AWW is sad to report the passing of Tony Mecca. From the obituary of the funeral home website:
Mr. Anthony Mecca 94, of 50 Beach Road, formerly of Eastchester, New York and Palm Beach, Florida passed away peacefully at St. Mary’s Hospital on Monday, August 31, 2015. He was the widower of Isotta Jeannette (Masoni) Mecca.
Tony was born in Waterbury on January 9,1921 son of the late William and Margaret (Santarsiero) Mecca. He was a graduate of Crosby High School’s Class of 1938, and served his country proudly during WWII with the U.S. Army. A career musician, he began playing the accordion at the age of 10, studying under performer and composer Joe Biviano in New York City.
When he was 18 years old, he performed at the first ever accordion concert at Carnegie Hall, along with his brother Dom. Their duet of “Rhapsody in Blue” brought down the house and earned them an encore. While serving in the U.S. Army, he provided entertainment for the troops by playing the accordion and his hand held instrument.
He eventually moved to New York City and became a teacher at Biviano’s Music School, as well as a staff musician for ABC, CBS, and NBC. He continued to perform in concert and at clubs, and in the mid 1950’s he opened his own music school in Westchester County, New York.
He was Vice President of the American Accordionists Association, and during his years in New York he performed at many of their events in New York and other major cities around the country, including performances with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas and Leonard Bernstein. He provided background music for many Broadway musicals and operas, and recorded with artists, Andre Kostelanetz, Percy Faith and Mitch Miller.
He recorded many albums with Joe Biviano, performed in the orchestras of Bobby Vinton, the Ed Sullivan Show, and the “Lucky Strike Hit Parade.” In the early 1980’s Tony and his wife Jeannette moved to Florida, yet he continued work as a musician, playing shows, private parties, and performed as a soloist with the local pops orchestra.
In 2000 he accompanied Luciano Pavarotti during a performance with a Florida symphony orchestra. Following the death of his wife in 2013, Tony moved back to Connecticut.
Tony is survived by his son, William J. Mecca of Watertown, and his sister, Katherine “Kay” Rocco of Waterbury. He was predeceased by his siblings; Domenic, Leonard, Mildred, Antonio and Leonardo.
The family would like to thank the staff at Wolcott View Manor, and St. Mary’s Hospital ICU and VITAS unit for the kind and compassion care given to Tony.
Arrangements : A Mass of Christian Burial, with the cremains present, will be held Saturday, September 5, 2015 at 11 a.m. at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception with full military honors. Family and friends are asked to meet DIRECTLY at the Basilica. Burial of cremains, will be private and at the convenience of the family. There are no calling hours. Chase Parkway Memorial/The Albini Family Funeral Home, 430 Chase Parkway, Waterbury has been entrusted with the services.
A funeral mass will be held this Saturday at 11:00 at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in down town Waterbury, CT
Memorial contributions may be made in Tony’s memory to:
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142
Memphis, TN 38148
View/Sign Guest Book
List of Anthony Mecca publications:
· Jazz Ideas for the Dance Band Accordionist, Book 1, #OP8097
· Jazz Ideas for the Dance Band Accordionist, Book 2, #OP8098
· Mecca’s Chord Course for the Accordion, Volume 1, #OP8117
· Mecca’s Chord Course for the Accordion, Volume 2, #OP8118
· Mecca’s Chord Course for the Accordion, Volume 3, #OP8119
· Progressive Ideas for Pop Playing, #OP8039
· Progressive Jazz Styles, #OP8076
· Dark Eyes, #OP0213
· When the Saints Come Marching In, #OP0215
· Oh, Marie!, #OP0216
· Boppin’ the Blues, #OP9586
· Flight to Mecca, #OP9587
· Paula, arr. Mecca, #PD0725
OP = O. Pagani now published by Busso Music
