the R-Dees / Sound-Offs

Cleveland, 1964-7

The R-Dees were a popular 1964-1967 Cleveland east-side band that won the Plain Dealer 1965 Battle of the Bands and an appearance on the Big 5 Show.  Their repertoire was primarily Beatles, British Invasion, and early-60's radio fare. 
Begun as an accordion trio by South Collinwood Holy Redeemer 8th-graders Dennis Desapri, Ray Chuhran, and Danny Mazza, after viewing the Beatles' Feb. 1964 Ed Sullivan show debut Dennis switched to bass, Ray to keys, and Danny to drums, adding Denny Marek [Euclid] and Danny Malloy [North Collinwood] on guitars.  

They gigged steadily at east-side CYO's, YMCA's, armories, other teen dance venues, and eventually area nightclubs.  They also provided music for Higbee teen fashion shows and were openers for the Hollies at Cleveland Music Hall in Nov. 1967, one of their final appearances.  Their May 1965 Big 5 appearance led to a relationship with show associate producer Walt Masky who subsequently hired them as the backup band for live appearances by Big 5 guests such as Len Barry, Cannibal and the Headhunters, Bobby Goldsboro, and Keith. Initially managed by Mazza's father, they had a short-lived relationship with Wixy's Lou 'King' Kirby but in mid-1965 caught the eye of Cleveland producer and manager Redda Robbins who polished them into a club act and changed their name to the Sound-Offs.  They cut several demos at Schroeder Recording and Cleveland Recording but never released any material.  

In mid-1966 Marek and Malloy were replaced by Rick Papaleo, and through Masky's connections the new lineup cut a demo in Philadelphia for the Cameo-Parkway label but again no material was released.  

September 1965

The band broke up in late 1967.  Marek subsequently joined the Lost Souls, Papaleo the North River Street Rock Collection, and Mazza the U.S. Male and Tiny Alice. Postscript:  Mazza's father (also named Danny Mazza) parlayed his experience with the group into a successful talent agency, managing the Fully Assembled band (Bobby Dell and the Shantells) and booking many local, regional, and national acts throughout N.E. Ohio until 1969 and continuing through the 1980's in South Florida.

The above story is from January 1973....after all the rapid changes in music,  seven years seemed like a generation

Story by Danny Mazza