Special Guest
CLASSIFIED
25th Anniversary Performance
Classified has shared the stage with many world-renowned artists, including Earth, Wind and Fire, Benny Mardones, The Temptations, Rare Earth, KC and the Sunshine Band, Gap Mangione, Maynard Ferguson, The Commodores, The Pointer Sisters and our area's very own Ryan Quinn.
The band, Classified, was originally assembled in the early 90's. It was the concept of Freddie Faccioli, organist and vocalist from the legendary group Eric & the Chessmen, during the 1960's and leader of Ascension, the area's premier horn band throughout most of the 1970's that frequently played Four Acres in Marcy and Brothers lll in Utica.
Freddie had this idea that a band like Ascension could be formed again, performing the same type of great songs but presented with the technology and sophisticated sound systems in use today.
In addition to Freddie Faccioli and Greeley Ford on bass, the original Classified lineup also featured Ascension veteran Pat Putrello on trumpet & vocals, founders Larry Desiato on drums and vocals as well as Scott Rutledge on trumpet and vocals. Gary Colmey joined shortly thereafter on keyboards, vocals, and bari-sax. While it truly was "getting the band back together," it also featured many talented musicians from other top current musical acts in the area.
Their collective resume was so long, it looked like a "classified" ad, thus, the name was created and so was the mission of the band, EOE, that's "equal opportunity entertainment" for all!
Freddie isn't on stage with us anymore, but he's still our mentor and is always there in spirit.
What Maurice White is to Earth, Wind & Fire, Freddie Faccioli is to Classified.
Thank you, Silver Fox.