Cece Worrall -Rubin / Biography / More about me…
Biographical interview by Richard Mangicaro (with added updates & edits).
Cecilia “Cece” Worrall was born in Los Angeles, California. She has been playing woodwinds since age middle school. In high school she joined fellow musicians in forming bands performing R&B hits from groove and powerhouse horn driven bands like: Earth, Wind & Fire, Ohio Players, Chicago, Tower of Power and such others.
Her music studies were through private instruction with many prominent Los Angeles studio musicians, such as Stan Seckler, Phil Sobel, Charlie Shoemake, Dave Boruff & Bob Sheppard. She attended the Stan Kenton Clinic, winning 1st alto seating in the top band with composer/arranger Hank Levy at the helm.
Finally, getting out on the music scene, she cut her teeth on live performances with the David Ii and Love Ii Orchestra, which boasted of great black musicians like Fred Wesley, Nolan Smith, Ray Brown, Duane Benjamin, Wendell Kelly and Will Miller – who later became the main contractor for local brass & saxes for Motown’s original vocal groups “The Four Tops” and “The Temptations”. The connections she made with the musicians in David’s band led to many performances with The Four Tops, The Temptations, The Fifth Dimension and the O’Jays when they came to town on tour.
While continuing to work with the Motown groups and local “gigs” she worked on two albums simultaneously, first with Morris Day as the producer of an all female group called “the Dayzs” and then with Randy Jackson (of the Jackson family fame) on his debut solo album called “Randy & the Gypsy’s”.
Being an LA musician and never saying “no” to any gig – the bands were varied from jazz combos, big bands, reggae bands, Afrikan, punk, new age, musicals – the whole gambit of styles. One of the musician’s she connected with was “King Cotton” who was the lead vocal/front man for the Bone Daddys who took the time to sit down and have her learn all the old, old school blues sax legends and their stylized way of playing. Adding Greg Topper, of Orange County fame, who was a Jerry Lee Lewis and Fat Dominos clone – she learn more of what NOT to play and to swing it like they did in the 50’s with bluesy, growls and mimicking the bass lines, like the saxes did back in the day. All this “education” prepped her for the day when she would connect with Chuck E Weiss.
Chuck E Weiss, an underground blues and roots legend, took her under his “tutelage” and found a common thread of a love for “underground” blues from the black artists that was born from the blend of gospel & blues. She recorded his first CD with him and his group of great blues, roots and purely eccentric minded musicians produced by actor Johnny Depp. Chuck E Weiss performed for years at “the Central” now known as Johnny Depp’s “Viper Room”. In 2014 Johnny Depp produced & released the CD “Red Beans and Weiss” and guest “jammed” with the group on the Jimmy Kimmel Show. At this time they are working on their third album with producer Depp.
Performing with Chuck E – at the Central was a showcase every Monday night with other talented musicians, producers, directors and Hollywood stars finding the crowded, hot and rundown club – the place to hang. From there many other gigs came forth besides meeting and chatting with musicians like Carol King, John Paul Jones (Led Zepplin), CC DeVille and many others. Eventually, a call to work with Guns N Roses came about.
Touring with “Guns and Roses” from 1991-92, she had the opportunity to perform with Lenny Kravitz, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of “Aerosmith”, Ron Wood of “The Rolling Stones”, Soundgarden and Elton John on the M.T.V. award show and was a featured musician on “November Rain MTV“, “November Rain, Paris” and “Live and Let Die” on flute and piccolo.
In 2000 she toured with “soul diva” Diana Ross and the “Return to Love” tour featuring the Supremes. Post tour, Cece continued with Miss Ross who performed as a solo artist. And later did some touring work with Michael Bolton.
She also was with hard driving R&B powered Jack Mack and the Heart Attack for live concerts and featured with them on a live TV broadcast backing up famous Olympic skaters produced by skater Gold Medalist: Scott Hamilton/
Cece was honored to share the stage with many great female jazz musicians such as Vi Redd at the Kodak theatre hosted by the “Women In Jazz” association. “Jazz in Pink” also a hard driving all female jazz group led by Gail Jhonson was another rewarding venture and expansion of jazz talent.
Along with female musicians Laura Hall and Linda Taylor, Cece performed for the ABC hit TV show: “Whose Line Is It Anyways?” with featured actor comedians Drew Carey, Wayne Brady, Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie showcasing her skills on all woodwinds, pan flute, oboe and percussion.
For today — her great love for music is instructing students from elementary to high school and is the now and then “one off” gig. She has many students who have gone on to win awards, and of late one of the highest award – the Spotlight Award presented by the Los Angeles Music Center (June 2024).
MORE CREDITS / GIG PERFORMANCE BIO – click here
Added credits:
Los Angeles Junior Philharmonic
Los Angeles Pierce Symphonic Winds
Extensive classical training with Phil Sobel
Disneyland’s “Bayou Brass”
Magic Mountain’s “Big Shake”
Elmer Armstrong’s Tribute to the Platters
Coasters, Drifters
Contact Cece at: info@cwrmusic.com
