Isaac (Ike) Rosenthal:
CLASS OF 1962
Wingate High SchoolClass of 1962
Brooklyn, NY
Isaac (Ike)'s Story
After Wingate I went to Brooklyn College, taking liberal arts courses and working towards a music degree.
I received an offer to leave college to work for Magnavox as a salesman/demonstrator for their new venture into the electronic organ market. This move changed my draft status to 1-A. I then served 2 years in the 282nd Army Band in South Carolina as a trombonist/pianist. (Thanks, Dr. Kaplan for helping me stay out of a combat unit.)
Following that came a move to Ft. Lauderdale Florida to begin a career as a nightclub entertainer. I always had a desire to be a one-man-orchestra and spent many hours wiring keyboards together to get that massive sound ( before the age of MIDI and sequencers) . Still doing that and loving it, except now I perform only for Country Clubs and private parties.
Anyone interested in seeing my work, log on to IkeReeves.com. You'll see my party act as well as One-Man-Show and solo piano videos. I still love doing impressions and comedy, but these days I'm paid just to play and sing. I travel between Florida and Atlanta to play music gigs.
I have one son who recently got his PhD from M.I.T. He's now a consultant for Boston Consulting Group. He's happy as can be and just got married in May to a wonderful lady whom he met at M.I.T. in his sophomore year. She's of East Indian heritage, although born in California. As is customary in a Hindu wedding ceremony, the groom made his entrance riding in on an elephant. (It was an outdoor ceremony.)
UPDATE: They just moved to San Francisco where my son now works at a bio-tech company specializing in stem cell research.
I always wanted to...Expand for more
be a musician (watching all the accordion players on the Ed Sullivan show) when I grew up. My family and friends thought that was a great idea. As it turns out, they were right. (I also wanted to be the guy who works the console at the Hayden Planetarium. With my MIDI keyboard rig, I live both dreams at once. I also play the Mighty Wurlitzer theatre organ- when I can find one that's still working.)
To relax, I enjoy telling jokes and cooking meals with friends, making musical arrangements for myself and other performers, designing loudspeakers and playing the piano.
Love the musical power trip of synthesizers coupled with computers, but creating music live on the piano is more satisfying by far.
The wildest thing I ever did in school (I was so tame by today's standards- I never even drank a beer) was to draw a comic book about Mr. Fontek, including an episode where, as 8-year-old 'Little Alvin', he blows up his house with his chemistry set. I mistakenly left the comic inside a textbook when I turned it in at the end of the year, but nobody ever called me on it. I dug Mr. Fontek in reality, loving chemistry etc., but he was an easy target for a rookie cartoonist.
All in all, I feel very blessed. I've been able to make a living while having fun- my work and hobby are the same. On a superficial note, I'm also blessed to still have all of my teeth and most of my hair. (My father's hairline looked like Phil Silvers.)
My fantastic new wife (together 11 years) and I just moved to the Atlanta area and are establishing roots.
I wish good health and fortune for all who are reading this and above all- have fun!
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