The Big Band Story of The Week: A former bandleader of the world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra claims he was criticised by his management for hiring two musicians because they were black.
Gary Tole made the allegations in a lawsuit in which he is claiming $600,000 in damages over his dismissal in December.
In papers filed to Manhattan Federal Court, Mr Tole says the band's manager Charles DeStefano questioned his decision to recruit the black musicians in June 2011.
He claims Mr DeStefano told him: 'This is the Glenn Miller Orchestra, not the Count Basie Orchestra.'
William 'Count' Basie was a black pianist and composer who formed and led a jazz orchestra for nearly 50 years.
Glenn Miller, who set up his eponymous band in 1938, was white.
Offended by the remark, Mr Tole claims he told the manager he 'intended to continue hiring the best musicians without regard to their race', according to the charges.
Mr DeStefano later claimed that he 'never said that', it was reported in the New York Daily News.
The lawsuit says Mr Tole was fired partly because he gave seven members of the band a public dressing down at a club in Japan.
Mr Tole apparently told them they 'played poorly, cursed loudly and acted in an obnoxious manner'.
The players said they would quit if Mr Tole wasn't dismissed.
Mr Tole is suing Glenn Miller Productions for breach of contract and employment discrimination.
No comments:
Post a Comment