Blavat hailed Mr. Mauro's skill on the drums. "This cat influenced a lot of drummers in this area," he said.
Alexander Mauromicali was born on Nov. 1, 1923, one of nine children of Antonio and Carmella Mauromicali of West Philadelphia.
He attended Philadelphia public schools. In 1955, Mr. Mauro married Ellen Donaghy. They had met at a club in Olney.
Mr. Mauro gained an interest in music as a teen, when he heard one of his brothers playing in a 14-piece orchestra.
At 21, he began to sit in with bands at clubs throughout the region. He was a member of a few bands, playing drums and upright bass.
In the late 1940s, after watching Mr. Mauro perform at a club in Atlantic City, Pedicin, an up-and-coming bandleader, invited Mr. Mauro to join his band.
"When I was on my break, Mike asked me to step outside and offered me a job to play in his group," Mr. Mauro told a grandson, Bill McCann, for a 2007 academic research project. "Naturally, I accepted." Mr. Mauro played with the group for 25 years.
"Shake a Hand," its biggest hit, was originally recorded as a rhythm-and-blues ballad by the soul singer Faye Adams. The Pedicin band interpreted the tune as an upbeat dance number.
"That song was popular in 1954, and they reissued it," Blavat said. "It was a gigantic hit in 1957 on American Bandstand," then hosted by Dick Clark.
In 1957 the quintet toured 11 states with such stars as Eddie Fisher and Diahann Carroll.
In the 1970s and '80s, after his music career, Mr. Mauro owned and operated a coffee and sandwich shop at 69th and Market Streets.
After retiring in the 1980s, Mr. Mauro continued to perform, singing at various senior centers and other such venues.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Mauro is survived by daughters Karen Rogers and Lisa McCann; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and a sister.
A viewing will be from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, at D'Anjolell Memorial Home, 2811 West Chester Pike, Broomall. A Funeral Mass will follow at 10 a.m. at St. Laurence Roman Catholic Church, 8245 West Chester Pike, Upper Darby. Interment will be in SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Marple Township.
Contact Vernon Clark at 215-854-5717 or vclark@phillynews.com.
