A Phil Brodie Band Tribute Page
RENE
NETTO
Born:
January 12, 1937, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
Clarinetist Rene Netto was indeed very good, tooting out distinguishable 32nd notes on a slow beat, and then doing the old "Yakity Sax" on saxophone in double-time. The most encouraging sight of the night was hearing the master Netto and the young trombonist Barbarin carrying on the old New Orleans jazz tradition, because someday their generations will make up all the top billings. ~ Review 1997 Florida International Festival
BIOGRAPHY / PROFILE
Rene
was born in the heart of jazzland ~ New Orleans in January of 1937.
He attended McDonough Grammar School where at the age of 11 he started
to study music. Continuing his studies at St. Aloysius and McDonough
High School, by this time he was very influenced by the greats such
as Artie Shaw (who sadly died this December 20th), Benny Goodman, Coleman
Hawkins and Lester Young. He finished his education with a year at the
University of South Western Louisiana. It isn't any wonder growing up
on the doorstep Bourbon Street with the soulful sounds of the blues
to the feverish passion of the jazz vibrating from building to building,
a melting pot for ethnically diverse cultures. Musical influences from
Africa, Spain, Italy, South America, and French cultures , growing up
with the funeral processions as they entered with the sad blues, and
left with dancers swinging to happy upbeat dixie and ragtime, growing
up with the excitement of Mardi Gras, no it isn't any wonder Rene became
such a virtuoso of the clarinet, sax and flute. At the age of 16 he
was playing professionally in a band which was to be the start of a
musical career spanning 52 years to date. For many years Rene has had
his own band "The Sound Of New Orleans", they play all the
major jazz festivals ~ Sacramento, French Quarter Jazz Festival, New
Orleans Jazz Festival & far too many to mention. Rene is a featured
attraction in the French Quarter of New Orleans and Bourbon Street.
For many years he has been a featured attraction of the Community Concert
series and performed regularly with the great late Al Hirt.
PART DISCOGRAPHY
1991
:
Shades of New Orleans - Rene Netto & The Sounds Of New Orleans
1993 : The Pelican Brief - Soundtrack
1994 : Rene Netto & The Sounds Of New
Orleans featuring Harry Connick Sr.
1996 : Sounds Of New Orleans ~ Rene Netto
& The Sounds Of New Orleans
1996 : All Of Me - Harry Connick Sr
1998 : New Orleans .. My Home Town - Harry
Connick SR
2004 : Mardi Gras Classics - Various Artists
2004 : I'm A Fool To Care : Complete Recording
- Joe Barry
A FINE TRIBUTE
My name is Robert and I had the privilage to produce Rene Netto's "comeback" CD "Shades of New Orleans" in 1991. Back then I was recent graduate of the University of Miami Music Business program, and was given this opportunity by my first post-college employer the New Orleans Entertainment Agency.
Even though this was the first major project I had ever worked on, to this day it remains as my most favorite and most proud accomplishments. When I first heard Rene play, I was truly awestruck, not only by his technical ability (listen to the double tounging on 'Clarinet Marmalade', a tune in which we had Rene play on two tracks as to play a duet with himself) but also by his incredible phrasing and sensitivity. You may be interested to know that as a young man, Rene's prized Buffet clarinet was stolen while he was out on the road. His money had to go to more important things like supporting his family, so despite the fact that he was a professional musician, he never got around to replacing it. The clarinet that you hear on 'Shades of New Orleans' is no more than an inexpensive plastic school grade clarinet. This only proves the point that 'In the master's hands' even the most inexpensive instrument can sound like a million dollars.
A
random foot note.....
I recall that when the CD was almost done, I decided to replace a piano
track on one of the tunes with Rene playing a Sax track. We had arranged
to meet at the studio around 7PM after he got off work from his day
job, which I believe was construction related. In any case, I was in
the studio waiting for Rene. In he walks, dressed in workers clothes,
lunchbox in one hand, saxophone in the other. Tired from the day, Rene
reaches into his sax case and says "Let's do this Robert.' He then
procedes to lay down a brilliant sax track in one take. At the time,
I had no idea that Rene had another job besides music.The memory of
the unassuming worker, taking out his instrument and turning into one
of the greatest jazz musicians in the world, will always stick with
me.
Huge thanks to Robert for sending me his
memoirs and admiration of
this great musician Rene Netto
May
he continue for many more years, if I am ever lucky enough to visit
New Orleans, Rene will be on top of my list to see and listen to live
in the city where Jazz evolved.
He is an amazing musician ~ a must for true Jazz enthusiasts.
A special thanks goes to Bubba Groce, drummer from New Orleans for introducing me to Rene's music and sending me some info to make this page ~ Thanks Bubba.
[A PHIL BRODIE BAND TRIBUTE PAGE]
