This site shares the research findings of the site's authors - Bill Schilling and Michael Catoggio.

We've been engaged in research on the Swing Era in the greater Albany area for approximately three years.

The purpose of our project is a simple one: To learn, organize and share information about music in the Swing Era in our area. We've had a particular interest in the local musicians who contributed to this significant cultural moment.

Without going into gruesome detail, we can tell you that we've spent countless hours in libraries and archival collections. We've interviewed local musicians, families of local musicians who have provided photos and documents to us, we've talked to various county historical societies, and we've spent hours searching local history websites.

Here, we wish to mention the organizations and people helping us with this project. These credits also reflect sources for most of the images found on this site. They include, in no particular order:

Albany Public Library. Jim Davies, Albany History Librarian

Albany Institute of History and Art. Archives and Library.

New York State Library - special thanks to Sophia Mehner and

Marisa Gitto.

Adriana Cuervo - Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University

East Greenbush Community Library

Historic Albany Foundation - Special thanks to Kimberley Parker - Membership, Programming & Outreach Coordinator

Local 14 American Federation of Musicians - John Van Voris

Bethlehem Public Library

Al Quaglieri, Jr.

Albany Times Union

Albany Knickerbocker News

Family of Lew Rider

Family of Harry Vincent

Family of Dominic Catoggio

Various local musicians including Leo Russo.

Bill Saxonis

Family of Joe Cosco

miSci - Museum of Innovation and Science - Schenectady, NY

Capital District Jazz, LTD

Bill McCann - WCDB radio (UAlbany)

Swingtime Magazine

Albany Group Archive (website)

98 Acres in Albany - 40 Bocks, Thousands of Stories

Saratoga Historical Society

Bethlehem Town Historian - Susan Leath

Nassau Town Historian - Kurt Vincent

This website built with Google Sites

About us:

Bill Schilling is a retired librarian with a Masters in Library Science from UAlbany. He has worked in university libraries, the Albany Public Library, and the New York State Library. He has had a lifelong interest in jazz, especially on the local level. He currently serves on the Board of Capital District Jazz, Ltd.

Michael Catoggio is a retired librarian with a Masters in Library Science and undergraduate preparation in history. He has served as the Albany History Librarian at Albany Public Library, Head of Adult Services and Interim Director at the East Greenbush Community, Assistant Professor of Library Science at the University of Alaska Anchorage, and Humanities Librarian at the Anchorage (Alaska) Public Library. HIs father, Dominic Catoggio, played in various bands during the Era and learning about his career represents the inspiration and motivation for this project.

To comment or ask questions about this project, or, if you have an ancestor who was a musician during this period, contact Michael Catoggio at

catoggio@gmail.com