Al Cheznovitz
Encyclopedia
Al Chesnovitz, also Alan Chez is an American musician who principally plays the trumpet
and the flugelhorn
on the CBS Orchestra
for the Late Show with David Letterman
. Alan Chez joined the CBS Orchestra on February 3, 1997, after years of sitting in on trumpet and flugelhorn with Paul Shaffer
on Late Night with David Letterman
and the Late Show.
and, in 1979, joined forces with Jon Bon Jovi
to create the band the Atlantic City Expressway, which played New Jersey
shore clubs for five years. In 1980, Chez graduated from John P. Stevens High School in Edison, NJ.
Chez still donates his time to drum corps-activity and also conducts brass-music clinics throughout the country. Mostly donating his time to the Crossmen. Al Has also kept up with his roots working with the Garfield Cadets
.
He first met Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra's Will Lee
at a club in New York
in 1986 and was asked to tour with Shaffer's band. As "The World's Most Dangerous Band," they performed at such venues as the Jacksonville Jazz Festival and Summerfest in Wisconsin, and the closing ceremonies of the 1996 Winter Olympics.
Chez has also played with such artists as Tower of Power
, the Robert Cray Band, Dave Edmunds
, Dion
, Graham Parker
, Kim Wilson
and Bon Jovi. He has performed at such events as the 1989 Presidential Inauguration, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
inductions, John Lennon
's 50th Birthday Celebration, the 1996 Olympic Games Closing Ceremonies, the Concert of the Century, the Concert for New York, and the Very Special Christmas Concert. Al was also in the famous New Jersey shore band, La Bamba and the Hubcaps.
Recently, he has performed in numerous halftime shows with the University of Virginia
Cavalier Marching Band
in its second and third years (2005 and 2006) as well as in the halftime show for the 2007 Konica Minolta
Gator Bowl
, being featured alongside student soloists for Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
and Rhythm of the Night
. He also played the National Anthem for the Drum Corps World Semi-finals Competition in August 2008.
Chez was born in Jersey City, N.J., on July 7, 1961. He and his wife, Cat, continue to live in New Jersey.
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
and the flugelhorn
Flugelhorn
The flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus...
on the CBS Orchestra
CBS Orchestra
The CBS Orchestra is the house band, led by Paul Shaffer, that plays for David Letterman's CBS late-night talk show, Late Show with David Letterman...
for the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
. Alan Chez joined the CBS Orchestra on February 3, 1997, after years of sitting in on trumpet and flugelhorn with Paul Shaffer
Paul Shaffer
Paul Allen Wood Shaffer, CM is a Canadian musician, actor, voice actor, author, comedian, and composer who has been David Letterman's sidekick since 1982.-Early years:...
on Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman is a nightly hour-long comedy talk show on NBC that was created and hosted by David Letterman. It premiered in 1982 as the first incarnation of the Late Night franchise and went off the air in 1993, after Letterman left NBC and moved to Late Show on CBS. Late Night...
and the Late Show.
Beginnings in Music
Chez started his extensive music career at the age of 9 when he joined his father's local drum corps, the Saints. He went on to join the Garfield CadetsThe Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps
The Cadets are a Drum Corps International World Class drum and bugle corps based in Allentown, Pennsylvania...
and, in 1979, joined forces with Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the founder, occasional rhythm guitarist, and lead singer of rock band Bon Jovi, which was named after him...
to create the band the Atlantic City Expressway, which played New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
shore clubs for five years. In 1980, Chez graduated from John P. Stevens High School in Edison, NJ.
Chez still donates his time to drum corps-activity and also conducts brass-music clinics throughout the country. Mostly donating his time to the Crossmen. Al Has also kept up with his roots working with the Garfield Cadets
The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps
The Cadets are a Drum Corps International World Class drum and bugle corps based in Allentown, Pennsylvania...
.
He first met Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra's Will Lee
Will Lee (bassist)
Will Lee aka William Franklin Lee IV is an American musician and bassist, best known for his work on the CBS television program The Late Show with David Letterman as part of the CBS Orchestra....
at a club in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1986 and was asked to tour with Shaffer's band. As "The World's Most Dangerous Band," they performed at such venues as the Jacksonville Jazz Festival and Summerfest in Wisconsin, and the closing ceremonies of the 1996 Winter Olympics.
Chez has also played with such artists as Tower of Power
Tower of Power
Tower of Power is an American R&B-based horn section and band, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing for over 43 years. They are best known for their funky soul sound highlighted by a powerful horn section...
, the Robert Cray Band, Dave Edmunds
Dave Edmunds
David 'Dave' Edmunds is a Welsh singer, guitarist and record producer. Although he is primarily associated with Pub rock and New Wave, and had numerous hits in the 1970s and early 1980s, his natural leaning has always been towards 1950s style rock and roll.-Early bands:As a teenager Edmunds first...
, Dion
Dion DiMucci
Dion Francis DiMucci , better known as Dion, is an American singer-songwriter whose work has incorporated elements of doo-wop, pop oldies music, rock and R&B styles....
, Graham Parker
Graham Parker
Graham Parker is a British rock singer and songwriter, who is best known as the lead singer of the popular British band Graham Parker & the Rumour.-Early career :...
, Kim Wilson
Kim Wilson
Kim Wilson is an American blues singer and harmonica player. He is best known as the lead vocalist and frontman for The Fabulous Thunderbirds on two hit songs of the 1980s; "Tuff Enuff", and "Wrap It Up."-Career:...
and Bon Jovi. He has performed at such events as the 1989 Presidential Inauguration, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
inductions, John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
's 50th Birthday Celebration, the 1996 Olympic Games Closing Ceremonies, the Concert of the Century, the Concert for New York, and the Very Special Christmas Concert. Al was also in the famous New Jersey shore band, La Bamba and the Hubcaps.
Recently, he has performed in numerous halftime shows with the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
Cavalier Marching Band
Cavalier Marching Band
The Cavalier Marching Band is the marching band at the University of Virginia. The band's director, William Pease, is the first full-time marching band director in University of Virginia history...
in its second and third years (2005 and 2006) as well as in the halftime show for the 2007 Konica Minolta
Konica Minolta
is a Japanese manufacturer of office equipment, medical imaging, graphic imaging, optical devices, and measuring instruments. It is headquartered in the Marunouchi Center Building in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, with a Kansai office in Nishi-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture...
Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
, being featured alongside student soloists for Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" is a song written by Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell and Sol Marcus for the singer/pianist Nina Simone, who first recorded it in 1964. "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" has been recorded or performed by many artists, and is widely known by the 1965 blues rock hit...
and Rhythm of the Night
Rhythm of the Night (song)
"Rhythm of the Night" is a 1985 hit single by the American R&B band DeBarge. The song is said to have been what jump started the career of songwriter Diane Warren and was the biggest hit recorded by the Motown family singing group.-History:...
. He also played the National Anthem for the Drum Corps World Semi-finals Competition in August 2008.
Chez was born in Jersey City, N.J., on July 7, 1961. He and his wife, Cat, continue to live in New Jersey.