School of Rock rolls into Blues Bar

Arlington Heights has its own School of Rock.

And on Sunday, the young students at the El Rey Music Center gave some lessons of their own during their show, Summer Showcase 2008, held at Blues Bar, 2 W. Busse Ave., Mount Prospect.

The music center, at 1039 S. Arlington Heights Road, has been in business since 1947. It is currently run by Bill and Sue Manglaris. Bill Manglaris, who has been playing guitar since age 12, once took lessons at El Rey.

"I've been playing ever since I was in junior high. I have always played in bands," said Manglaris, who has worked as an expert machinist for 30 years, in addition to his duties running the store and teaching there. He built a stage in the lobby and holds practice sessions with a band every Friday night.

"A lot of the stuff that they're doing now is stuff that they did back in the '50s and '60s, with a different twist on the rhythm and on the distortion," he said.

The kids rocking at Sunday's show included 13-year-old bass guitarist Marty Quinn, of Rolling Meadows. He said he has developed an interest in blues within the last year or so. "It's a great way to explore your feelings," he said. "When you're feeling down, you just mess around and it feels good." He said he likes Led Zeppelin but has cultivated an interest in John Lee Hooker and B.B. King.

His mother, Jody Quinn, said her son likes to go through her record collection, showing a taste for such rock legends as Jimi Hendrix.

Sunday's showcase, conducted in part to benefit the Midwest Council for Children with Disabilities, offered a host of rock classics, including "Maggie May," "Dazed and Confused," "Bad to the Bone" and "Layla."

Among the performers on the latter was 15-year-old guitarist Veronica Bertellotti, of Mount Prospect.

"I like (rock) because it's loud and it's fast and it's kind of crazy all at the same time."

She said she loves Eric Clapton, particularly "Layla," and anything by AC/DC.

"I just like bands that have great guitar players, pretty much," she said.

Her father, Louis, said his daughter is carrying on a tradition. "I took lessons at El Rey, and now she's taking lessons at El Rey, so it's kind of an institution."