Brassy, just like Bette

By Jerry Fink

Monday, Feb. 18, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Bette Midler has a good ear.

She revealed just how good when she plucked the Fat City Horns out of a lounge at the Palms and plunked them down in her extravagant show at Caesars Palace.

When “The Showgirl Must Go On” debuts Wednesday in the Colosseum, the 4,000-seat theater where Celine Dion held court for more than four years, Midler will shine an international spotlight on what had been one of those hidden Vegas treasures.

She’ll be backed by a 14-piece band, including the six Fat City Horns — saxophonists Rob Mader, Phil Wigfall and Jerry Merra; trumpeters Gil Kaupp and Danny Falcone; and trombonist Nathan Tanouye.

For the past couple of years, locals have found the talented musicians performing Monday nights at The Lounge at the Palms with Jerry Lopez and Santa Fe. Before that they were at Palace Station for two years. These sessions — on the night when most showrooms are dark — attract professional musicians who want to hear good music as well as a big crowd of locals on their night off.

It’s a dynamic night of entertainment that gets your heart pounding and can leave you drained.

When they explain how they landed the plum gig with Midler, it seems as simple as if it were destiny.

Late last year Lopez got word to Midler’s musical director, Bette Sussman, that she should check out Fat City. Sussman dropped by the Palms, liked what she heard and invited Midler down. Midler, obviously, liked what she heard.

In December, Fat City found itself in New York City, prepping for Midler’s much-anticipated Caesars show. There were almost two months of rehearsals in New York City, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

“It’s been exhausting,” Kaupp says. “Nonstop, working 10-hour days through the holidays and everything.”

It was particularly tough on their families. Three of the musicians have new babies — Tanouye arrived three days late for the New York rehearsals because of the birth of his son, Alex. Falcone’s son, Giovani, is just a few weeks old; Merra’s son Max just turned 1.

But they hope they’ll understand they’ve got something Las Vegas musicians dream of — a steady, high-profile gig.

During rehearsal, the members of the Fat City Horns are impressed with Midler’s energy as well as her talent. She arrives early and stays late and works harder than anyone, they say — a 62-year-old entertainer putting in 18 hour days, keeping up with 20-year-old dancers.

But the horn players aren’t awe-struck by her celebrity. They’ve worked with some of the biggest names in show business. For example, Falcone’s dad, Vincent, is one of the most sought-after musical directors in town and was Frank Sinatra’s musical director for 10 years. Danny Falcone grew up in a world populated by celebrities and began playing professionally at 15.

All of the members of the Fat City Horns have busy schedules, juggling various gigs to rehearse for Midler’s show.

Some have day jobs.

Mader manages the computer system in UNLV’s College of Fine Arts and teaches saxophone in the music department.

Falcone has a real estate license to fall back on. He also was in the band that backs Toni Braxton at the Flamingo, but had to give that up for Midler. “It’s hard enough to get a gig, let alone two,” Falcone says. “You hate to have to let one go.”

Kaupp teaches at UNLV and is the No. 1 engineer at a new recording facility at the university. He’s been with the school for five years.

He missed a little time on campus because of the rehearsal schedule, but now that the show’s getting under way he spends his days at the university and nights at the Colosseum. He had to give up a gig with “The Producers” to join Midler.

Merra sold real estate for a while, but says for the past 16 years he has supported himself with music. “That’s my biggest accomplishment, being able to do what I’ve done and not be forced to do something else to make money,” Merra says. “It’s really a blessing.”

Tanouye and Wigfall are full-time musicians. Tanouye writes a lot of music, and Wigfall records a lot.

“Almost all of us do something,” Kaupp says. “We’ve all been up and down, and we’re smart enough to know that gigs come and go. None of us will quit what we’ve been doing for years just because a good gig comes along. We know what happens. Knock on wood, this one will last a long time.”

Midler’s signed up for two years — 200 shows spread over 20 weeks each year. She’s sharing the Colosseum with Cher, who recently signed on for 200 shows over three years, and Elton John, who extended his engagement through the end of this year.

The Fat City Horns are coy about the specifics of Midler’s show, saying only that there will be a lot of music and it will be high-energy. Oh, they do allow that they actually get some stage time dancing — they have to arrive two hours before the rest of the band for rehearsal because they have to learn some choreography.

Tanouye also is showing that he’s more than a trombone player. He wrote the arrangement for the title song, “The Showgirl Must Go On.”

The Fat City Horns won’t give up their Monday night sessions with Lopez and Santa Fe at the Palms. They say it’s their relaxation, their way of reenergizing. Midler’s show is dark Mondays and Thursdays.

The group traces the current gig back to Falcone’s wedding on May 23, 2004. They had performed with Lopez and Santa Fe years before, but weren’t calling themselves Fat City Horns. Santa Fe was on hiatus when Falcone asked Lopez if his group would play at his wedding. He agreed and the band rehearsed one night at Palace Station.

“They let us play on a Monday night,” Falcone says. “People heard us and came in to listen and we did so well the casino invited us back and we were there Monday nights for almost two years.”

FAT CITY HORNS LINEUP

Robert Mader, tenor sax

Mader grew up in Hemet, Calif., and studied music at Fullerton College. He received a music scholarship to UNLV 20 years ago and stayed in Las Vegas. Mader has performed with such artists as Clint Holmes, KC and the Sunshine Band, the Temptations, Don Rickles, Frankie Avalon, Mary Wilson, Tony Bennett, the Four Tops and Little Anthony and the Imperials. He also has performed in productions such as “Enter The Night,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “The Producers” and “Legends in Concert.”

Gil Kaupp, trumpet

Kaupp studied music at the University of Texas, El Paso, and the University of North Texas in Denton. He spent 10 years in Munich, pursuing a career as a trumpet player and sound engineer. He has recorded more than 200 albums and more than 40 motion picture soundtracks, including “The Silence of the Lambs,” “Das Boot” and “The Neverending Story.” He has performed with such artists as David Foster, Percy Sledge, Michael Buble, Kool & the Gang, Shirley Bassey, Chaka Kahn, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Barry Manilow and Clint Holmes. When he’s not performing, he’s instructor of music technology at UNLV and is first engineer at the university’s multimillion-dollar recording facility.

Nathan Tanouye, trombone

The 33-year-old native of Platteville, Wis., began studying piano in elementary school and later began trombone lessons. At age 11 he moved to Hawaii, where he attended high school and began college. In 1995 he received a performance scholarship to UNLV and moved to Las Vegas. Tanouye has performed with artists such as Natalie Cole, Johnny Mathis, Tony Bennett, the Temptations, Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli. He is a gifted composer and arranger.

Danny Falcone, trumpet

Danny Falcone was born in New York but grew up in Vegas. His father, Vincent, was a composer, pianist and music director for many top entertainers, including Frank Sinatra. Danny’s professional career began at age 15 and he’s played for the likes of Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, Donald O’Connor, George Burns, Tony Bennett, the Glenn Miller Band, Neil Sedaka, Rita Morena, Andy Williams, Jack Jones, Wayne Newton, Alicia Keys and Martin Nievera. Falcone also has played trumpet on many production shows and Broadway musicals, including “Enter the Night,” “Legends in Concert,” “42nd Street,” “Storm,” “Peter Pan,” “American Superstars,” “The Sound of Music,” “West Side Story” and “Hairspray.”

Phil Wigfall, alto sax

Wigfall grew up in Las Vegas, where he started playing the alto sax at age 9. He’s a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston. In 1989 Wigfall began performing in Vegas lounges. In ’91 he joined the band backing Sheena Easton and performed with her for eight years. He also has worked with Joe Williams, Marlena Shaw, Aretha Franklin, the Four Tops, the Temptations and many others.

Jerry Merra, baritone sax

Merra grew up near Boston and has lived in Los Angeles and Miami. He’s worked steadily as a musician since moving to Las Vegas 13 years ago. He performed in the band for the production show “Storm” at Mandalay Bay in 2002.