| Bob &
Tom were simply the best couple of djs of italian disco scene
and changed completely the night life style. They were real
hits in Italy back then. Bob & Tom played the right music
that they had gotten from NYC and introduced much new material
from which other Italian deejays picked up from. They played
and mixed all best Philly Sound, TK - Miami Sound, Salsoul
- I mean all that music never heard before in Italy. Those
two American deejays were, first in Italy, to perfect the
technique of mixing records with BPM on the now classic Thorens
turntables with pich control. Bob & Tom were always on
beat and had the dancefloor packed.
"1976 was the best year, wonderful gigs, people success
from all adriatic coast and all my international friends You
could heard about Baia everywhere and a lot of people arrived
from different places: Milano, Roma, Firenze, Perugia. All
people talk also about Baia Degli Angeli Bob & Tom's tapes
recorded live and became so popular around - say Tirotti".
"Baia's greatness was its ending. Disco was very changed
since people arrived from everywhere. No more every kid of
people people audience, but only nightdancers who lived their
live too intensively and strange way. I decided to sell Baia
on summer end 1977 and I went to live in Africa for some years.
Bob & Tom were back to New York and we never met anymore.
I have no more notice or contacts with them" - say Tirotti.
The fall of 1977 Baia was re-opened with new ideas and new
projects. Claudio Rispoli alias Mozart a friend of Bob Day,
became a new deejay. He began his succesful adventure as one
of a few most talented djs in Italy. Mozart is the only DJ
whose won 'Telegatto', a very important prize from italian
tv. He was the resident DJ at Baia, as same as Daniele Baldelli
for some months. Then another talented DJ name Rubens joined
him and they became most famos and wealthy italian DJ's.
1980 Baia Degli Angeli was definitly closed (there is not
any secret rumour) by QUESTORE di Gabicce. This local administration
officers decided that Baia became dangerous for health of
young people because of drugs dealing.
After Baia's closing day Mozart and Rubens played in all
italian clubs their fantastic sound - but it's an other history
Bob Day & Tom Sison Bio
Tom though born in Puerto Rico, then moved to Philadelphia,
then early 70's to New York where he was a resident dj in
a disco no one remember name unfortunately, disco located
near the docks. Tom was a deejay after hour (we say) that
means - his set start about 3 a.m..
He met Giancarlo Tirotti, owner of the disco name - Baia
Degli Angeli in mentioned above NYC club. Giancarlo loved
what he heard and offered him job in Italy at Suerte, a resort
near Baia with great amenities such as room, board, food,
money for a few flights yearly to NYC to buy new records as
well as good pay. Great conditions isn't it He could say
no to this !
Bob And Tom got a lot of friendship on Adriatic coast destined
to last forever. Bob & Tom introduced some new music,
never heard before - disco music, so popular in New York,
but unknown in Italy. Black artists created this sound based
on soul and r&b. Some examples: Gumble & Huff from
Philadelphia Records, Vince Montana Jr from Salsoul...
Bob & Tom were, first in Italy, to perfect the technique
for stitching records together in seamless sequencess. They
hold the disc by thumb while the turntable whirled beneath
insulated by a felt pad, and they would locate with an earphone
the best spot to make the splice / mix, then release the next
side precisely on the beat. They simply slipped cued their
records making for a seamless blend of music, not known that
time in Italy. They mixed records with BPM on the now classic
Thorens turntables with pich control.
Their sets started before opening and in the first set they
played fantastic soul music ("Let's make a baby"
by Billy Paul, "I'm in heaven" by Touch of Class,
"Loving you, loosing you" by Phillis Hyman...) growing
rhythm. After 5 a.m. they were back to this fantastic sound,
for "nice people" who wanted to dance some good
music at the sun rise. Bob & Tom came back used to New
York about five times a year to buy some new records and every
time they bring wonderful music.
Tirotti sold 'Baia' in september 1977 - then Bob & Tom
came back to United States. Tom lived intensely each moment
of his life but unfortunately he passed away in early 80's
victim of a life he applied his genius as much to self distruction
as to creation.
'Baia' started june 29th 1975 and changed completely the
italian night life style. Tom couldn't be the only dj working
from 9pm to 6am. This was too long session for any deejay.
He asked Tirotti to engage a New York friend, Bob Day. Bob
arrived and the best italian couple of djs of everytime was
born.
Bob continued to work and he kept some contacts with italian
friends. 1982 he came to Rimini for djing at 'Cellophane'
on late spring, and at 'Bobbery' in Gradara during the next
summer (club was called Bobbery cause Bob was resident dj...).
Club had no success - then on next autumn he had some gigs
in other clubs: 'Xenos' in Marina di Ravenna and a disco in
Florence.
Bob was defenitly back to New York and people had no more
notices about him. His italian friends passed away and nobody
knows about him now. There are some roumors about an italian
Bob appareance in 1987 - however to this day nothing is known
for sure.
Article written by Max De Giovanni, and used with full permission
from the author
Also with thanks to www.djsportal.com
| Book ::
History of Italian
Disco |
Disco Selector. Professione DJ, La
Storia
By Max De Giovanni. Editrice
Moderna. 2008
The book talk about, first, the italian art of djing: the
birth, the development and the story...
More the 230 pictures tell about fact and interviews to
best italian pioneer djs, but also interview with Gianni Naso,
founder of italian dj association, with Giancarlo Tirotti,
owner of legendary Baia degli Angeli and with the most famous
italian djs as Mozart, Rubens, Daniele Baldelli, Ebreo, Spranga,
Jonata Garavaglia (he was resident dj at Regine in Nyc on
1977, first italian dj to play his music in New York, when
and where disco was born), Beppe Loda and the history of legendary
Bob & Tom, with contribute of italian and american friend
and a lot of other djs...
For infos, and buying mail to maxdegiovanni@libero.it
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