Columnist Jerry Fink: Capone band revives untouchable era

Friday, Dec. 7, 2001 | 8:43 a.m.

Jerry Fink's lounge column appears on Fridays. Reach him at jerry@ lasvegassun.com or 259-4058.

The Jazz Age. Bathtub gin. Big bands, flappers and speakeasies.

The United States roared in the 1920s, as small-town America grew up and became more urbane.

More money, more fun, more of everything made the Roaring '20s memorable.

Fitzgeralds is trying to recapture the spirit of that era, opening a venue tonight called the Speakeasy, in a 380-seat conference room on the 12th floor of the downtown hotel.

For an admission price of $25 per person, dancers can swing to the big-band sound of a 13-piece orchestra called Capone and two singers, Nita Hooks and Rita.

Al Capone (one of the most famous gangsters in an era full of gangsters) and speakeasies (those illegal watering holes often run by gangsters) may be the two most recognizable icons of the period.

Gene Sagas, Fitzgeralds director of facilities, says the hotel has entered into a venture with a descendant of Al Capone to put on two nightly big-band shows at the Speakeasy -- at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays.

The Speakeasy will be open through December and if it catches on it will be around at least six months, and probably longer, Sagas indicated.

The Capone connection is 49-year-old Gennaro "Jeep" Capone, a native of Chicago who has lived in Las Vegas for 11 years.

Gennaro, who has been a professional drummer since age 17, says he is either the grandson or the grandnephew of Al Capone.

"It's a confusing thing," Gennaro, who has three older brothers, said. "I was raised that Al was my great uncle. That's how I was raised, and I still talk about it like that, that he was my great uncle. But sometime back I received a phone call from the library in Chicago, and they said they did some research and they felt I was really his grandson.

"It's a mystery. My family is very divided. I don't know. It's very strange. I'm still trying to find out whether he was my grandfather or great uncle. We're researching."

According to several historical sources, Capone had only one legitimate son, Al "Sonny" Capone, and six brothers.

Gennaro says he doesn't know a lot about Al Capone, who died in 1947, five years before Gennaro was born.

"It was so hush-hush," he said. "On my father's deathbed he said, 'Stay away from that business.' Anyway, I've never been curious that way. I was just interested in playing sports and music."

Sagas is sure enough of Geranno's Capone connection to open the Speakeasy with the Capone name on the marquee.

Las Vegas promoter Jerry Schafer, who came up with the Capone-Speakeasy concept, is also certain there is a kinship, even though others may be skeptical.

"Jeep was too young to have met Al Capone, but his older brothers weren't," Schafer said. "I've seen pictures of the brothers sitting with Al Capone."

Gennaro says there was a rift in the Capone family when some family members wanted to follow Al Capone's path, against Al Capone's wishes.

"I'm a really straight guy, an honest guy," Gennaro said. "My mother, Kathryn, owned a record store in Rockford, Ill., just a jazz store. All she had was jazz music, so I was raised with it night and day. It's been in my whole life.

"I always wanted to be a drummer. I was playing in nightclubs in Chicago when I was 17, still in high school. I'd play nightclubs all night and then go to school in the morning."

Gennaro described himself as "just a working musician."

"I had my own bands, my own projects, and I also worked with other people who would call me up to play."

He said his agent moved to Las Vegas in 1991 and convinced him to move here also.

"We wound up living here but playing everywhere but Las Vegas," he said.

Gennaro said after he grew tired of traveling, he began playing backup in recording studios, which has kept him busy.

He said he never capitalized on his name because he didn't think the family would like it, but they are supportive of him in this new venture.

"So long as I present Capone in a positive light," Gennaro said. "We've had enough negative publicity."

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