Paul Lavalle

Paul Lavalle (born Joseph Usifer, September 6, 1908 - June 24, 1997) was an American conductor, composer, arranger and performer on clarinet and saxophone. Early years Lavalle was born in Beacon, New York, the son of Ralph and Jennie Usifer, both Italian immigrants. Graduating from Beacon High School, he planned to study law at Columbia University. After winning a scholarship there, Lavalle studied music at the Juilliard School Plays for Americans (1942), Highways in Melody, The Stradivari Orchestra (1943), Strictly Business (1940), The Ted Steele Show (1942), and Dough Re Mi (1942-1943). On his radio shows he collaborated with Victor Borge, Mario Lanza, Robert Merrill and Dinah Shore. In November 1944, his jazz composition “Always” made it to number 29 on the top 40 charts. In 1940, The New York Times described him as “NBC’s ubiquitous music maker” and said he was “of small size, dynamic, dark haired…” Lavalle told the reporter, “Music is my life, and I am happy that it is so.” Lavalle was selected over several applicants to become the conductor of the Band of America in 1948. They performed on the weekly radio program Cities Service Concerts on NBC Radio for eight years and alm