Armando  Di Robbio (aka Al Dero)  

 What goes around comes around! Proof of this may be found in listening to the very beautiful ballads to be found on this latest CD whose music was composed by Mr. Di Robbio (aka: Al Dero), of Cranston. Al Dero, as he has long been called in professional music circles, was a native of Rhode Island, born in the Silver Lake section of Providence and a long-time resident of the nearby suburb of Cranston. Al had a lifetime reputation as one of the Big Band era's top drummers, and had also been writing music to hundreds of songs as an ASCAP composer for several years.

 This newest CD, titled: "CLASSIC THEME" features the rich tenor vocals and arrangements of Sal Rainone, pianist, guitarist and entertainer of extrordinary talent. The 18 songs on this CD represents a two-fold treat for its listeners: a new-found interest in pleasant-sounding Ballads and a welcome return to the listener-friendly songs like we used to love--and still do!

 Armando Di  Robbio was known as to New England jazz fans as Al Dero, drummer extraordinaire.

 He was born in the Silver Lake section of Providence, Rhode Island, a place well-known for its Big Band entertainment mecca.  He literally grew up, surrounded by music all about him, from early childhood on, playing in the Laurel Hill grammar school band and in the High School band in Providence, Rhode Island.

 Di Robbio, a Cranston, Rhode Island resident, played the drums for over sixty years from the time he started taking lessons at the age of nine.  During his prime in the 1950’s nothing could stop him from pounding out rhythms for band leaders like Tony Abbott, Tommy Masso or Peewee Hunt.

 In Retirement, Di Robbio’s schedule as a musician was more sedate then the days when he would tour the northeast with various bands.  Most of his musical expression would take place on one of two keyboards, with piles of cassette tapes and hand-written music set between the speakers.

 Di  Robbio wrote mostly music.  He seldom wrote his own lyrics.

 Di Robbio liked to dabble in music from different cultures.  He familiarized himself with ethic music by playing samples of the music over and over again until he has mastered the characteristic motifs.

 Composing wasn't new to Di Robbio.  While he was still an active musician in the jazz scene, he started writing songs with several different musicians.  He wrote over 700 songs with ASCAP songwriter Bruce Kingery from the 1970’s through the 1990’s.

 Di Robbio sharpened his skills while in the Air Force during World War II, attending the Air Force music school in his spare time.  During his time in the Air Force he got to accompany a number of jazz and big band notables, such as Red Skelton, Anita Bryant, Don Rondo, Gene Autrey, Abbe Lane, Bobby Hackett, Ernie Caceres, and the Rockettes.

 Through his military band service, Di Robbio played in bands whose concerts honored Generals Dwight David Eisenhower, Jonathan Wainright and Omar Bradley, among other General Officers of the U.S. Armed Forces.

 After the war he never toured with bands past New York, in order to stay close to his wife.

 Collaboration and Cowriting were factors in Al's hundreds of Copywrited Songs. Among his cowrites, he listed Eddie Dowling, Johnny Mercer, Billy Strayhorn, Francis E. Delaney, Norm Kelly, Phil Davis, Pee Wee Hunt, George Waggner, Alice Hammerstein, Bill Erwin, Joe Kelly and Bruce Kingery.

 "I enjoyed playing for the thousands of Rhode Island and Eastern States music lovers for so many years", said Al. "Today, it's really great to find out that millions of Americans are 're-discovering' Big Band Music and the Ballads and Easy Listening kinds of songs that made that era and that kind of music the best that the 20th Century had to offer! These kinds of songs- as their popularity again continues to grow- are bound to help thousands of college and high school level musicians to carve out musical careers. Big Band Music, Jazz, Ballads and Easy Listening music can provide full-time employment and exciting music-filled careers as Sidemen, Arrangers, Composers, and Band Leaders, as music reverts to the 18-peice band formats again. Those factors, by themselves, are the positive results to be offered by recapturing the Big Band Sounds again!"

 The new CD "CLASSIC THEME" is a melodic step in that direction. The CD is available through Far Memory Music (ASCAP) and RHM Records. This CD is now available through the following internet sites:

                        TheOrchard.com                      EarBuzz.com

                        CDBaby.com                           AirMusic.com

                        Amazon.com                            BillBoard Talent.net

                        FishTheMusic.com (Japan)       FranceMP3.com

And, in cooperation with TheOrchard.com, this CD is available from Barnes and Noble (Music Department) Stores.

 Song styles on this CD are: Multilingual, Romantic, Easy Listening, Adult Contemporary, Café Lounge and religious.  The Multilingual interpretations of many of the songs throughout are in English, Italian, French and Japanese.

 Armando Di Robbio (aka Al Dero) passed away Thursday, July 29, 1999, at the age of 84, in th Veterans' Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island.  We at Far Memory Music and RHM Records mourn the loss of such a talented musician, songwriter and friend. He was a good friend and a fine person. He will be deeply missed.  The CD “Classic Theme” is dedicated to his memory.

Armando Di Robbio had written songs the the following Composers and Lyricsts:

Special thanks to Jason Dickey and the Providence Journal and Bulletin, Rhode Island, for providing parts of this brief biography on Armando Di Robbio (aka Al Dero).