Early MMO Photos

This is the earliest picture of the Bonne Amie Musical Circle, the parent organization of the MMO. In 1982, the Bonne Amie Musical Circle started calling its performance ensemble the MMO. In this picture, the leader of the ensemble, Otto Strey is standing in the back row on the left. Next to Mr. Strey, is Charlie Asbeck.

This is the picture that the MMO used for the cover of "Mandolins in the Moonlight." Otto Strey is seated forth from the left. Charlie is standing to Otto's left, holding an Oscar Schmidt 12-string mandolin.

A somewhat later picture of the BAMC. You can see several of the members of the organization from the earlier pictures, but there has been some aging. Dir. Otto Strey is looking heavier and older.

An aged Otto Strey is pictured seated at the right of the front row, holding a homemade mando-bass. Walter Jordens is standing in the second row, second from the right. Charles Schultz is standing in the second row, fifth from the right. Paul Jordens is seated in the front row, fourth from the right. The Director in 1923, Adolf "Wack" Waech, held the same post as the leader of the Bonne Amie Musical Circle until the early 1960's.

Here are four pictures of BAMC director Otto Strey. Otto was 21 when he joined the BAMC in 1900. In the 1923 group portrait, Otto would have been 44. When not playing with the Bonne Amies, Strey worked as a steamroom supervisor at the Wisconsin Gas Company in Milwaukee.