▁Y onk ers ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁Ca esar ▁left ▁home , ▁intent ▁on ▁a ▁musical ▁career . ▁He ▁arrived ▁in ▁Manh attan ▁and ▁worked ▁as ▁an ▁us her ▁and ▁then ▁a ▁do orm an ▁at ▁the ▁Capit ol ▁Theater ▁there . ▁He ▁was ▁in el ig ible ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁mus icians ' ▁union ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁until ▁he ▁established ▁res iden cy , ▁but ▁he ▁found ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁sa x oph on ist ▁at ▁the ▁V ac ation land ▁Hotel , ▁a ▁resort ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁Cat sk ill ▁Mountains ▁of ▁S ull ivan ▁County , ▁New ▁York . ▁M ent ored ▁by ▁Don ▁App el , ▁the ▁resort ' s ▁social ▁director , ▁Ca esar ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁dance ▁band ▁and ▁learned ▁to ▁perform ▁comedy , ▁doing ▁three ▁shows ▁a ▁week . ▁He ▁aud ited ▁classes ▁in ▁clar inet ▁and ▁sa x oph one ▁at ▁the ▁Ju illi ard ▁School ▁of ▁Music . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁he ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Coast ▁Guard , ▁and ▁was ▁station ed ▁in ▁Brook lyn , ▁New ▁York , ▁where ▁he ▁played ▁in ▁military ▁rev ues ▁and ▁shows . ▁Vern on ▁Duke , ▁the ▁composer ▁of ▁Aut umn ▁in ▁New ▁York , ▁April ▁in ▁Paris , ▁and ▁T aking ▁a ▁Ch ance ▁on ▁Love , ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁base ▁and ▁collabor ated ▁with ▁Ca esar ▁on ▁musical ▁rev ues . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 4