I was born in Pittsburgh Pa. on December 16 1933. I was lucky enough to grow up in an era when the popular composers of the day were the Gershwins (George and Ira), Cole Porter. Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen and Rodgers and Hart to name a few.
At around 12 years of age, I started doing singing impressions of Billy Eckstine, Nat Cole, Frankie Lane and Herb Jeffries. George Shearing's music, Jackie Cain and Roy Kral (with Charley Ventura) and the Woody Herman band were big influences. I studied clarinet for a short while. After picking up a guitar in a store one day, my whole life changed.
My first guitar teacher was Jerry Condorato (from Naples Italy). He was a great teacher and a wonderful friend. He taught what was called 'classical plectrum guitar'. (Wonderful for right hand technique.) His influences were Oscar Moore, Django Reinhardt and Andre Segovia. He was also the first teacher of Ron Affif, my nephew, (a wonderfully gifted guitarist based in New York.) At 18 I started doing little jobs around Pittsburgh and I used to go on Jerry's jobs and sit in for tip money.
In 1955 I became a member of the '7th Army Jazz Band' in Stuttgart, Germany. Upon returning to my home town, I entered Duquesne University (where I now do guitar workshops) majoring in string bass with a piano minor. A year later I became restless with academia and moved to New York.
In 1962 I joined the George Shearing Quintet for 2 years - (I rejoined the group in 1971.) I learned an awful lot from George, and vibraphonist Gary Burton. It was then I started composing.
In 1965 I moved to Los Angeles where I started doing television and session work in addition to a lot of jazz club dates with various groups (including my own).
After a return to the Shearing band for 4 years, the next significant job was with vocalist Frank Sinatra, from 1986 to 1995. Since then I have been freelancing around the world with my own group, teaching and recording CD's and jobbing as much as the traffic will allow.
I've done a few recordings of my own and some with other artists, as you can see from my 'recordings' section.
From "The Making of Silent Night"
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"Same Time Same Place" Features Ron on Guitar, Trumpeter Conte Condoli, Bassist Any Simpkins, Pianist Frank Strazzeri and Drummer Dick Berk.  |
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"It's Always 4 AM" Exciting jazz duo. Features Ron on guitar with bassist Dave Carpenter. Title song is written by Ron along with lyricist Sammy Cahn. |
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"Duets" I & II with Frank Sinatra (Capital) "Sinatra 80th" (live performance recordings in the late 80's) with a big band and strings.
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"Jazz Guitar From A to Z" Features Ron with Barry Zweig on Guitar, Dave Stone on Bass and Joe La Barber on Drums. |
"The Memory Of All That" (Avanti) A tribute to Frank Sinatra feautring members of the Sinatra rhythm section. The personnel includes Pianists Bill Miller and Lou Levy, Guitarists Ron Anthony and Al Viola, Bassist Chuck Berghofer and Drummer Jo Labarbera. |
"Rare Form" (Capital) and "As Requested" (Sheba) With the famous George Shearing Quintette, recorded live at the "Black Hawk" in San Francisco. |
