LEON BERRY - CHICAGO WURLITZER THEATRE ORGANIST
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 ก.ย. 2024
- This is a video of the Chicago area organist Leon Berry I put together several years ago. The first part contains a few cuts from his albums with graphics of facts detailing his life and career. The 2nd part is a short documentary produced in the 60's. It profiles his home in Illinois and the Wurlitzer organ he installed in his basement, aka 'the beast.' Special thanks to CATOE, the Chicago Area Theatre Organ Enthusiasts for transferring my 16mm film to DVD so I could upload it on TH-cam. • LEON BERRY - CHICAGO W...
The very first time I heard Leon Berry at the Hub was in my freshman year in highschool. I had just started playing the organ after 7 years of piano. I heard his opening Paramount on Parade, then the Blacksmith Blues, then Poinciana. I sat down, never skated again, but payed to hear him play. I bought him a cup of coffee and found out he was short as I was. We became close acquaintances, and later, on leave from the USAF I went to his home with my wife and played the "beast in the basement". Later on my mother and I visited him when he was playing on Mannheim RD. She found out they both had been in the Coast Guard during WWII, and became good friends I believe. Thank you Leon Berry. Every time I play or hear Poinciana - just as you did - I remember you, your friendliness and great playing ability!
That was a great story. I love hearing of other people who had a relationship with Leon. I was hooked on pipe organs the first time I went to the hub roller rink and heard Leon playing. It wasn't long before I talked to my dad into obtaining a used two manual Kimball pipe organ console and shoehorned it down our stairs into the basement. I helped my dad convert it into an electronic organ with the help of do it yourself kits that had to be wired up. Each Saturday when I would go to the hub, I would pick Leon's brain during intermission, asking him for suggestions or help after I told him of our project in the basement. It really put a smile on his face, I remember him drinking his coffee and us talking at the concession stand. He gave up so much information and was thrilled to give me any help he could. There will always be a warm spot in my heart for the late, great Leon Berry.
Al, I even have a picture of him when he was at Magnum's Chatteau. While we were sitting at the bar having a cocktail, he discovered that my mother was in the Coast Guard during WWII. That was the "clincher"! He was a fantastic organist. AND, he was an extremely NICE person.
In 1960 I spent the night at Leon's home. I was in the Air Force and on the way to Texas . He played the Beast for me. It was unforgettable!
I have to ask....what did you do in the USAF? I was a Farsi and Russian Linguist!
Thank you for posting this video! This is my great grandfather. My grandmother as the typical teenage girl. 😂
You're very welcome. Thanks for the interesting info.
I was 14 when I went to the Hub. I had just started to play the organ. I met Leon when he came down from the loft and asked if I could buy him a cup of coffee. Funny thing, we were about the same size, and I was small! He invited me to come early the next day, which I did. He put me on the bench, and said, Kid, have fun!
When I came home from Syracuse where I was studying Russian for the USAF, newly married, I called Leon. He invited us over. When we got to the door, his wife told my wife, "Honey, are you sure you want to go down there, it's awfully loud!". When I got down there, he told me to play "our song" - Poinciana! I went right into it with those opening chords he always played. He was smiling and told me, "I didn't know I was witting on the bench and playing"! He will always be the "Great Leon Berry" to me.
I was a regular skater at The Hub during the last years of its existence, when it was then known as The Axle, in the 70s to its closing in the mid-80s. This was its era of skating to disco and Top 40 music. I was born a bit too late to have been able to skate to organ music performed by some of the organists I hear mentioned in videos highlighting their talents at various rinks throughout the Chicago area, such Leon Berry, Freddie Arnish, and Tony Tahlman. At least regularly. By the time I was skating, most organ skate sessions were relegated to an infrequent schedule, such as only on Sunday evenings, if not completely eliminated from a given rink's program. During my teen years, I never once considered going to an organ skate session, despite my mother recommending that I at least give it a try sometime. She and my father met roller skating to organ music in their youth and I guess I owe my being here to it. But I never did, and I have to say I regret not having skated to the sounds of these behemoth pipe organs. The music these organs produced, in conjunction with the creativity and skill of their players, amazes me. I know that there are a few rinks around the USA that still have organ sessions, but I'm not sure if they can compare to the sessions that one would have enjoyed with The Hub's massive pipe organ. That organ was still up in the rafters when I was skating at The Axle (nee Hub), complete with all its bells and whistles. I'd love to go back in time and experience what skating was like at The Hub with Mr. Berry at the keyboard. Of note: I remember that around 1982 that there was some disassembly of the organ in which several parts of it (mainly cuboid pipes) were stacked in the far non-skating area of the far west end of The Axle. The DJs on duty warned skaters to stay out of that area of the rink.
Love it! Mt father and Leon were on the same ship in ww2 and became friends. I have seen THE BASEMENT in person. It was wild. Brings back memories. All the larger pipes had wooden shutters. When you played the note a shutter opened so you could see and hear the pipe. The entire wooden wall was opening/shutting during a song. Thank You.
Drove from Milwaukee to skate to Leon Berry music at the Hub Roller rink on Saturdays and had great times 'WE had the Palomar in Milwaukee which was good but thHub was bigger and a great organist Leon Berry Also had a great dance partener when I was there
LEON was the best. Used to go skating at the hub back in the 60's
Leon also played for years (late 60's) at The Polar Dome inside Santas Village in East Dundee for the skaters there. He was always such an accomadating guy and truly a genius at the organ. They had a Thomas organ there and Leon had picked it out was the model that resembled the console on The Beast.
Wow. I remember skating at the Hub.
Leon was the Best....at least in our minds....miss ya Leon!
Thanks for sharing this. Fond memories hearing Leon's wonderful music at the HUB in the mid 1960s. Just great!
So glad to see the 'Beast in the Basement' video back up! I got to meet Leon in 1964 and play the beast. That was totally fun! He is still one of my keyboard influences, just a plain fun style to play in. The 23 rank VTPO in my home can do a mean VirTual 'Hub Rink.'
We knew Leon and Mildred so well that one time we were over at the Park Ridge house and I was listening to one of the first albums he made with my favorite Blacksmith Blues on it, had headphones on and Leon played it on his console stereo. He told me he would give me that album but it was the only copy he had......sad he never got to see the results of EBAY, I had a few of his albums but then I was able to buy ALL of the records Leon made I listen to them often he truly was a master of his trade and was a great person and friend for years, we miss them both so much.
This is wonderful!! Thank you so much for posting this!! :-)
I am so glad that you are sharing these with us. I had pulled up a very poor recording of the Beast in the Basement with Leon interviewed in his basement. Your video is much clearer. I am sharing it with other organ enthusiasts. Leon Berry was practically an Engineer, not just an organist. Thanks again.
Mary Nemes Your welcome, Mary. I need to credit the Chicago Area Theatre Organ Enthusiasts (CATOE) for making the 16mm film to DVD conversion. Thanks for taking the time to write.
excellent!! He was the master of the mighty organs.
I enjoyed Leon's music at the Hub in the 1960's while roller skating up to 5 evenings per week when home from college during the summer and any vacation time at home in Chicago. This is a great video tribute to Leon. Thank you.
I loved skating to Leon Barry’s music at the Hub in Norridge, Il. I was so disappointed when he left in ‘67.
As always there was a rivalry between the Hub and River view. Russ Young was my favorite, but I always appreciated Leon's expertise. We had a "secret roller hockey game" at River view at 1 AM after Saturdays skate. It was in full swing when Don Milarsky came by to break it up. Many are gone. Tim Buckwinkler, Milarsky, Russ lived till over 90, and too many others. The reunion continues 1st Saturday in October at a rink in the area. My whole childhood, tee and early 20's was spent at one of the rinks.
Love all the memories.
WOW! I had a Leon Berry LP several years ago but it eventually got lost in the shuffle and I haven't heard his playing in years but still remember it well. Thanks for posting this. I really enjoyed it. Would love to hear his version of "Misirlou" referenced in the text notes if anybody has it. This post really "made my day" today.
George Allen Thanks George, glad you enjoyed it. Misirlou is on youtube, just search misilou leon berry in the search bar above. Thanks for writing.
George Allen 5
Among the many albums Leon Berry made for Audio Fidelity was an album called "Merry-Go-Round and Circus Calliope Music," the latter side where he made the Giant Wurlitzer sound like a real calliope. He was amazing.
Whatever became of "The Beast?"
Last I heard, it was living in Arizona.
@@steverabb Right.
Also, especially on the HUB RINK ORGAN, the use of the deep bass pipes were the best... Most people tend to focus on the manual keyboard stops. Not Leon, he would make that building quiver with sound! It went right through your chest!
Blacksmith blues
Just listened to this. Great song that only Leon could do so well.
P. S. You can see just a few minutes of the great fire that took out the River View rink on you tube. The last of an era.
👍
So many others played in a haphazard way, with their "elbows" I would say. Even the present day theatre organ specialists are so messy sounding. NO, Leon Berry was NOT a skating rink performer like Ken Griffin, who bored me to tears, even though some of his pieces are like comfort food for me.
Find the REALISTIC LPs and the early two Audio Fidelity LPs for the HUB RINK ORGAN. The organ in this video is the "Beast" but acoustically limited due to its being in Berry's basement, but still played very well.