Drummers' names - hard to pronounce

[Drumstyx7a]

You ""medigans" have a problem when it comes to Italian names.

Appice is "Appeachay"

Colaiuta is "Cole-ay-yuta"

My last name should be pronounced "Chonchi" but my grandfather Anglicized it because "medigans" mistakenly called him "Johnson." Jeez. I like it Anglicized, and so does the whole family for that matter. I've actually had people criticize me for that. Can you believe that sh**?

By the way, "medigans" is Italian slang for "Americans."

I thought "medigans" were the people that lived in the country below us here in Texas .....


Robb

 

[9Lb Tongue]

You ""medigans" have a problem when it comes to Italian names.

Appice is "Appeachay"

Colaiuta is "Cole-ay-yuta"

My last name should be pronounced "Chonchi" but my grandfather Anglicized it because "medigans" mistakenly called him "Johnson." Jeez. I like it Anglicized, and so does the whole family for that matter. I've actually had people criticize me for that. Can you believe that sh**?

By the way, "medigans" is Italian slang for "Americans."

I thought "medigans" were the people that lived in the country below us here in Texas .....


Robb

No...that would be Metsicans...

 

[bellbrass]

NOW...how do you pronounce my last name: Surgener?

"surgeon-er"?

Bingo! I've heard everything from "Sugar-nor" to the all-too-often "Sturgener."
Where'd you get the "T?"

Oh, and I used to work with several Polish guys a few years ago. They told me how to pronounce Mark Brzezicki's last name: "brrs-ses-ZITS-ki."
By the way, Mark is one helluva drummer.

Brzezicki wasn't hard to figure out, but that's probably because my moms last name is Woloszynski. Try THAT one! [/quote]

Hmmmm...I'm going to guess it's pronounced "Wola-ZHENS-key." Close?

 

[SwivoNut]

... Ray Bauduc
... Vernel Fournier

buh DUKE

ver NELL FOR nee er

 

[DanRH]

By the way, Mark is one helluva drummer.[/quote]

Word!

 

[Coelacanth]

... Ray Bauduc
... Vernel Fournier

buh DUKE

ver NELL FOR nee er

If Vernel is truly French, it would be "FORN-yay".

 

[Bugford]

I was talking to my doc today, and he pronounced Danny Saraphine: sa-RAA-fa-nee. Is that right? I always pronounced it SAR-a-fin.

 

[Coelacanth]

I was talking to my doc today, and he pronounced Danny Saraphine: sa-RAA-fa-nee. Is that right? I always pronounced it SAR-a-fin.

Your doc was wrong. Unless Danny pulled a "Brett Farv". The proper pronunciation would be like you said, "SAIR-a-fin", rhyming with "HAIR-a-fin".

 

[hepkat]

A few others to stumble over...

George Receli (Dylan)
Glen Kotche (Wilco)
Fabrizio Moretti (Strokes)
Mike Belitsky (Sadies)
Jason Boesel (Rilo Kiley)
Jacob Slichter (Semisonic)
Steven Drozd (Flaming Lips)

 

[bellbrass]

I was talking to my doc today, and he pronounced Danny Saraphine: sa-RAA-fa-nee. Is that right? I always pronounced it SAR-a-fin.

Your doc was wrong. Unless Danny pulled a "Brett Farv". The proper pronunciation would be like you said, "SAIR-a-fin", rhyming with "HAIR-a-fin".

The VH1 Special I saw pronounced Danny's name as "SAIR-a-fin."

 

[curotto]

Does anyone remember the drummer named Grasilia Olephant?

Mike Curotto

 

[Aqualung]

By the way, Mark is one helluva drummer.

Brzezicki wasn't hard to figure out, but that's probably because my moms last name is Woloszynski. Try THAT one!

Hmmmm...I'm going to guess it's pronounced "Wola-ZHENS-key." Close?[/quote]

Wall-o-shin-ski

Close.

 

[SwivoNut]

... Ray Bauduc
... Vernel Fournier

buh DUKE

ver NELL FOR nee er

If Vernel is truly French, it would be "FORN-yay".

That's what most people would naturally think. Back in the 60s when he was playing with George Shearing, most of the locals around my home town (Saginaw, Michigan) pronounced it "for NEER." But one night on the way to a gig our band was listening to a radio show featuring a George Shearing concert live from New York. When the emcee introduced the members of the band, he pronounced it "ver Nell FOR nee er." My immediate thought was "ah, so that's how you say it." I assumed that the emcee would have made sure he had the pronounciation correct before broadcasting it nationwide so I wasn't about to question it. Saginaw is far removed from New York, and even farther yet from France, but at least we don't talk like our neighbors to the north (da yoopers).

 

[Coelacanth]

If Vernel is truly French, it would be "FORN-yay".

That's what most people would naturally think. Back in the 60s when he was playing with George Shearing, most of the locals around my home town (Saginaw, Michigan) pronounced it "for NEER." But one night on the way to a gig our band was listening to a radio show featuring a George Shearing concert live from New York. When the emcee introduced the members of the band, he pronounced it "ver Nell FOR nee er." My immediate thought was "ah, so that's how you say it." I assumed that the emcee would have made sure he had the pronounciation correct before broadcasting it nationwide so I wasn't about to question it. Saginaw is far removed from New York, and even farther yet from France, but at least we don't talk like our neighbors to the north (da yoopers).

I think that often happens when someone--for example, a person from French descent--moves to a non-French-speaking region. Over time, or a generation or two, it just ends up being easier to change the pronunciation of one's name than always having to explain it to everybody else. Brett Farv (Favre). Mario Le-MEW (Lemieux). Jean becomes John; Boisvert (bwah-vair) becomes BOYS-vert. It's why people from other countries drop their given names and choose North-Americanized ones that are easy for everyone else to say & spell.

The correct pronunciation of someone's name is how they say it themselves. For better or worse.

 

[Aqualung]

If Vernel is truly French, it would be "FORN-yay".

That's what most people would naturally think. Back in the 60s when he was playing with George Shearing, most of the locals around my home town (Saginaw, Michigan) pronounced it "for NEER." But one night on the way to a gig our band was listening to a radio show featuring a George Shearing concert live from New York. When the emcee introduced the members of the band, he pronounced it "ver Nell FOR nee er." My immediate thought was "ah, so that's how you say it." I assumed that the emcee would have made sure he had the pronounciation correct before broadcasting it nationwide so I wasn't about to question it. Saginaw is far removed from New York, and even farther yet from France, but at least we don't talk like our neighbors to the north (da yoopers).

I think that often happens when someone--for example, a person from French descent--moves to a non-French-speaking region. Over time, or a generation or two, it just ends up being easier to change the pronunciation of one's name than always having to explain it to everybody else. Brett Farv (Favre). Mario Le-MEW (Lemieux). Jean becomes John; Boisvert (bwah-vair) becomes BOYS-vert. It's why people from other countries drop their given names and choose North-Americanized ones that are easy for everyone else to say & spell.

The correct pronunciation of someone's name is how they say it themselves. For better or worse.

Reminds me of the storiy my grandpa told me about the polish immigrants coming fresh off the boat and getting checked in..."Woloszynski?!?!! WALLACE! Welcome to America!".

 

[kerope]

OK my 2 cents:

Clayton Fillyeau (boots?)

Artemis Pile (not difficult to pronounce but one helluva name!)

Don Famularo (try saying that without flamming)

Humberto Morales (makes ne chuckle)

Thoomas Paiste (well - he made cymbals)

Matt Abts (not fond of vowels)

Ignacio Berroa

Curt Bisquera

Roger Biwandu

André Ceccarelli

Vera Figueiredo

Sammy Figueroa

Kiko Freitas

Ralf Gustke

Tomas Haake

Welll that's easy for you to say...............................

 

[BellBottomDrummer]

I only know one for certain - Sheila E was "Ess-ko-vay-dough" the one and only time I bumped into her.

I call most other percussionists "Comrades," and leave it at that, 'cos I'm lazy by nature...........

 

[RxSpur]

You ""medigans" have a problem when it comes to Italian names.

Appice is "Appeachay"

Colaiuta is "Cole-ay-yuta"

My last name should be pronounced "Chonchi" but my grandfather Anglicized it because "medigans" mistakenly called him "Johnson." Jeez. I like it Anglicized, and so does the whole family for that matter. I've actually had people criticize me for that. Can you believe that sh**?

By the way, "medigans" is Italian slang for "Americans."

Bob,

I have both editions of your fine book (you're welcome). The very first chapter, on Carmine, begins, "Let's get one thing straight from the beginning. The guy pronounces his name 'Ap-peace."

So now I'm really confused.

 

[Kevin OConnor]

I was talking to my doc today, and he pronounced Danny Saraphine: sa-RAA-fa-nee. Is that right? I always pronounced it SAR-a-fin.

Your doc was wrong. Unless Danny pulled a "Brett Farv". The proper pronunciation would be like you said, "SAIR-a-fin", rhyming with "HAIR-a-fin".

When Danny Seraphine gave a DW clinic here in Ft Wayne he introduced himself as Danny Sair- a - fin.

 

[bigbonzo]

Buddy Schwarzenegger