Cangiano to Cipparone

North Bay has been home to a wide variety of talented musicians since its founding in 1882. This page lists musicians and bands from Cangiano to Cipparone.

Nicholas “Nick” Cangiano. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Cangiano, Nicholas “Nick”

Nicholas was born on Oct 5, 1902, in Italy and arrived in Canada two years after. He taught himself how to play the piano, guitar, trumpet, the mandolin and the accordion. He studied music under Egidio Virgili and took a few formal piano lessons. After playing a solo at the Canadian National Exhibition in 1927, he won a gold medal for his skills with the trumpet. Nicholas played the trumpet with his brother, Jack Cangiano, in the Jack Cangiano Orchestra, the Christopher Columbus Band of 1913 and in the Temiscaming and Northern Railway Band under the leadership of Egidio Virgili. He not only organized his own orchestra, but he also organized a youth band in the city of North Bay. Until he passed away in 1968 at the age of sixty-six, he taught instrumental music. For a time, he was head of the North Bay Boy’s Band and taught hundreds of it’s members. In the later 1960's, he taught music at Russ Smith's Music City. Throughout his career, he played for many fundraisers.

Albert Caranci. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Caranci, Albert

Albert was born in Carpinone, Italy and came to Canada in 1913. That same year, he studied the trumpet under Egidio Virgili and at the age of nine, he became a member of the Christopher Columbus Band. He played for the band for thirteen years. Albert worked with his brother and father for their family business, Caranci Shoe Repairs. An active club worker and respected business man, Albert was also a member of the Knights of Columbus, North Bay Rotary Club, Moose Lodge and the Davedi Club. In 1961, at the age of fifty-seven, he passed away. He had two children with his wife Beatrice.

Angelo Guy Caranci. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Caranci, Angelo Guy

Angelo Caranci was born in 1882 in Carpinonne, Italy. He studied music and played the trumpet in a variety of bands there. He came to North Bay in 1905 and put on various stage shows in the Royal theatre. In the same year, he established his shoe repairing business, Caranci Shoe Repairs. In 1915, he played in the Sousa Marching Band. He also played with the Christopher Columbus Band for twelve years. Egidio Virgili was the bandmaster and tried desperately to prevent Angelo from retiring from music; hoping that he would continue to play the trumpet with the Premier Band. However, he stopped playing the trumpet in 1925. During various picnics at St. Mary's School, he performed in a solo manner. He would play the tune "Mezza Notte" (meaning midnight). It was played during the evening so that the sound would carry and so the effect of the darkness would enhance the beauty of the song. He was a 4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus; of the Loyal Order of Moose and of the North Bay Rotary Club. He took an active part in that organization's work with disabled children; he made and donated special footwear for many of the youngsters who came under the club's care. Angelo died of a heart attack in1940 at the age of 58. He was married to Giovannini and had five children.

Joseph Carfagnini. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Carfagnini, Joseph

Joesph was born in North Bay in 1914. At the age of thirteen, he played with the Temiscaming and Northern Ontario Railway Band, with whom he traveled extensively with. Joseph very clearly specified that band member Ugo Ricci profoundly influenced his musical career. He stated that he marvelled at his tremendous techniques, his ability to play the clarinet and that Ugo’s knowledge of music gave him an incentive to learn music. He studied three years at North Bay Collegiate, specifically in the area of commercial. After graduating from high school, he began working for the North Bay Daily Nugget. He was a trumpet player and started playing for dance bands in 1933. In 1934, he was transferred to Sudbury where he worked with the Sudbury Star and then went to work for the Timmins Press. He played for the Bert Lehman Orchestra, the Rocco Lucenti Orchestra and the Jack Cangiano Orchestra. While in Timmins, he played with the Andy Cangiano Orchestra from 1935 to 1938. When he left that band, he played with the Ernie Manero Band. Mr. Carfagnini enlisted in the Air Force; the emphasis was on the entertainment unit as a musician. The musical show he played in was called the "Black Outs of 1943". Members of the "Black Outs" rehearsed in Ottawa and made tours. He spent 1946 joining military bands and the music conservatory. He then went on to play in various dance bands in Toronto and formed his own band in London. Later, he would play on excursion boats--the Noronic and the Cayuga. He was married to Eleano Casimiri and had three children.

Chris Carss. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Carss, Chris

Chris was a briefer for the North Bay Weather Office. He started playing the French Horn in 1963 when he was a grade nine student in Mississauga, Ont. In 1965, he joined the TL Kennedy Secondary School concert band. In 1967, he was selected as a member of the Mississauga All Schools Centennial Concert Band. He was promoted to principal horn by mid-year when the Centennial Band performed several concerts at the Expo 67 World's Fair in Montreal. In 1982, he joined the North Bay Concert Band as second horn and in1983, he joined the North Bay Symphony Orchestra.

Anthony “Tony” Celentano. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Celentano, Anthony “Tony”

In 1935, at the age of thirteen, Tony joined the North Bay Citizens' Boys' Band. Mr. Nelson, who was the bandmaster, taught Tony how to read music. Later, the band was sponsored by the Association of Canadian Travellers and Thomas Burton Sr. became the bandmaster. He joined the high school orchestra at the North Bay Collegiate and Vocational School and played the bugle and the bass drum in the North Bay Collegiate and Vocational School Cadet Corps. In the Boys' Band and the school orchestra, Tony played a trumpet or coronet. While still in high school, he left the Boys' Band and joined the Temiscaming and Northern Ontario Railway Band where he played the French horn and alto horn. Under the directorship of Egidio Virgili, the T&NO Band represented North Bay in many band competitions at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto and won quite a few awards. Most of the younger Temiscaming and Northern Ontario Railway bandsmen were called into the armed forces in the 1940's. Upon return, Tony and the band as a whole, joined the 8th Field Squadron Band. Prior to his retirement, he was a superintendent at the North Bay City Jail. He was involved in many community groups; a life member, and president for a time, of the Kinsmen Club, a member of the K40 Club, a founder and treasurer of the North Bay Cardiac Fitness Club, life member of the Davedi Club, a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 23, as well as a member on a Parish council. He was also Board of Directors of Woodlands II in 1976. He was married to Noreen Reynolds. Tony passed on January 26, 1990, when he was 68.

Chase, Dr. Ted

Ted is a retired Nipissing University professor who has a PhD in applied mathematics and spent 35 years teaching math and physics. He is an environmentalist who was dean of arts and science during his time at Nipissing. His musical career saw him progress from a young folk singer, to an '80s rocker, to writing musical theatre before returning to his folk roots. He was a member of the group Fluid Drive. Ted moved to the city of North Bay in 1971 and was introduced to local musicians while playing an open mic night at a local hotel.

Dr. Frank Chirico. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Chirico, Dr. Frank

Frank was born in North Bay. He taught physical education and coached football at North Bay Collegiate for two years. He then attended Ottawa University where he received his medical degree. He was an administrator of St. Joseph's Hospital until the time of his death. For a period of years, Frank headed the organization of clinics for the Red Cross blood donor program. He practiced medicine in North Bay until he had to quit, due to medical reasons. Frank studied music under Egidio Virgili. He played the trumpet with the Temiscaming and Northern Ontario Railway Band. While apart of this band, he attended many musical competitions in Toronto. He also played the the banjo, clarinet, saxophone and piano. He played in many other orchestras during the big band era and eventually had his own. He would often play at the Top Hat. He was actively interested in his community, he belonged to the Kinsman Club and the Knights of Columbus. In 1965, he served on the city council for a brief time before he had to withdraw. His position was chairman of community services and parks and recreation, serving the board of which he was chairman in earlier years. In 1947 he was married to Aileen Kerwin; they had twelve children. He died suddenly on Oct 19, 1966 at the age of 42.

Amadeo Cicci. Photo courtesy of the Falconi Collection. Photographer unknown.

Cicci, Amadeo

Amadeo was born in Italy and came to Canada as a young man. He worked for the Ontario and Northland Railway. He played with the Temiscaming and Northern Ontario Railway Band and with the 8th Field Squadron Band. He also played under the supervision and direction of Egidio Virgili. Him and his wife, Maria, had one son.

Leo Cipparone. Photo courtesy of the Music City Collection. Photographer unknown.

Cipparone, Leo

Leo was born and raised in North Bay. He was a well-known musician and he also worked as a plumber. He played the tenor saxophone and was a member of the 10-piece Rocco Lucenti's Capitol Orchestra in the 1930s and 1940s. He played with Leo Cipparone and the Sophisticates, and the Old Mill Syncopators. Leo died on Oct 31, 1977 after a two-week illness.