During the big band era in New York City, he performed under Erno Rapee, conductor of the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra, and was the ensemble's first on-stage accordion soloist in 1933. He played with the Hugo Mariani Tango Orchestra at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in the 1930s, with Alfred Brito, a Cuban orchestra leader in New York (1936), and Misha Borr, conductor of the Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra. He appeared as a soloist for society functions at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel's Waldorf Towers and at its Starlight Roof with the Lester Lanin Orchestra. In addition, he performed regularly at clubs such as El Morocco, the Rainbow Room, El Chico, and the Riviera in New York City.