy of their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

To quote Dick Clark: "If I could sum up our success, it was the kids, the kids, the kids! (They were) the true stars of American Bandstand."

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