George Marge: The Lebanese American Woodwind Musician You Didn’t Know You Knew
George Marge: The Lebanese American Woodwind Musician You Didn’t Know You Knew
 |
| George Marge, Albany High School yearbook (1952) p. 30. Courtesy of Ancestry.com |
Few Arab American musicians featured on Midwest Mahjar have more recorded music credits to their name than George Marge. No single blog-post could ever do George Marge's life or career justice. Here, however, is a snippet. That I know, George Marge never released any wholly solo projects or albums. He backed and accompanied several musicians featured on our blog including Eddie “The Sheik” Kochack and Lila Stephan, and recorded with a who’s who of popular, jazz, and R&B musicians in his relatively short fifty-two years. With over two hundred recording credits to his name, let’s relay some of what we learned about oboist, flutist, saxophone and clarinet player George Marge.
George Marge was born to Charles and Victoria (Arwady) Marge in 19 June 1933 in Albany, New York. Charles immigrated to the United States from Beirut in 1900 and Victoria arrived in 1912 from Tripoli, Lebanon. Family oral history suggests Charles was born Khalil al-Marj and his name was anglicized to Charles Marge upon immigration. Victoria and Charles had two daughters, Zina and Olga, by 1920 and four children - Zina, Olga, Gabriel, and Elias - in total by 1925. They moved from 115 Green Street around the corner to 93 Herkimer Street in Albany. In 1928, Victoria gave birth to Michael, meanwhile, Charles continued working as a dry goods merchant and a peddler (he worked as the latter when financial times proved to be difficult). It was during the Great Depression that Charles and Victoria had their sixth child, George.
There was no Antiochian Church in Albany, New York, until 1933 and traveling Antiochian priests conducted services in the homes of the orthodox faithful in Albany, including the Marge family, until Syrian and Lebanese immigrants founded Saint George Orthodox the same year George was born. There is a possibility the likes of Rev. Germanos Shehadi, Rev. Agapios Golam, or Rev. Samuel David were among the priests to visit the Marge household although he cannot say with any certainty whether one, two, or all performed the Divine Liturgy in the Marge’s living room.
While settled into their new residence at 179 Whitehall Road, George attended primary school in Albany and at Albany High School where he was a member of the Spanish Club, Orchestra, and President of the Band during his sophomore, junior, and senior years. Moreover, during George’s senior year, he sang in the school choir, served as President of the Foreign Language Club, and ran track. After graduation, George headed to the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester.
George continued to standout and excel at Eastman School of Music where he studied music education. George made fast friends with a number of other musicians on campus in December 1953 he played clarinet in a wind ensemble quintet for the Carols for Winds holiday program. During his sophomore summer, he met Eddie “The Sheik” Kochak, who George’s father hired to perform as the entertainment when George’s older brother, Elias Marge wed Delores Kurko, 5 June 1954. The following year, George played a Rhapsody by Debussy with the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra. Selected as one of six advanced students, George impressed director Dr. Howard Hanson greatly and within two months Marge became one of four to be featured at a February 20, 1956 recital at Kilbourn Hall. He graduated from University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music with a bachelor’s degree in Public School Music in June 1956.
 |
| George Marge, backrow, left, Eastman Ensemble, Democrat & Chronicle, 20 December 1953. Courtesy of Newspapers.com |
Within weeks of his college graduation, George set out for US Army basic training camp at Fort Dix. He completed eight weeks of basic training, additional time with individual training, and served on a two year assignment. After discharge, George joined Eddie Kochack’s Orchestra and played at the Green Grove Manor in Asbury, New Jersey.
George met Joanna Crist and on 9 July 1960, he and his brother Mike had a double wedding ceremony at Saint Mary’s Orthodox Church in Brooklyn, New York. Mike, who had graduated from Montclair State College, married Dorothy Kunsevilch. George’s bride, Joanna, worked as a members of the Radio City Music Hall ballet corps. George worked as a member of the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra.
Unlike many Arab American musicians, George Marge’s job at Radio City Music Hall constituted work in the mainstream music business, one of his first recording opportunites came when backing musical newcomer Lila Stephan. Lila or Lilah Stephan emerged on the Arab American music scene in the late 1950s. She sang at various hafli and maharaja in Massachusetts and throughout New England. She recorded 78 rpm records on Cleopatra Records and then released an LP on Orient-International in 1962. Those who accompanied Lila Stephan in her Arabian Nights ensemble included John Hidar, Mohammed El-Akkad, Joe Budway, Naim Karacand, Hakki Obadia, Jack Ghanaim, Sam Fackre, Eleanor Stephan, and George Marge. Marge played flute, rather than oboe or clarinet on several tracks. His expertise is most apparent on "Racks Balady," "Habenak," "Laik," and "Elf Leyleh Oh Leyleh."
 |
| George Marge played flute on Lila Stephan's 1962 album. Courtesy of Richard M. Breaux collection. "Habeynak - Why Do You Treat Me So," https://youtu.be/NKv_o1JIaLA " Laik - Your Mesmerizing Eyes," https://youtu.be/1J0vzHPyMx0 |
George lived with Joanna and their young family in Queens but eventually relocated his family across the Hudson River to River Edge, New Jersey, near Hackensack. Their son Charles was born in 1962 and another son, George Jr., in 1964 - both in Manhattan. The family moved to River Edge and attended Saint Anthony’s Orthodox Church in Bergenfield, New Jersey. Saint Anthony, founded in 1956, by Greek, Slav, and Arab Americans is a Pan-Orthodox Church, connected to the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, with English as the primary language of worship. Charles and George, Jr. attended school in Oradell. George maintained regular membership and participation in Saint Anthony’s Church Choir and the Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch.
A full schedule of concerts, recitals, and arrangements to perform with local and regional symphonies filled George’s schedule in the 1960 and 1970s. There was the Village Mozart Community Music School of Spring Valley fundraiser featuring Dave Carey on piano and George on oboe in February 1965. Several Suburban Symphony Association concerts in Suffern and West Nyack, New York, starring George, Gordon McDonald, and Ann Calahan or Jacqueline Giat as a woodwind ensemble in July 1973 and September 1974, then the Bach-Rock Requiem at Saint Anne’s Church in 1975. Marge joined an ensemble to perform in Rockland’s Suburban Symphony in 1976 and “Mozart’s Oboe Quartet in F Major” at “An Evening of Mozart” also in Rockland County, New York, in 1978. The Bronx Arts Ensemble sponsored a chamber concert at the Riverdale-Yonkers Ethical Culture Society featuring George Marge as a solo artist in January 1979. He made his living, however, as a recording musician.
 |
| Ad for County Suburban Symphony, featuring George Marge, The Journal New, 5 March 1976. Courtesy of Newspapers.com |
Jazz caught George’s attention, perhaps, more than any other music genre. After recording with Lila Stephan he secured several jazz and soul recording gigs with Rob Levitt, Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Paul Desmond, Randy Weston, Carmen McRae, Grover Washington Jr., Sister Sledge, Eddie Kendricks, Gloria Gaynor, Cissy Houston, The Spinners, Cameo, Roberta Flack, and Tina Turner. He also became a member of the Soul Flutes in 1968. On the more popular music front, Marge recorded with Astrid Gilberto, Olivia Newton John, Billy Joel, Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, and Bette Midler.
When Eddie “The Sheik” Kochak recorded his well-known “Strictly Belly Dancing” series, George Marge played on volumes one (1972), two (1973), three (1976), and six (1979). Depending on the track Marge could be heard playing flute, woodwinds, or oboe. Of course, there were regulars like Hakki Obadia, Bob Farrah, and Freddie Elias in Kochak’s band. On some volumes, however, Joseph Kassab, Ali J. Racy, Ronnie Kirby, Chuck Hallal, or Mohammed El-Akkad can be found in the ensembles.
 |
| George Marge performed four of the six "Strictly Belly Dancing" LP by Eddie Kochak and Hakki Obadia. Courtesy of Richard M. Breaux collection. Full Dance Routine Medium Side B Track #2: https://youtu.be/ue86XwjIdWs Dance Rhumba Baghdad Side A Track #2: https://youtu.be/zrQCXqnHnZg |
One movie soundtrack, produced by Quincy Jones, and one television show theme song, written by Bob James, trigger important childhood memories for me and instantly teleport me back to being a six year old- The Wiz (1978) and “Angela” (1978). George Marge was among the scores of musicians who worked with Quincy Jones on The Wiz, the Motown film adaptation of the Wizard of Oz, starring Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Ted Ross, Mabel King, Lena Horne, Nipsey Russell, and Richard Pryor. Angela, of course, refers to the theme song to the television sitcom Taxi (1978-1983) which featured an introductory recorder/flute solo by George Marge himself. Of course, Angela appeared on Bob James’ 1978 Touchdown LP. In all, Marge is credited with playing flute, oboe, tenor saxophone, English horn, and recorder on the album.
Over the years, George Marge boasted a half dozen credited and uncredited performances on movie soundtracks, mostly in the 1970s and 1980s. According to IMDB, he received credit for The Lords of Flatbush (1974) and Arthur (1981). Uncredited appearances included Bananas (1971), Fame (1980), and Blow Out (1981).
By the early 1980s, George Marge’s name began to fade from the press, however in 1980, 1981, and 1982, Marge received special recognition from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences' New York chapter for oboe and flute credits. Best known since 1957 as the annual organizer of the Grammy Awards, the National Recording Academy has twelve chapters across the United States and the New York chapter serves musicians, songwriters, producers, directors, and photographers in New York state and northern New Jersey. Marge became more interested in classical compositions by 1982. In 1983, he performed a recital exclusively of former Eastman School classmate's Richard Lane's material. One of Marge's last public performances was an oboe concerto of Lane's work played at Fairleigh Dickinson University in March 1985 along with the Adelphi Chamber Orchestra.
George Marge died 22 August 1985 in River Edge, New York, his legacy lives on with his children. Survived by his widow, two sons, two brothers, and a sister. George’s son, Charles R. Marge, named for his grandfather, graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is a music educator, lead Chanter at Saint Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cambridge, and founded the Boston Byzantine Choir in 1993. His choir released Mystical Supper: Byzantine Chant in English (2002), Lenten Journey: Byzantine Chant of Lent (2013) Thy Passion: Byzantine Chant of Holy Week in 2019. Also following in his father's footsteps, George, Jr. graduated from the Eastman School of Music and is a professional flutist and chamber orchestral musician who has performed on television and radio commercials, on Broadway, and at Radio City Music Hall. He has performed in Broadway's Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, Titanic, and Into the Woods.
Richard M. Breaux
© Midwest Mahjar
Comments
Post a Comment