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Tommy Tedesco's appointment book.
Tommy Tedesco's appointment book.

Buffalo Museum of Science presents special screening of 'The Wrecking Crew' music documentary

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Fri, Apr 7th 2017 05:35 pm

With director Q&A

At 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12, the Buffalo Museum of Science will present a special screening of the music documentary, "The Wrecking Crew." Guests can enjoy a Q&A session with the film director, Denny Tedesco, immediately following the screening. The event is included with museum admission and free for museum members. It takes place during special extended hours as part of the traveling exhibit, "Guitar: The Instrument That Rocked The World," presented by M&T Bank and associate sponsor Chakra Communications. Guests will also enjoy access to the "homegrown" exhibit "71Picks," produced in partnership with the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame. 

"The Wrecking Crew" is a 2008 American documentary film directed by Tedesco. It shares the story of the Los Angeles-based group of session musicians known as The Wrecking Crew, famed for having played on numerous hit recordings throughout the 1960s. The film premiered in 2008 at the SXSW Film Festival and documents the work of studio players who recorded the tracks for hits, including "California Dreamin," "These Boots Are Made for Walkin," "Be My Baby," "The Beat Goes On" and "Good Vibrations."

Interviews with producers, engineers, and session musicians reveal the warmth and humor that allowed their collective talents to turn a simple chord chart into an international phenomenon.

Tedesco said of the musicians, "They were also involved in groups that I like to call the Milli Vanillis of the day. A producer would get the guys in and lay down some instrumental tracks. If it became a hit, they would record an album and put a group together to go on the road. This happened many times with groups like the Marketts, Routers and T-Bones. The next day they would do the same thing and call it another name. Same musicians, but different group name."

Tedesco is the son of Tommy Tedesco, member of The Wrecking Crew and Buffalo Music Hall of Fame 1996 inductee. Music critic Michael Leonard, calls Tedesco "the most famous guitarist you've never heard of." Tedesco worked with some of the largest acts in popular music history and, at his peak, was the most sought-after session guitarist in the industry. Tommy Tedesco passed away in 1997, but is remembered as a humble hero whose great talent fueled decades of incredible music. 

On display as part of the "71Picks," guests will have the opportunity to view Tommy Tedesco's Fender Telecaster guitar, one of the most recorded guitars in history. Additionally, Tedesco's 1963 and 1966 datebooks are on display, which show him playing with the Ronettes on their hit "Be My Baby" on July 5, 1963; Dean Martin on Jan. 27, 1966; and Frank Sinatra on Nov. 17, 1966.

"The Wrecking Crew" documentary served as an outlet for Tedesco during the time leading up to his passing of his father. The film allowed him to "let the world know about what impact he and his friends made in musical history."

Additional details and trailer for "The Wrecking Crew" are available at www.wreckingcrewfilm.com.

Admission to the Buffalo Museum of Science is $11 for adults ages 18-61, $9 for seniors ages 62-plus, $9 for military and students, $8 for children 2-17, free for children under 2 and free for museum members.

The Buffalo Museum of Science is located at 1020 Humboldt Parkway, Buffalo. For more information, call 716-896-5200 or visit www.sciencebuff.org.

Tommy Tedesco's guitar. 

Tommy Tedesco's guitar.

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