By Lola Rossi-Meza
Vocalist Michael D’Angelo will perform this Saturday, September 7, from 6:30 until 9:30 p.m. at the Indian Wells Resort Hotel, 76-661 Highway 111 in Indian Wells. Complimentary dance lessons with Carl Davis begin at 6 p.m. He will be filling in for Frank DiSalvo, who performs there. D’Angelo will appear there every Tuesday starting in October. For reservations call Manny at (760) 345-6466.
Every Monday, D’Angelo performs from 6:30 until 9:30 p.m. with complimentary dance lessons with Carl Davis at 6 p.m., upstairs in the lounge at the IW Club, 44-500 Indian Wells Lane in Indian Wells. Monday, September 9 will feature The Tango.
Born in the Bronx, New York with two sisters and three brothers, Michael D’Angelo started singing when he was nine years old on a few radio stations and on the corner, with a few friends singing Doo Wop. “I was the only one in the family musically inclined,” said D’Angelo. “However, a few of my cousins on my father’s side were musicians. One of my cousins, Julio Rodriguez, played bass with Tito Puente in New York.”
When he was fourteen, the family made the move to Los Angeles. He attended Abraham Lincoln High School and learned how to play the trombone, where he participated in many talent shows. He attended East Los Angeles Junior College, followed by a few years at the University of California State Los Angeles and finished his college education at the National University in San Diego.
When he was twenty-four years old, he started his first 10-piece band called Mestizo. He met his wife over 30 years ago and lived in Orange County. His group has performed all over California. Enjoying a very lucrative career performing with his band at countless weddings and private parties, D’Angelo has opened for such artists as Tierra, Willie BoBo and Poncho Sanchez. He also had an opportunity to perform in front of three thousand people at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium for the Chicano Music Awards.
In 2006, they bought a second home in La Quinta, however, for over a year, now, it has become their primary residence. His first performance in the Coachella Valley was at the Indian Wells Resort Hotel as a sub for DiSalvo with the Ted Herman Orchestra. He has performed at an International Golf Tournament in Alberta, Canada; The Italian Heritage Club at Del Webb, Sun City; Casey’s Restaurant and Bar in Palm Desert; Trilussa Ristorante in Cathedral City and Sammy G’s Restaurant in Palm Springs.
His extensive repertoire includes a blend of classic favorites and Rock and Roll from the 50s, 60s, 70, Doo Wop and Latin rhythms. His show “A Musical Journey Through Time” does just that, and includes music for everyone, with songs sung in English, Spanish and Italian.
“Music is very important for children to learn at any age. It helps them in many areas of their lives. It helps expand the mind.”
