When you are the only girl in the band, all of your life, as I was, and am, there were some pretty lonely times. The first few years of the road, I read all of Ayn Rand‘s books, then the Thornbirds. I started with Wuthering Heights and any classic or bio about George Sand, etc.,.

Trying to educate myself, since I never paid too much attention in school. I was already singing at 12 and knew  that’s what I was, and why did I need science, math, or physical educaton. I did love English and history though.

The first band story I will talk about is not the FIRST band, but it was the BEST band, and the funniest, in hind sight. I was performing at the Las Vegas Union Plaza lounge with a show group called “The Sunshine Company”.

It was a “show” group because we had two go go dancers. This one night, an  international band  is cruising the lounges, looking for a girl singer. They were called “The New Zealand Trading Co.“

The band was comprised of an Englishman, a Cuban, and the rest Australians and New Zealanders. They said they almost walked past me and wasn’t impressed until I started singing Stevie Wonder’s “Sunshine Of My Life”. That stopped them in their tracks, and they waited for my break.

It was just the Cuban, Jorge Casas, and the Englishman, Maurice Moore that was looking. The group was rebanding, and renaming themselves “Commonwealth”. I was in a rush, we did 45 on and 15 minutes off.  it was either talk to these guys or go to the bathroom! I chose to hear them out.

I had a hunch about. We met in my folks garage and they played me some, Manhattan Transfer-like music. This was before Manhattan Transfer came to prominence.

My dad had worked with the Hi Lo’s and I loved “Lambert Hendricks and Ross” So this 5 part harmony was a knockout for me. It was sealed. I gave notice, we rehearsed a lot, all harmonies were written out, and we had to nail every phrase. We got Alan lee’s son Larry Lee, then a stage hand, to come to my garage and audition us. Later, he took over for his dad, of the Tropicana entertainment department. Larry flipped over us.

We opened in the Blue Room at the Tropicana, and worked there on and off for years, opposite, Mary Kaye Trio, Dick Contino, Buddy Greco, among many others. When not there, we were at the Lion’s Den showroom at the MGM for Henri Rose, Entertainment Director. There, we were opposite, Lou Rawls, Carmen McCrae, and many others. When not in Las Vegas, Commonwealth toured the Playboy Clubs for talent agent, Irving Arthur.

We were living the life. But, on the road a lot, it was quite lonely. I had been considered an “American silly girl” by these worldly musicians. I really was on my own. I had a volatile relationship with Jorge, who thought I was a typical materialistic American.

This all changed when we were in Chicago, I had a friend, married to a Playboy bunny in Los Angeles. who was a musician in “The Mob”; a great band in the 70′s. He was in for a one nighter and I had a couch in my room at the hotel, he crashed with me, very innocent.

When I went to dinner downstairs, Jorge gave me such a hard time about having a married man with me in my room, I left the dining room in tears and didn’t eat. Crying upstairs, my friend said, “Man you guys are really in love.”

I said “WHAT? I can’t stand him.” He replied, “If this guy didn’t care about you, why would he care what you do. And, why do you care what he thinks?” I looked at Jorge very differently after that.

Within a few weeks, at the Detroit Playboy Club, we realized we were in love and had to tell because it was against the rules. Maurice made an exception for us, and I was lonely no more. It was magical.

We were working the Great Gorge Playboy Club, way out in the boonies in New Jersey. On our night off, the guys, Jorge and Maurice wanted to turn me on to Peter Cook and Dudley Moore in “Good Evening”, a Broadway show.

It was great, we had dinner, the show, then we went to about four jazz clubs, then Chinatown for a late night snack. Now it was about 4am, and they were both drunk out of their minds.  Jorge and I had to carry Maurice to the car. Then Jorge fell asleep. I HAD TO DRIVE.

I had NO clue how to get anywhere, let alone Great Gorge. So, they are passed out and I’m driving on the New Jersey Turnpike. After passing the same toll  booth four times, I was now in tears.

Maurice woke up, and said, “Don’t worry Darling, I’ll take the wheel.”

“Oh no you won’t,” I said. Jorge now starts rumbling, I said “Just help me get us out of here.”

Maurice gets out, on the turnpike and takes the wheel. I said, “I’m out of here” and I stood in the road. Jorge says “You’re not leaving Jess behind, are you mad???”

Maurice drives away.  There I am, in 3-inch heels, makeup running, crying, at 5am on the New Jersey Turnpike. Finally, they come back around, “Get in the car”.

“No… Not unless Jorge drives”, Maurice mumbling, “bloody Americans”, and Jorge got us home.

Where are they today?

Maurice is living in his hometown, London, and playing cruise ships and writing his second Broadway show..

Jorge has been with Gloria Estefan since 1985, and is her musical director, also has produced Jon Secada and many others, and is a Grammy award winning songwriter. He resides when not on tour in Illinois, where he is also a music professor.

Jessica Marciel
Las Vegas Vocal Training

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