The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 28

12 THE WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1977 'Noted' banker lives an orchestrated life Enjoy The Prime Of Your Life in Louisville For Only S195 joan kay IS speaking of people Courier-Journal Columnist Every Wednesday, when you Don Murray. "I really respect him," said Hardwick. "He's quite a guy as well as a-fine musician." After graduating from Centre College with a major in English and a minor in business, Hardwick took graduate courses for several years in jazz and classical music at North Texas State University. It was in Texas "that I had most of my good orchestra experience," playing with. Joe Reichman and his band, "one of the top bands in Dallas." After active duty with the Naval Reserve, Hardwick followed his yen to learn banking by going to New York in 1969, where he began working for Citibank (formerly First National City Bank of New York).

"To a certain degree, musicians are cynical about the business world" and vice versa. But Hardwick thinks the schism between the arts and the world of business is narrowing. There is a trend "of people pursuing triple careers and I think that's a healthy thing for people and the society." Hardwick plans to go to Washington tomorrow morning and he'll probably be too involved with setting up final arrangements for the evening to take in any other festivities. He feels anything but thwarted, however. "I'll get a little pleasure out of playing for it," he quipped, in mock "well seasoned." His regular drummer, who is a stockbroker, has played with Peter Duchin.

The size of the group varies according to the occasion. "I could do a single" or pair up with a bass player. "Our big parties call for 13 pieces and a six-piece rock group." When Hardwick was 13, he won a first prize in a Youth Talent Exhibit held in Louisville for a song entitled, "Keep-a-Going." But in later years he kept up more with playing than composing. It was only about four years ago that he began seriously to work on the writing end of music, having had some indication that his songs "might have a market acceptance." Two of his songs are included in an album for Warner Brothers-Electra by sin.ger-writer-producer Bob Crewe. This will be the first time any of his songs have been recorded "so I'm excited, to say the least." Crewe is producing an album for singer Dusty Springfield and is interested ir using some more of Hardwick's material in it.

Hardwick, son of John H. Hardwick, a retired board chairman of Louisville Trust Bank, and Mrs. Hardwick, took piano lessons as a child with a neighborhood teacher and later at the University of Louisville School of Music. He also studied at the Louisville Academy of Music with composer-pianist Though he started picking out chords On the piano at age 4 and did graduate work in music at North Texas State University, Bob Hardwick never planned to be a musician. particularly banking, was the career that fascinated him.

Nowadays, the 34-year-old native Louisvillian is enjoying the best of both worlds. Weekdays he is an account officer with Citibank tin New York City and many weekends h'e is playing piano at a charity ball or private party with his orchestra, the Bob Hardwick Sound. Coming up tomorrow night is the orchestra's biggest engagement to date. It will play at an inauguration ball at the Statler Hilton Hotel in Washington honoring Congressional Medal of Honor winners. About 1,500 guests are expected, including 200 medal winners.

The Bob Hardwick Sound will be the only orchestra there. "I'm very excited and feel very lucky to have gotten it," said Hardwick, in a telephone interview from New York. Hardwick's group plays typical two-step music in the same vein as the Peter Duchin or Lester Lanin orchestras, he said, "plus the current Top 40 stuff." The orchestra was first put together about 18 months ago "as sort of a bet with a fellow banker," Dick Field, a vice president at Chase Manhattan Bank. Field's stepdaughter was having a I TEAK order our delicious Prime Rib Special, you'll be treated to a gourmet salad, a loaf of hot bread, and baked potato. So come and enjoy the Prime of your Life.

For Only $4.95. Reservations debut party and Hardwick offered to provide the music. "So we did it," said Hardwick, "and started getting some phone calls after the party. I'm still primarily a banker and plan to keep it that way." But since the requests were for weekend entertainment, he thought, "Why not do it?" Since then the musicians have played mainly in Connecticut, Long Island, New Jersey and Manhattan at charity balls, country club parties and some private homes. Field is now partner-manager, arranging all the bookings.

Hardwick, pianist with the orchestra, thoroughly enjoys his weekend forays as a performer. "The level of musicianship is very high" and all the players are HESTAUANTS OF LOUISVILLE DUPONT CIRCLE AT BRECKINRIDGE LANE 897-2519 PRICES EFFECTIVE THRU SATURDAY, JAN. 22, 1977 QUANTITY RIGHTS RESERVED SMOESED SPECIAL mm 4-8 LB. AVE. LB fromtho Limit 3 LD.

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