PIANO: Russ Ferrante, Ben Folds, Bob James, Tom Schuman, Ray Charles, Dave Benoit, Joe Sample, Ramsey Lewis, Chick Corea, Michel Camilo, Horace Silver, Donald Fagen, Bill Evans, Brad Mehldau, Larry Dunn, Vince Guaraldi, Herbie Hancock, Mark Murphy, Oscar Peterson, Thelonius Monk, Joey DeFrancesco, Stevie Wonder, Chester Thompson.
BASS: Scott Ambush, Ray Brown, Duck Dunn, John Deacon, Charles Mingus, Rocco Prestia, John Patitucci, James Jamerson, Randy Hope-Taylor, Jimmy Haslip, Verdine White, Nathan East, Justin Meldal-Johnsen.
SAX: Bob Mintzer, Jay Beckenstein, Marc Russo, Cannonball Adderley, Bob Berg, Stan Getz, Maceo Parker, Benny Golson, Sonny Rollins, Mike Brecker, Tom Scott, Dave Sanborn, Wayne Shorter.
IN GENERAL: Al Green, Al Jarreau, Seal, Prince, Miles Davis, Pat Metheny, Freddie Mercury, Kurt Elling, Andy Bey, Steely Dan, Chet Baker, Byron Landham, Ronny Jordan, Wilson Pickett.
Even as a little kid, I knew I wanted to be in a band. My earliest musical memory is listening to the Blues Brothers soundtrack again and again. I loved the sound of the horn section. My parents were cool enough to let me play sax in the school band. Eventually, that's where I met and fell in love with jazz. I am still chasing her as she is an elusive mistress. Our first dance was Here's That Rainy Day - on an appropriately dark and rainy winter day.
But sax wasn't enough - the 80's were over and it just wasn't popular anymore. I still lusted after jazz, but there needed to be other implements to aide me in my quest for total musicianship. The first was piano - I had always been a dabbler, and I began to hone that particular skill into the ham-fisted technique you hear today. Between songs I often hear snickers and something being said about carpal tunnel.
Lastly came my bass addiction, a dragon that I've been chasing a lot lately. My first gig on bass was in a Billy Joel tribute band - I knew only the E string, it was 110 degrees outside, we blew the power twice, I was wearing a shirt 3 sizes too large, and sunglasses. And I have video proof.
I figure I'd better make my own space - separate from my band, Still Fighting It, so I can eventually get my own ideas out there.
