Rod Ferrone, Tap Dancer

Rod Ferrone is a tap dancer and vaudevillian based in Upstate NY. After dropping out of college, Ferrone went on to lead a long-standing dance career in NYC. He eventually partnered up with Joe Orrach, a boxer-turned-tap-dancer. On a park bench outside of McGeary’s Irish Pub in downtown Albany, Ferrone shares some of their most memorable performances, including a two-hour act where Gregory Hines made a surprise appearance. Ferrone has danced with Jimmy Slyde, also known as the “King of Slides” and Charles “Chuck” Green, and was mentored by Henry LeTang. Special thanks to jazz guitarist Joe Finn (featured in Season 1, Episode 7!) for introducing host Xara Wilde to Rod Ferrone. They shared the floor last fall at the Speakeasy 518 for Wilde’s weekly performance at the jazz joint. Music: “Yellow Dog Blues,” by Skip Parsons and the Riverboat Jazz Band and “Come Rain or Come Shine,” by Colleen Pratt and the Empire Jazz Orchestra. Thank you for listening to Six Count. This show, hosted and produced by Xara Wilde, seeks to promote and preserve the jazz and swing scene in the Capital Region of New York. Six Count is a listener-supported, independent project. Contribute to the series. Have a comment, question or suggestion for who to feature next? Contact Six Count by email at [email protected] or you can find the show on Twitter @SixCountPodcast.