The Three Vagrants
"Frank would drag me along, and we'd play Italian christenings and weddings. We even played on street corners and in saloons, and I'd pass the hat around. I was getting a lot of experience, because the Italian people, when they get to feeling good, like to dance all night long, especially the tarantella. We played for hours and hours, and my wrists got very tired, but I was getting great practical experience that paid off years later." Nick Lucas from (Reader August 21, 1981 Vol 3 No. 43 Los Angeles's Free Weekly) "The New-Fangled Guitar Sound of 1922" by Mark Humphrey
John Bergamasco and Frank Lucanese
Here's a video example of Nick doing a Neapolitan song, the type of which the young Nick Lucas and brother Frank sang for small coins (click twice to view)
Frank Lucanese was Nick Lucas' older brother that played accordion in a vaudeville troupe called The Three Vagrants. When he joined The Three Vagrants, around 1915, he composed much of the material they would record for Victor, Edison and Columbia.
The Three Vagrants 1928 - (Josephine Bergamasco on Accordion) Photo courtesy of Richard Harris Special thanks to Richard Harris for his help with this page.
Discography Source of this discography is from the book : Ethnic Music On Records by - Richard K. Spottswood
Columbia Discography
Recording under the name I Tra Vagabundi
C3730, C3731 and C3732 under the name Murga Criolla
New York - September, 1916
44399-1-------- La Quindicenna - Polka (Lucanese)-----------------------------------------Co E3146
La Jouna Filla-Polka -------------------------------------------------------------Co C3730
44400-2-------- Una Notta In Gondola-Mazurka (Lucanese)-------------------------------Co E3146
Une Nult Dans Une Gondola - Mazurka-----------------------------------Co C3730
44401-1-------- Tarantella Siciliana (Lucanese)------------------------------------------------Co E3039, C3732
44402------------La Sirene - Mazurka (Lucanese) ---------------------------------------------Co E3187, C3731
44406-1---------La Capricciosa-----------------------------------------------------------------------Co E3039
Caprichosa ---------------------------------------------------------------------------Co C3732
Victor Discography
Recording under the name The Three Vagrants
New York - March 5, 1917
B 19234-2-------- Parigina - Polka (G. Cioiani) ---------------------------------------Vi 69341, HMV R8857
B 19235-2-------- Amore - Waltz (S. Becucci. arr M.V. Cardilli) ---------------Victor reject
B 19236-2-------- Fragile - Schottische (L. Cuzzone) -------------------------------Victor reject
B 19237-2-------- Verita - Waltz (L.E. De Francesco) ------------------------------Victor reject
69612 is a Swedish release: 73156 (Polish) as Trzech Szubrawcow: HMV R8855, R8857, R8861 and R8863 as I Tre Vagabondi
New York - March 9, 1917
B 19236-4-------- Fragile - Schottische (L. Cuzzone) ---------------------Vi 69612, 72378
B 19261-2-------- Fiori Alpini - Polka (F. Lucanese) ------------------------Vi 69611, HMV R8857
Kwiat Goralski - Polka -------------------- Vi 73156
B 19262-1-------- Tarantella Siciliana (F. Lucanese) -----------------------Vi 69341, HMV R8863
B 19263-3-------- Sincerita - Mazurka (F. Lucanese) -----------------------Vi 69611, HMV R8861
Szczerosc - Mazurka ---------------------- Vi 73156
B 19264-3-------- Bella-Tarantella (F. Lucanese) ----------------------------Vi 69402, HMV R8863
B 19265-3-------- Spernnze Soavi-Mazurka (M.V. Gardilli) ---------------Vi 69402, HMV R8861
B 19262-1-------- Tarantella Siciliana (F. Lucanese) -----------------------Vi 69341, HMV R8863
B 19266-2-------- La Scintillante-Schottische (F. Della Rosa) ---------------Vi 72212, HMV R8855
HMV R8853 and R8865 as I Tre Vagabondi
New York - March 30, 1917
B 19235-4-------- Amore-Waltz (S. Becucci, arr M.V. Cardilli) ---------------Vi 69437
B 19264-3-------- Verita-Waltz (L.E. De Francesco) ---------------------------Vi 69612, 72378, HMV R8853
B 19431-2-------- I l Sognc Del Vagabondo (Vagrant's Dream) - Waltz (F. Lucanese) ---------------Vi 72212, HMV R8853
B 19432-1-------- Anna-Polka Mazurka (E. Lauwreryns) ----------------------Vi 73531, HMV R8865
B 19433-2-------- Festivita-Mazurka (F. Lucanese) -------------------------------Vi 73101, HMV R8865
HMV R8859 as I Tre Vagabondi
New York - April 13, 1917
B 19479-1-------- Quadriglia -----------------------------------------Vi 69403, HMV R8859
B 19480-2-------- Hungarian Polka (J.M. Lander) --------------------------------Vi 69437
B 19481-2-------- 'O Silanio A Buordo-March (A.C. Mignella) ---------------Vi 69403, HMV R8859
'Giuseppe Dori - caller
Trio Dal "Tre Vagabondi"
New York circa, 1917
Serenata Napoletana --------Pat 2020, 02020
La Capricciosa------------------Pat 2020, 02020
Trento E Trieste-Marcia Militaire---Pat 2025, 02025
Inni Di Mameli E Garibaldi-Marcia----Pat 2025, 02025
New York late 1910s
Tarantella Nepolitana -----Pat 2049, 02049
Una Notte In Gondola-----Pat 2049, 02049
Edison Records Discography
Recording under the name The Three Vagrants
New York July 21, 1920
7454------Una Notte Gondola (Night In A Gondola) (F. Lucanese) -----Ed 51481
7455------Tarantella Siciliana (F. Lucanese) ------------------------------------Ed 51481, 4187(4 min)
New York August 2, 1920
7468----'Q Silenzio A Buordo (Silence Aboard Ship) -------Ed 50900
7469-----Return Of Spring-Waltz------------------------------------Ed 50862, 4152 (4 min)
