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Lou Pallo Duo Puts on a Show in Pompton Plains
by Rich and Laura Lynch
Guitar master Lou Pallo and his pal Vic Danzi brought their duo to a capacity crowd at the Belmont Performing Arts Theater for an entertaining one-hour showcase on Monday, October 24, 2016 in Pompton Plains, New Jersey.
Lou Pallo put on a music history clinic in Pompton Plains.
Pallo is a founding member of the Les Paul trio and he spent more than thirty year's as the legendary guitar inventor's right hand man during their weekly performances in New Your City. Lou was often called by Paul the complimentary nickname of Mr. Chord. But, in his own show on this night the jazzy six stringer showed off some laudable licks of his own.
Lou's musical goal these days is to keep Les' music and unique style alive as he pays homage to his long-time band mate, friend and music idol. With Danzi by his side the pair set off on a journey of tuneful exploration that traced some of the greatest songs and songwriters from the 30's through the 60's via a wide range of jazz and blues standards.
Pallo and Danzi's union pre-dates even his association with Paul as the two began playing together in a band called Axcents which performed both nationally and internationally until the early 1960s. After leaving Axcents, Danzi switched careers staying in the industry as a booking agent. Pallo began playing lead and rhythm guitar for a group called the High Lads. This ensemble worked large venues such as the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, and the 500 Club in Atlantic City where Dean Martin and Jerry Louis got their start. The High Lads appeared with many well known performers such as Jayne Mansfield, Al Martino, Lou Monte, Jack Jones, Mamie Van Doren, the Four Aces and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.
Stepping out on his own in 1966 Pallo settled in early as a fixture in his local music scene. The trend of playing clubs and restaurants along the Route 202 corridor in Bergen County began at the Molly's Fish Market in Oakland. It was here that Les Paul would often show up and sit in with him two to three times a week - and the rest as they say - is history.
Regular Mondays shows were played first at Fat Tuesday and then the Iridium Jazz Club for the last 14 years until Paul's death in 2009. The small mid-town venue north of Times Square became the place to be as guitar greats including Keith Richards, Paul McCartney, George Benson, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Slash and many more would stop in to pay homage and jam with the trio.
For the Pompton Plains concert Pallo and Danzi deftly ran through classics as diverse as "Tennessee Waltz", "Old Cape Cod", "All of Me", "The Girl from Ipanema", "You're Sixteen", "Jump, Jive an' Wail" and "Sweet Georgia Brown". They saved the best for last as "Guitar Boogie" highlighted a rockin' encore before closing on a song Les Paul made his own - the colorful and classy - "Somewhere Over the Rainbow".
Even though the great Les Paul has been gone for many years now you can still find Lou Pallo performing regularly with the remaining members of his trio including the upcoming show honoring the music and legacy of the iconic guitarist at Rowan University's Pfleeger Concert Hall on November 8, 2016.
Vic Danzi on bass rounded out the talented duo.
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