JAZZ! Blues.. > rootsy ..Americana.. early rockabilly/ROLL.. Fusion ! genuine BLUEGRASS [live!] ..classic COUNTRY .. folky blues/rock.. Celtic/great fiddle! "wodehouse music" ( Anne Dudley) Exquisite Classical Music..fine POP tunes > A GOOD SONG is a GOOD SONG.. yes, indeed - First- after massive inspiration- from the likes of JIMINY CRICKET, Roy Rogers & The Singing Cowboys- and the like...wanting to be a full-fledged bandleader w/baton and corduroy trousers (about age 6).. never missed an episode of "YOUR HIT PARADE"-during the 50's (unless I had the doggone flu-or too much homework) started on the violoncello as a youth-as a training playground for bass fiddle.. played in a high school orchestra-while stll in grade school.. diggin' the Ventures,ELVIS,Fats Domino,DION,early Sinatra, Little Richard,Henry Mancini, Bill Haley, The Everly Brothers,Gene Pitney, Righteous Brothers- movie soundtracks,and such .. my older brother brought home to the basement ..78's-E.P.s,L.P.s -and soon I was groovin' on James Brown, B.B. King,the Dorsey bros.,Glenn Miller,Louis Prima & Keely Smith, Buddy Johnson's 'rock'n'roll stage show'..,Ahmad Jahmal.. s0o-oo -soon after being joyously enraptured by very early 60's ..black sounds( sometimes some of the old hillbilly blues/folk stuff)-especially the great soul singers/ girl groups featuring stuff written by Otis Blackwell & Holland, Dozier, Holland .. the "British Invasion"- - -happened, and I got the BEATLE "bug..> did not know what a bass guitar really was, until > Paul McCartney.. .. In startingly short time, I had an exquisite new Hofner Bass of my very own, just like Paul's.. [although my fave hero was John Lennon] I learned/figured out.. how to play it- as it hung around my neck while singing and bein' mighty COOL in my first performing rock'n'roll combo during high school.. now-what about some o'them British guitar blokes? Eric Clapton- Peter Green -Jeff Beck .. the STONES w/Brian Jones (some REAL blues !!!) >>> HENDRIX, Mike Bloomfield, The CREAM: inspired us local greaser longhairs to JAMMIN' our asses off as we grew from playin' small school hops to some serious semi-professional working situations in some prime showcases-in and around.. sweet home Chicago destinies,fate and/or luck ['kismet..?] brought some extraordinarily talented players and personalities(some of them dipwads,jackasses, too--) together into the larger, hipper? 'concert' arenas and venues-right on time for the cultural explosion of the ..60's ! anyway, so much other music is enjoyed/appreciated! to this day I'm still quite the BASSPLAYER (rock/blues..who knows?) heh heh often considerably more- than merely 'one foot in th'blues' having funked out with the best of the funky ones(y'all know who you ARE-don't you?) rarely will I go- about my daily music, without bein' fueled by my endless wellspring of "Soul Power!" ow! ..good GOD !!" BLUES.. has had it's hold on me probably since the the early 60's when my brother would cunningly move my mom's am radio dial way, way to the right-and pick up the south side broadcasts from the black areas of chicago and nearby Gary and points in-between,you know.. Al Benson,Big Bill Hill,Herb(the..Cool Gent..)Kent.. Radio was already my pal.. my mom tuning in daily to the sounds of post-war America>> Arthur Godfrey[and his AMAZING guests!),George Gobel, Gary Moore- those guys were the early Bob Dylans of radio [am I kidding??] adolescence included the constant use of the snazzy little transistor radio!as soon as that marvelous invention became available to the public..as the fins began sprouting on the dazzling new cars-and driven by the STARS! now, as far as pop/rock music.. my favorite band of all time is The BEATLES.. from that era 'til today,the ones that have maintained my attention and rather consistent admiration have been Eric Clapton,Robert Plant,Steve Winwood,Paul McCartney, and especially BECK-ola!,Carlos Santana and... BOB DYLAN >artists who have accomplished their finest work OUTSIDE> of the arenas of "radio-friendly" -..top-'o'-th'-pops.. and all.. recently I got to see: " " WAR" " -featuring the one and only-the greatest>> Lonnie Jordan and this old band is the BAND of old BANDS!!!!! fo'Real; !!! I still dig a lot of ELVIS- and the ones that preceded him..ones that Presley derived much of his songs/style and persona from..I'm amazed at the many songs by James Brown still groove me- and get me on th' good foot!-Curtis Mayfield still makes me feel awake/conscious and very, very cool .. .. .. but, you know, nowadayus.. with my mellow older age i've come to dig that gypsy jazz stuff ala DJANGO.. seems the most inspired young music man living today is Wynton Marsalis.. and what he's been doing with/for JAZZ .. in this new generation, and the ones on the horizon.. I LOVE Harry Connick jr.'s voice and style.. I've liked acoustic John McLaughlin-particularly w/ 'SHAKTI.......... .. middle-aged Frank Sinatra, especially with the Nelson Riddle orchestra was THE BEST. but above all & beyond.. all musical heroes that I've ever admired so much, is a south side chicago native by the name of JOHNNY FRIGO, > THE GREATEST JAZZ VIOLINIST of ALL TIME< there will never be another one like him.. nobody but nobody has ever played an instrument better/finer than JOHNNY. Recently deceased, I will never, ever forget Him, or the sound of his voice.. his laughter..