[78-L] Benzaquin ~ Cocoanut Grove

[Ron L]

We had a speaker at our North Attleborough (we're about 35 mi south of
Boston) Historical Society, a few years ago, I believe it was John Deedy or
Deady.  I'll have to look for his brochure.   His dad was, if memory serves,
the state police fire examiner.   He gave us a great talk with an insider
perspective, about the Grove.   I believe the band's girl singer made it out
with some injuries but recovered.   One brighter moment he told us about
concerned a group of friends who tried to get in the club but were turned
away because of the crowd.  They left their car in the lot and went to a
hotel lounge a short distance away and ended up staying at the hotel
overnight, unaware of the tragedy unfolding down the street.  The police
used registration info from cars remaining in the lot to ID dead/disfigured,
missing/badly injured, and of course assumed that the unclaimed car belonged
to someone in the club.  Later that day, the absent revelers retrieved their
car after showing proof of ownership and started home, unaware that their
families had been notified that they were missing.  Up route One they
headed.   They passed their family going South on the two lane road.  Yep,
they were spotted and re-united.

Ron L

-----Original Message-----
From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com
[mailto:78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com] On Behalf Of Taylor Bowie
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 12:48 AM
To: 78-L Mail List
Subject: [78-L] Benzaquin ~ Cocoanut Grove

Among my endless "collecting" interests,  I collect and read everything I 
can find related to the Boston Cocoanut Grove,  before,  during,  and after 
the fire which destroyed the place on November 28,  1942.  I became 
interested as a nine-year old in 1962 when I happened to find and read a 
paperback of the Benzaquin book.

One of the fire fatalities was the musical director of the orchestra there, 
Bernard Fazioli,  member of a well-known Boston family of musicians.  He had

a big song hit in 1928, "Caressing You,"  which he co-wrote with the long 
time front man of the band at the Grove,  Mickey Alpert.

Another member of the Grove orchestra that night was bass player Jack 
Lesberg,  who later played in NY with Condon and others.  He was injured but

made a complete recovery.

I would be very interested if any of you have any information about any of 
the employees of the Grove,  particularly the band members or other 
musicians...in fact,  any info at all would be appreciated.

Thanks from

Taylor



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Shoshani" <mshoshani at sbcglobal.net>
To: "78-L Mail List" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2009 7:33 PM
Subject: Re: [78-L] Racially Offensive Language/Robeson.^


> On Sun, 2009-01-25 at 18:16 -0500, Donna Halper wrote:
>> In fact, a well-respected Boston author and talk show host,
>> Paul Benzaquin, wrote a book about the Cocoanut Grove Fire and called
>> it "Holocaust," which meant "a huge fire" back then.  When the book
>> came out for re-issue in the 70s, he had to change its title because
>> the meaning of the word had completely changed.
>
> Just to complete the irony, he's probably Jewish. Benzaquin, spelled
> several different ways, is a common surname among Sephardic Jews.
>
> MS
>
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