American concert accordionist, arranger, and composer (1915–2003)
This article is about the classical music accordionist and organist. For the jazz pianist and composer, seeJohn Serry Jr. For the American electronic music composer, seeJonn Serrie.
John Serry Sr. (bornJohn Serrapica; January 29, 1915 – September 14, 2003) was an American concert accordionist, arranger, composer, organist, and educator. He performed on theCBS Radio and Television networks and contributed toVoice of America'scultural diplomacy initiatives during theGolden Age of Radio. He also concertized on the accordion as a member of several orchestras and jazz ensembles for nearly forty years between the 1930s and 1960s.[1][2]
External audio
You may hear John Serry Sr. withNestor Mesta Chayres and the Alfredo Antonini Orchestra playing the bolero "La Morena de mi Copla" in 1946 Here on DAHR
Serry was born John Serrapica inBrooklyn, New York to Pasquale Serrapica and Anna Balestrieri,[2] the fourth-born of thirteen siblings.[25][26][27][28] His Italian father immigrated to America fromGragnano, Italy after passing through Ellis Island in 1904 and 1914.[29][30] The family owned a grocery store after initially moving to Navy Street in 1905,[31] and subsequently taking up residence on 18th Avenue in theBensonhurst section.[32] His formal musical education included studies with the accordionist Joseph Rossi from 1926 to 1929 at thePietro Deiro School in New York. At the age of fifeteen he performed live on the Italian radio station WCDA.[33] By the age of nineteen, Serrapica was already enrolled as a member of theAmerican Federation of Musicians in 1934.[34] In addition, he undertook studies in piano and harmony with Albert Rizzi from 1929 to 1932 and in harmony and counterpoint with Gene Von Hallberg for two years.[35] Von Hallberg served as a cofounder of theAmerican Accordionists Association in 1938.[36] Hallberg later appeared in the Magnante Quartet before an audience of three thousand concertgoers at Carnegie Hall in 1939[37][38] A lifelong friendship with the accordionist Louis Del Monte was established as a result of these studies. Del Monte awakened Serry's interest in Latin American music.[35] Advanced studies in harmony and orchestration were completed under the instruction of the composerRobert Strassburg in the 1940s.
The period from 1938 to 1960 has been described as a unique period of prestige for the accordion in the United States when it attained more widespread acceptance by the public as a "serious instrument" on the concert hall stage.[39][40] At the age of sixteen, Serrapica had already performed as a soloist on the AM radio stationWOV in New York City during several live broadcasts in 1931.[41][42][43] With the help of Del Monte, in the 1930s Serry continued his professional career by making appearances with the Ralph Gomez Tango Orchestra atThe Rainbow Room at the RCA Building in Rockefeller Center,[12] leading to an extended engagement there in 1935.[12] He also played with the Hugo Mariani Tango Orchestra at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York[35] and once again in Chicago with Frank Pruslin and Syd Fox (1936)[44] and with Alfred Brito, a Cuban orchestra leader in New York (1936), and Misha Borr, conductor of theWaldorf-Astoria Orchestra.[35] He appeared as a soloist for society functions at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel's Waldorf Towers and at its Starlight Roof with the Lester Lanin Orchestra. In addition, he performed regularly at clubs such asEl Morocco, the Rainbow Room, El Chico, and the Riviera in New York City.[12]
The "golden age of the accordion" continued to evolve in America from 1910 to 1960 and some piano accordionists suddenly enjoyed acceptance as performers within the best known dance bands, jazz ensembles and big band ensembles such as thePaul Whiteman orchestra.[45][46] As the decade came to a close, Serry acquired a position with the jazz ensembleShep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm during a nationwide tour which included live radio broadcasts from the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, and the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California, over the NBC network (1937–1938).[15][11] Thesebig band remote broadcasts used Zenith's Radiogran technology. In 1937, he also recorded the distinctive Shep Fields' theme song with the Shep Fields Rippling Rhythm Orchestra forEli Oberstein on RCA Victor's Bluebird label (Victor, BS-017494, 1937).[47] His performances as a member of the orchestra are also documented in the filmThe Big Broadcast of 1938 ("This Little Ripple Had Rhythm" and "Thanks for the Memory"), which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1939. While touring with Shep Fields, he also recorded several popular songs of the time for Bluebird Records, including "With a Smile and a Song", "Whistle While You Work", and "Now It Can Be Told".[48][49]
At the young age of only 23 in 1938, Serry was already collaborating on stage with several noted accordionists of the early 20th century including: Andy Arcari, Anthony Mecca, Domenic Mecca,Pietro Deiro and Joe Biviano.[50][51] The six accordionists joined forces at the north ballroom of the legendaryStevens Hotel in Chicago for an "Accordion Jamfest" before an audience of over 1000 concertgoers in September 1938.[52] The concert occurred soon after Andy Arcari's noted accordion recital at Philadelphia's Academy of Music in May 1938, where critics praise him for his brilliance.[53] In a few short months both Biviano and the Mecca brothers would appear with Charles Magnante, Gene Von Hallberg and Abe Goldman to introduce the accordion in recital for the first time to an audience of classical music concertgoers in Carnegie Hall (April, 1939).[38][37][54]
Serry married Julia Trafficante in the 1940s and moved toNassau County, New York on Long Island to raise a family of four children which includedJohn Serry Jr.[55] The original family name of Serrapica was anglicized by John to Serry.[56] He simultaneously undertook private studies with: Joscha Zade in piano (1945–1946); Arthur Guttow, an organist at theRadio City Music Hall (1946);[57] andRobert Strassburg in Orchestration and Advanced Harmony (1948–1950). He specialized in the works ofGershwin,Debussy, andRavel.[58]
During the 1930s and 1940s many accordionists emerged as performers on American radio, the new mass entertainment medium of the time.[59] Building upon his concert experiences of the 1930s, Serry entered the golden age of radio performing on the CBS radio network and assisted several concert artists in New York City including the French diseuseMarianne Oswald (aka Marianne Lorraine) in her English speaking debut of "One Woman Theatre" performing the poemMr. Lincoln and His Gloves (byCarl Sandburg),Never Before (byArchibald MacLeish) and poems byJean Cocteau andJacques Prevert at Town Hall (1942).[60][19][61] The concert was hosted by the Free World Association and presented with the patronage ofEleanor Roosevelt .[62][63] This performance was praised inThe Players Magazine – National Journal of Educational Dramatics as a "fresh experience and intriguing in its uniqueness."[64]The New York Times described it as being skillfully presented.[65][61] For ten years Serry performed as an original member ofAlfredo Antonini's CBS Pan American Orchestra (1940–1949)[66][67][68][11] on theViva América program for the Department of State'sOffice of Inter-American Affairs (OCIAA) in support of itscultural diplomacy initiatives.[69][70][35][68][71][72][73] He also worked with Antonini, Nestor Mesta Chayres and members of theNew York Philharmonic in theNight of the Americas Concert gala at Carnegie Hall in 1946.[17][74]
During this period, several international concert musicians also appeared onViva America or recorded music with Antonini's Viva America Orchestra including:[75]Terig Tucci (1942)[76][77][78][79][80]Juan Arvizu (1940s);[81]Nestor Mesta Chayres (1940s);[82]Eva Garza (1940s);[83][10]Elsa Miranda (1940s),[84][85][86]Los Panchos Trio (1946),[87][88][89] andManuolita Arriola (1946)[90] Under the supervision ofEdmund Chester, these performances were beamed over CBS' Network of the Americas ("La Cadena de las Americas") across the Latin America continent to over twenty countries[91][92] and rebroadcast by the United States Office of War Information and the United States Armed Forces Radio Service.[93][94][91] Performances by members of Antonini's CBS Pan American Orchestra onViva America have been credited with helping to introduce Latin American music and the Mexicanbolero to large audiences in the United States in the 1940s.[9][10]
In addition, Serry also recorded examples of music unrelated to the bolero. During the 1940s he collaborated with the Mischa Borr Orchestra and the vocalistSidor Belarsky to record several Russian and Ukrainian folk songs for Victor records including: "Dark Night" (Victor 26–5037, 1946) byNikita Bogoslovsky,[95] "Hobo Song" (aka "Mother") (Victor 26–5036, 1946) byValery Zhelobinsky,[96] "By the Cradle" (Victor 26–5035, 1946),[97] "Katusha" (Victor 26–5035, 1946) byHy Zaret[98][99] In 1946 he also made a guest appearance as the "outstanding accordionist of the year" onGordon Macrae'sSkyline Roof broadcast under the direction ofArchie Bleyer on the WABC-CBS network and as a guest on theDanny O'Neil Show.[100][101][102] By 1948, he also appeared in concert with Mischa Borr's Orchestra at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel's Wedgewood Room.[21]
External image
Photograph of John Serry on the CBS radio network circa 1940s in the John J. Serry Sr. Collection Archive. Here on Esm.rochester.edu
Serry recorded his work "Leone Jump" as a member of the Biviano Accordion & Rhythm Sextette withTony Mottola on guitar and Angelo Delleria on accordion for Sonora Records in 1945.[103][104][105][106] The album includes performances of "Little Brown Jug", "Golden Wedding", "Swing Low Sweet Chariot", "That's a Plenty", and "The Jazz Me Blues".[107][104] His composition "Fantasy in F" was completed during this decade in 1946.[108] The critic Henry Doktorski has described it as a "novelty piece" and likened it toZez Confrey's composition "Dizzy Fingers".[109] In 1946 he also appeared in the "Accordion World" concert at Manhattan Center with the accordionists Angello Dellairia and Joeseph Biviano.[110] Later in 1949, the accordionist Joe Biviano collaborated with the RCA Victor Accordion Orchestra to record Serry's composition "Manhattan Hop" for RCA Victor.[111][112] He also recorded several popular songs for Victor Records as a member of the notedCharles Magnante Accordion Band in 1941 including: "Clarinete Polka", '"Halli-Hallo- Halli", "Le Secret" and "Swing Me A Polka".[113] Both Magnante and Biviano were cofounders of the American Accordionists' Association several years earlier in 1938.[114][115]
By the end of the 1930s an "accordion craze" had swept the nation.[116] Numerous accordion studios soon emerged within the major ethnic population centers of the East coast, as well as within the rural South and West with an estimated enrollment of over 35,000 students in 1938.[116][46] As an educator, Serry founded and operated a music studio in Jamaica, Queens in New York City[117] and Long Island, New York.[118] Between 1945 and the late 1980s he provided instruction on accordion, piano, and organ.[76][119] His pupils included Anthony Ettore, president of the American Accordionist's Association,[120] Michael Torello, a composer and accordionist[121][122] andRobert Davine, an accordionist and educator at the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver[123] as well as his son John Serry Jr.[124][125] During the 1950s one of his students, Roy Appey, emerged as the first prize winner in a performance competition hosted by the American Accordionists' Association.[126] In addition, Serry was invited to contribute to the annual series of Master Accordion Classes and seminars sponsored by the American Accordionists Association in New York City in August 2000.[127]He also published several method books for his elementary, intermediate, and advanced grade students between 1945 and 1955.[35][128][129] In addition, he took note of the limitations imposed by theStradella bass system during performances of classical music. In an effort to circumvent these limitations, he designed and developed a working model of afree-bass system for the accordion during this decade. It incorporated dual keyboards for the soloist's left hand while incorporating two sets of reeds which were tuned in octaves. This gave the soloist access to a range of tones which exceeded three and one-half octaves.[130][40]
During the early days of network television in the 1950s, Serry performed at CBS as a staff member of the original CBS Orchestra (1949–1960)[58] and an accompanist on several live network television programs includingThe Jackie Gleason Show in 1953,[58]The Frank Sinatra Show in the 1950s,[58] and on the prime time dramaI Remember Mama in 1953 starringPeggy Wood.[131][58] Following introductions by his young son Robert, he was also featured as a soloist on the talent showLive Like A Millionaire on the NBC radio network in 1951.[132][133]
In 1951 he also arranged his compositionsLa Culebra andAfrican Bolero for solo flute. He dedicated the scores to his close friendJulius Baker, who subsequently performed them on a demo recording.[134][135][136][137][138] In the same year, his photograph was featured within an article about the accordion which was published by the journalInternational Musician – the official publication of theInternational Federation of Musicians,[139] along with photographs of such noted accordionists as: Louis Del Monte,Pietro Frosini,Anthony Galla-Rini, Charles Magnante, Charles Nunzio, andArt Van Damme.[140] By 1953, he was also photographed by the Bell accordion company as one of several leading accordion artists along withTony Lavelli and Vince Geraci.[141]
During this time he also performed under the musical direction ofAndre Kostelanetz at CBS.[142] As the first accordionist in the Serry Sextette, he recorded his own arrangements of several popular melodies and classical themes for theRCA Thesauruselectrical transcriptions[143] catalog in 1954[144][145] duringBen Selvin's tenure asA & R Manager for RCA Victor.[146][147]Performances on the radio also continued during this period and included: appearances as a member of the Magnante Accordion Quartet, onThe Lucky Strike Hour,Waltz Time, andThe American Melody Hour (1940s). He occasionally substituted for the quartet's founderCharles Magnante.[35]
On the Broadway stage he performed under directorHarold Clurman in a production ofArthur Laurents playThe Time of the Cuckoo withShirley Booth andDino Di Luca.[23][148][149]By 1953, he had also arranged music which was edited byLawrence Welk and utilized in a course of study for the piano accordion by the U. S. School of Music,[150] which was described years later as the oldest home study music school chartered by the Board of Regents in New York State with a total worldwide enrollment of over one million students.[151] The school also utilized his photograph to encourage enrollment in its course of study for the piano accordion.[152] In the same year, he appeared as a featured soloist at an accordion concert hosted at theRajah Theatre in Reading, Pennsylvania.[22][148] He also completed arrangements of popular songs forSeeburg's jukeboxes featuring three accordions, violins, vibes, guitar, bass, percussion and piano. Included among them were:I Get a Kick Out of You,Mimi,The One I Love,Swingin' Down the Lane, andTico-Tico.[153]
In 1956 Serry composed, arranged and performed several compositions forDot Records (#DLP3024)[154] withAl Caiola andBernie Leighton on his albumSqueeze Play[155][156] duringBilly Vaughn's tenure as music director at Dot Records.[157][158][159][160][161] The production received a critical review as a new popular album inThe Billboard in 1956 and was cited for establishing a beautiful soothing mood.[162] The album was also critically reviewed inCash Box magazine later that year.[163] It features his original compositionGarden In Monaco which is adapted from the theme of an ancient Italian serenade.[142][164] Serry was applauded for establishing a wide variety of musical moods with grace, while simultaneously emphasizing a relaxed performance style.[163] In 1958 several songs from the album were released once again in France by Versailles records (# 90 M 178) asChicago Musette – John Serry et son Accordéon.[165][166][167] Dot Records also released several songs from the album in Japan as part of a compilation recording including the John Serry Orchestra and the Billy Vaughn Orchestra (Ballroom in Dreamland, Dot #5006).[168] These activities led to Serry's nomination to the "Who Is Who In Music International" in 1958.[58]His advanced grade composition for accordion,American Rhapsody was completed and published during 1955.[169]
In 1960, Serry emerged as a performer in one of the first stereo recordings of an accordion orchestra on a major label forCoral Records with noted instrumentalists, such as Joe Biviano,Carmen Carrozza, Angelo Di Pippo, and Eugene Ettore.[170][171][172][173] The ensemble of sixteen accordionists utilized modified piano accordions to recreate the orchestral sounds of several instruments while performing classical works byNikolai Rimsky-Korsakov,Carl Maria von Weber,Niccolò Paganini, andPyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.[171][174][175] The recording was cited inBillboard Magazine for its high level of musicality.[171]
Several years later, Serry completed hisConcerto For Free Bass Accordion in 1966 and subsequently transcribed it for piano in 2002.[176][177][178] As the decade of the 1960s unfolded, however, the general public's interest in the accordion began to diminish in the United States while the popularity ofrock music continued to grow.[40][46][59] The ensuing revolution in popular music induced many young people to view the accordion as a "square relic" from their parents' generation which should be replaced by the electric guitar, electric piano and electronic organ.[59][46] As a result, many established accordion studios either diversified or closed down entirely.[179][46]
With this in mind, Serry devoted the remaining thirty-five years of his professional career to the performance ofwedding music and liturgical music of theJewish andRoman Catholic faiths as a freelance organist at the Interfaith Chapel ofLong Island University C W Post Campus in Brookville, N.Y. (1968-2002).[180][181][182][183][184] As morerabbis sought to unite couples of different faiths without first requiring conversions in the 1960s and 1970s,[185] he collaborated with several clergymen of both the Jewish and Roman Catholic religious traditions, including: Rabbi Nathaniel Schwartz[184] and the Rev. John Heinlein.[186][187][188]
During this period, he also transcribed his compositionProcessional March (1951) from piano for use on the organ in 1968.[189] In the years which followed, he composed several additional liturgical works for the choir of Notre Dame Parish on Long Island including:A Savior Is Born (1991, organ and solo voice),The Lord's Prayer (1992, organ and chorus) andLamb of God (1994, for choir, flute and brass).[190]
Serry died after a brief illness onLong Island, New York in 2003, age 88.[191]
Several of John Serry's early live performances and recordings were reviewed by critics in such noted magazines asThe Billboard,Cash Box andThe Players Magazine – National Journal of Educational Dramatics.[162][163][64] His recording with the Biviano Accordion and Rhythm Sextette for Sonora Records in 1945 (Accordion Capers) was reviewed byBillboard magazine, which noted that the music on the album was strictly for listening as opposed to dancing.[106] While accompanying a dramatic vocalist he was cited for contributing to an intriguing and nuanced performance.[192] His recording of Latin American music with the Alfredo Antonini Viva America Orchestra was described as "as amongst the most attractive" by critics atThe New Records in 1946.[193] In addition, his recording of classical compositions by Rimsky-Korsakov, Nicolo Paganini. Carl Maria von Weber and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky as a member of Pietro Deiro's Accordion Orchestra was cited by critics inThe Billboard for its high level musicality.[171] His musical arrangements were also cited for using the accordion to convey a variety of musical moods with easy-going grace intended for low-pressure listening.[163] Above all else, he was applauded on his albumSqueeze Play for utilizing the accordion to establish a beautiful, relaxed and soothing mood while avoiding a more common type of "show-off" performance.[162][163]
RCA Thesaurus – RCA Victor Transcriptions series of over thirty works. John Serry Sr. as a contributing arranger and soloist with The Bel-Cordions accordion Sextette ensemble and Ben Selvin – Music Director (1954).[58][260][261]
Ballroom in Dreamland – Dot Records (catalogue # 5006) – a compilation album released in Japan featuring performances of Jazz, Latin and Classical music by the John Serry Orchestra and theBilly Vaughn Orchestra.[168]
Pietro Deiro Presents the Accordion Orchestra – Coral Records (catalogue #CRL-57323) – as a member of an orchestra of sixteen accordionists interpreting the sounds of a traditional orchestra in performances of transcriptions from classical music under the direction of Joe Biviano.[171][174][170][173]*:List of musical selections:Danse des Bouffons –Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov,Beguine di Roma – Joe Biviano,Invitation to the Dance –Carl Maria von Weber,La Cumparsita – musical arrangement by Joseph Biviano,La Chasse –Niccolo Paganini,Danse Chinoise –Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky,Three Blind Mice – musical arrangement by Joseph Biviano,Danse de Marlitens –Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky,Walse de Fleur – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky,The Flight of the Bumble Bee – Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov,The Rooster – Joe Biviano,Careless one cha-cha-cha – Joe Biviano
External audio
You may hear John Serry performing "Lamento Gitano" with Nestor Mesta Chayres and the Alfredo Antonini Orchestra in 1946 Here on DAHR
Latin American Music – Alpha Records (catalogue # 12205A, 12205B, 12206A, 12206B) – as a member of the Viva America Orchestra – Conductor Alfredo Antonini (1946)[263]List of recordings:Caminito de tu Casa –Julio Alberto Hernández,Chapinita –Miguel Sandoval,Adios Mariquita Linda – Marcos A. Jimenez,Mi Nuevo Amor,La Zandunga – Andres Gutierrez/Maximo Ramo Ortiz,La Mulata Tomasa – Lazaro Quintero,Tres Palabras –Osvaldo Farres,Noche de ronda –Augustin Lara
Granada – Decca Records (catalogue # 23770A) – as a member of the Alfredo Antonini Orchestra with the lyric tenorNestor Mesta Chayres (1946)[264]
Chiquita Banana – Alpha (catalogue # 1001A) – as a member of the Alfredo Antonini Orchestra, conductor Alfredo Antonini, vocalistElsa Miranda (1946)[265]
By the Cradle – Victor Records (catalogue # 26-5035) – accordionist in the Mischa Borr Orchestra, vocalist Sidor Belarsky (1946)[112]
Katusha – Victor Records (catalogue # 26-5035) – accordionist in the Mischa Borr Orchestra, vocalist Sidor Belarsky (1946)[112]
Hobo Song – Victor Records (catalogue # 26-5036 ) – accordionist in the Mischa Borr Orchestra, vocalist Sidor Belarsky (1946)[112]
Dark Night – Victor Records (catalogue # 26-5037) – accordionist in the Mischa Borr Orchestra, vocalistSidor Belarsky (1946)[112]
External audio
You may hear John Serrapica performing "Clarinet Polka" with the Charles Magnante Accordion Band in 1941 Here on DAHR
Leone Jump – Sonora Records (catalogue # 3001 B) – as a member of the Biviano Accordion & Rhythm Sextette. (1945)[105][107][103]
Clarinet Polka – Bluebird (catalogue # B-11294-A) – John Serry (aka John Serrapica) as a member of the Charles Magnante Accordion Band (1941).[266]
Swing Me a Polka – Victor (matrix # BS-067555) – John Serry (aka John Serrapica) as a member of the Charles Magnante Accordion Band (1941).[267]
Le Secret – Victor (matrix # BS-067556) – John Serry (aka John Serrapica) as a member of the Charles Magnante Accordion Band (1941).[267]
Halli-Hallo-Halli – Victor (matrix # BS-067556) – John Serry (aka John Serrapica) as a member of the Charles Magnante Accordion Band (1941.[267]
John Serry with Luis G. Roldan and the Orquesta CBS Pan-Americana C.B.S. performing "Tres Palabras"Here on ucl.edu
John Serry with Luis G. Roldan and the Orquesta CBS Pan-Americana C.B.S. performing "Esta Noche Ha Pasado"Here on ucla.edu
Tres Palabras andEsta Noche Ha Pasado – Columbia Records (catalogue # 6201-X) – as a member of the CBS Pan American Orchestra – Conductor Alfredo Antionini, Vocalist Luis G. Roldan (194?)[268][269]List of songs:Tres Palabras –Osvaldo Farres,Esta Noche Ha Pasado – M. Sabre Marroquin
Asi andSomos Diferentes – Columbia Records (catalogue # 6202-X) – as a member of the CBS Pan American Orchestra – Conductor Alfredo Antonini, Vocalist Luis G. Roldan (194?)[270][271]List of songs:Asi – María Grever,Somos Diferentes – Pablo Beltran Ruiz
La Palma andRosa Negra – Pilotone Records (catalogue # 5067 & # 5069) – as a member of Alfredo Antonini's Viva America Orchestra, Vocalists Los Panchos Trio (194?)[272]List of songs:La Palma (Chilian cueca dance),Rosa Negra (Conga)
El Bigote de Tomas andDe Donde – Columbia Records (Catalogue # 36666) – as a member of the CBS Tipica Orchestra conducted by Alfredo Antonini with tenor Juan Arvizu (194?)[273] List of musical selections:El Bigote de Tomas – Valie,De Donde – María Grever
Mi Sarape andQue Paso? – Columbia Records (catalogue # 36665) – as a member of the CBS Tipica Orchestra conducted by Alfredo Antonini with tenor Juan Arvizu (194?)[273]List of musical selections:Mi Sarape – María Grever,Que Paso? – Cortazar
Viva Sevilla! andNoche de Amor – Columbia records (catalogue # 36664) – as a member of the CBS Tipica Orchestra conducted by Alfredo Antonini with tenor Juan Arvizu (194?)[273] Musical selections:Viva Sevilla! – Lavidad/Delmoral,Noche de Amor – Tchaikovsky arr.Arvizu/Antonini
External audio
You may hear John Serry and the Shep Fields Orchestra performing "With A Smile and A Song" in 1937 Here on DAHR
You may hear John Serry and the Shep Fields Orchestra performing the fox trot "There's a New Moon Over the Old Mill" in 1937 Here on DAHR
You may hear John Serry performing "Whistle While You Work" with the Shep Fields Orchestra in 1937 Here on DAHR
You may hear John Serry and the Shep Fields Orchestra performing "In the Merry Month of May"Here on DAHR
Serry was granted a patent in 1966 by theUnited States Patent Office for his design of a protective shield for collapsible toothpaste tubes (US Patent #US3269604).[277][278] A patent for the same design was also granted to him by theCanadian Patent Office in 1966 (Serial #998,449 May 14, 1966).[279]
Serry, John (1935), "The Danzon, The Bolero, The Rumba – The Substitute American Rhythm Emphasis Laid on Going Native",Accordion News[280]
Serry, John (1935), "Training: Reading From Piano Scores. Stumbling Cues. Avoid Time Wasters",Accordion News[280]
Serry, John (1935), "Orchestrations: A Study in Rhythm, Tango Chosen For Its Diversity, The Break, How the Accordion Should be Played in the Orchestra",Accordion News[280]
The John J. Serry Sr. Collection at theEastman School of Music'sSibley Music Library within the Ruth T. Watanabe Special Collections Department contains selected examples of Serry's original compositional scores, arrangements, LP recordings, reel to reel recording tapes of his performances, biographical articles and other biographical reference materials which have been donated for archival purposes to benefit both researchers and students. The archive includes a copy of his albumSqueeze Play and an audio recording of his arrangements forRCA Thesaurus. Researchers may contact the staff archivist directly for further assistance in obtaining copies of scores or reviewing LP recordings.[260][242][284][285]
TheDiscography of American Historical Recordings catalog at the University of California at Santa Barbara includes several of the master recordings of Serry's performances with the Shep Fields Rippling Rhythm Jazz Orchestra in New York City (1937-1938) which are accessible online via audio streaming.[274]
Serry was an active member of theBMI,SESAC,American Federation of Musicians (Local #802) (1933–2003),[286][34] and TheAmerican Guild of Organists. For a brief period he served as a charter member of theAmerican Accordionists Association (1938). He pursued professional musical studies with: Joseph Rossi (accordion, 1926–1929); Albert Rizzi (piano and harmony, 1929–1932); Gene Von Hallberg (counterpoint and harmony, 1933–1934)[35] (a founder of theAmerican Accordionists Association); Jascha Zade (piano, 1945–1946);[35] Arthur Guttow (organ, 1946), and Robert Strassburg (piano, advanced harmony, and orchestration, 1948–1950).
^Allegro, American Federation of Musicians, New York, January 2004, Vol CIV, Obituary and the date of death for John Serry listed as Sept. 14, 2003 as posted by his son John Serry Jr.No. 1.Archived 2006-05-28 at theWayback Machine
^Settel, Irving (1967) [1960].A Pictorial History of Radio. New York:Grosset & Dunlap. p. 146.LCCN67-23789.OCLC1475068. (See photograph showing Serry seated as the accordionist in the orchestra above the caption "The Latin-American artist Juan Arvizu with the CBS Pan American Orchestra conducted by Alfredo Antonini"
^abNew York Journal-American (see the photograph of Serry's signature inscribed with signatures of other members of the cast on the stage door of the Empire Theatre at the closing of the playThe Time of the Cuckoo), May 25, 1953, p. 15
^abcdJacobson, Marion S. (2007). "Searching for Rockordion: The Changing Image of the Accordion in America".American Music.25 (2):216–247.doi:10.2307/40071656.JSTOR40071656.
^abcRust, Brian (1975).The American Dance Band Discography 1917-1942: Irving Aaronson to Arthur Lange. Arlington House. pp. 516–517.ISBN978-0-87000-248-9.
^"John Serry".Discography of American Historical Recordings. RetrievedJanuary 28, 2025.
^Jacobson, Marion S. (2012). "Squeezebox Bach-The Classical Accordion".Squeeze this! : a cultural history of the accordion in America. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.ISBN978-0-252-03675-0.OCLC826684860.
^abcdefgh"Who Is Who In Music International 1958",Who Is Who In Music International, Chicago, IL. Biographical File # B11719. SeeInternational Biographical Center, Cambridge, England as current publisher.
^Settel, Irving (1967) [1960].A Pictorial History of Radio. New York:Grosset & Dunlap. p. 146.LCCN67-23789.OCLC1475068. (See the photograph showing Serry seated as the accordionist in the orchestra above the caption "The Latin-American artist Juan Arvizu with the CBS Pan American Orchestra conducted by Alfredo Antonini")
^Jacobson, Marion (2012).Squeeze This!: A Cultural History of the Accordion in America. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press. p. 61.ISBN978-0-252-03675-0.
^"Mama".Classicthemes.com. Retrieved26 November 2018.
^Service, United States Congress Senate Committee on Post Office and Civil (January 28, 1962)."Hearings". RetrievedJanuary 28, 2025 – via Google Books.
^Magazines, Hearst (November 28, 1950)."Popular Mechanics". Hearst Magazines. RetrievedJanuary 28, 2025 – via Google Books.
^African Bolero – Flute solo, composer John Serry & dedicated on the score as "written for and dedicated to my friendJulius Baker, 1951", in the Julius Baker Music Collection Archive on Julicat at library.juilliard.edu
^"Ruth T. Watanabe Special Collections Home".Sibley Music Library. 13 November 2019. Retrieved12 December 2022. Performers can locate the scores to "American Rhapsody" and "Concerto For Free Bass Accordion" which were donated to theEastman School of Music'sSibley Music Library's – Ruth T. Watanabe Special Collections Department by contacting the archivist here.
^abc"John Serrapica".Discography of American Historical Recordings. RetrievedJanuary 28, 2025.
^Luis G. Roldan; Alfredo Antonini y su Orquesta Pan-Americana C.B.S.; Osvaldo Farres."Tres Palabras".Archive.org. Retrieved26 November 2018.
^Luis G. Roldan; Alfredo Antonini y su Orquesta Pan-Americana C.B.S.; M. Sabre Marroquin."Esta Noche Ha Pasado".Archive.org. Retrieved26 November 2018.
^Los Panchos Trio; Alfredo Antonini and His Viva America Orchestra."La Palma; Rosa Negra".Archive.org. Retrieved26 November 2018.
^abcJuan Arvizu and the C. B. S. Tipica Orchestra; Lavidada; DelMoral; Alfredo Antonini; Juan Arvizu; Grever; Juan Arvicu and the C. B. S. Tipica Orchestra; Cortazar; Juan Arvizu and the C. B. S Tipica Orchestra; Valie (28 January 1942)."Viva Sevilla!; Noche de Amor; Mi Sarape; Que Paso?; El Bigote de Tomas; De Donde?".Archive.org. Retrieved26 November 2018.
^abc"John Serry".Discography of American Historical Recordings. RetrievedJanuary 28, 2025.
You may hear John Serry Sr. withNestor Mesta Chayres and the Alfredo Antonini Orchestra playing the bolero "La Morena de mi Copla" in 1946
Photograph of John Serry on the CBS radio network circa 1940s in the John J. Serry Sr. Collection Archive.
