Quarter Notes P.O. Box 329 Somers Point, NJ 08244 609‐927‐6677 Volume 1, Issue 2 Summer, 2011
Jim Bonar, Co‐Editor & Design America’s Greatest Contribution! Tim Lekan, Co‐Editor Paul Jost, Special Guest Columnist “Jazz critics have questioned my validity as a read how Tony acquired his love for jazz and jazz artist, and I don’t label myself as one. But the blues and what experiences led him to
personally I love jazz more than any other form come off the road and settle in the Atlantic City of music. It’s spontaneous, honest, and natural. area. Every civilization is known by it’s culture, and Our area is developing a reputation of being a jazz is America’s greatest contribution to the place where jazz artists can come to get the world, and I’ve always surrounded myself with appreciation and respect they deserve. Come jazz performers because they understand that Inside this issue: on out and be part of it because these artists the moment is the most important thing: they Jazz@thePoint 2011 Picto‐ 2 need to create in a live concert environment improvise, they reinvent the music every night.” rial and to get feedback from an intelligent and ‐‐‐Tony Bennett, The Good Life 1998 caring jazz community. Suzzette Ortiz 4 That’s one of the best living interpreters of the Great American Songbook talking there. It’s The Blue Moon Brewery Sittin’ In—Paul Jost 5 July and each July 4th we gather together to celebrate America’s declaration of independ‐ Summer Jazz Series ence and watch fireworks, a symbol of military Keepers of the Flame— 6 battles to gain our independence from England. July 10, 2011 (8:30–11 PM at Gregory’s Restau‐ Tony Day At the same time, we, the jazz community cele‐ rant) Romp (electric Miles sextet) featuring brate the musical manifestation of the great Todd Horton, trumpet; Bob Howell, saxo‐ American experiment. Each time we come to‐ phone; Frank Strauss, keyboards; Pete Mcrae, A Little Bird Told Me... gether to attend a live jazz event, we both cele‐ guitar; Chico Huff, bass; Vic Stevens, drums brate and fight an ongoing battle to ensure that (Overheard by our sax‐playing August 21, 2011 (8:30–11 PM at Gregory’s Res‐ jazz survives and maintains its status as taurant) The Suzzette Ortiz Latin Jazz Quartet seagull) “America’s greatest contribution to the world.” September 18, 2011 (8:30–11 PM at Gregory’s
For this summer’s issue of the newsletter, we Restaurant) The Tony Day/Teddy Royal Quar‐ focus on the jazz artists, that elite group Tony tet Bennett holds in such high esteem. How about a pictorial overview of the mini‐jazz Woodstock that took place this past March in Somers Listen and Learn Point? The beautiful photographs taken by pho‐ Education series sponsored by Somers Point tographer and drummer Tom Angello capture Jazz Society and Ocean City Free Public Li‐ artistry in action. Check out the smile on Ignacio brary: Berroa’s face! Then read about pianist Suzzette Sunday July 17th, 2011 at 2pm Ortiz’s trip to New Orleans with her students The Music of The Blue Note Years with The and how she juggles her day job as an educator Hassan Abdullah Quintet. with her night job as a performing musician. Sunday July 24th, 2011 at 2pm Then read on as Paul Jost describes the feeling The Music of Art Blakey with The Eddie Mor‐ of being in “the zone.” If you were there for the gan Quintet Thursday night birthday bash at Sandi Pointe, you saw Paul deep in the zone and he took Sunday July 31st 2011 at 2pm The Music Of saxophonist Mary Lou Newnam out there with Dave Brubeck with The Michael Pedicin Quar‐ him. Rounding out this summer issue is an in‐ tet depth profile of one of our area’s musical treas‐ Get there early because the last series was ures, drummer/band leader Tony Day. You can usually SRO! Page 2 Quarter Notes Cape Bank Jazz @ the Point 2011
The pictures that follow were taken during the Cape Bank Jazz @ the Point 2011 festival this past March by professional pho‐ tographer, jazz drummer, and Somers Point Jazz Society board member Tom Angello. Tom brings the knowledge of jazz and rhythm and also the photographic artistry to capture a musical moment and create a visual statement. Tom will be behind the drum kit this summer on Thursday nights during the “Tim Lekan and Friends” series at Sandi Pointe.
Michael Pedicin (foreground) Michael Moore (background)
Edgardo Cintron
Orrin Evans Joe Magnarelli (left), Ralph Bowen (right) Continued next page Page 3 Quarter Notes
Ignacio Berroa Richie Goods
Yotam Silberstein
Eric Alexander
Joanna Pascale
Larry McKenna Continued next page Page 4 Quarter Notes Suzzette Ortiz: Night and Day By Jim Bonar Some of us know Suzzette Ortiz as the virtuoso piano cornerstone of the Karen Rodriguez Latin Jazz Ensemble. Some of us remember hearing the beautiful composi‐ tions she played with her quartet and also Theo Primas’ group Mysterious Traveler at Chicken Bone Beach concerts. Or we heard her rousing piano with the Latin jazz fusion supergroup Ella y Amigos years ago. But did you know Suzzette is also an extremely dedicated and award winning (including Wal‐Mart Teacher of the Year 2007) educa‐ tor and choral director at Creative Arts Suzzette Ortiz High School in Camden? Not unlike risky musical improvisation at fast tempos is the delicate balance of a combination of knowl‐ edge, energy, and passion required to keep is so important to the development of jazz, scholarship as a result of his audition dur‐ these two careers thriving. as well as to our nation’s history, and with ing the visit. ” the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, our na‐ Suzzette Ortiz, educator, believes that What a great story, set in the city that tional debate about who we are right now. travel is an important part of her students’ many of us in the jazz community hold so This account of the trip on the Creative overall development, so she works hard to close to our hearts. When I read about it, I Arts High School Web site describes this arrange opportunities to bring them all was filled with admiration for the people once in a lifetime educational experience: over the world. In 2003 and 2004, she took who could put something like that to‐ “The students marched through the French a group of students to participate in Ve‐ gether. Suzzette recently reflected on the Quarter, celebrating the official naming of rona, Italy's international vocal competi‐ path she has chosen: Congo Square, visited the famous Treme tion. 2005 included a trip to at the Heritage district, paraded to Jackson Square and “People ask me ‘how can you manage to Festival in San Juan, Puerto Rico and 2006 finished with a mouthful of Café du keep a day gig and a night gig?’ Simple‐‐I a performance tour of Ghana, West Africa. Monde's famous beignets. From a histori‐ have to pay my mortgage! However, after This year, as part of the Creative Arts High cal standpoint the students visited places 25 years of teaching vocal music I have School Music Department, Suzzette trav‐ that were affected by Dr. Martin Luther found that my day gig not only pays my eled with her students to New Orleans to King Jr., Rosa Parks, Louis Armstrong, as bills but it also enriches my spirit. Yes, at participate in the 2011 Heritage Festival at well as Hurricane Katrina. One chilling mo‐ times it is very difficult. Working with the University of New Orleans. The stu‐ ment was a visit to the Katrina Memorial in teens is no piece of candy. The truth is dents competed with national and interna‐ the Lower 9th Ward. Our students turned that not only do I love them, I love to see tional high school students and won 19 the hollow tubes of the memorial into an what happens after hard work. My day gig awards. Because Creative Arts High School instrument whose sound resembled an helps me be a better performer.” students won the highest number of African Balaphone and emanated a beauti‐ awards and earned the highest scores in a Suzzette Ortiz’s visit to Somers Point Sun‐ ful sound that rang out through the single school, the Heritage Festival day evening August 21 as part of the Blue neighborhood. Our students had a mini‐ awarded the school the Sweepstakes Tro‐ Moon Brewery Summer Jazz Series at college tour and visited the University of phy. Gregory’s will be a chance to see and hear New Orleans and the Alabama State Uni‐ not only a brilliant jazz pianist and com‐ Suzzette and the other music department versity campuses where one of our stu‐ poser, but also one of the beautiful peo‐ group directors on the trip took full advan‐ dent was awarded an additional $5,000.00 ple on the jazz scene in New Jersey today. tage of the opportunity to visit the city that Page 5 Quarter Notes Sittin’ In
By Paul Jost cloth. And while there are many paths When creating, there’s often an inspired available to us, I’ve experienced no better moment that clicks in as though a door course toward peace or a unified feeling of opens onto a place filled with endless pos‐ love, connectedness, appreciation, humility sibilities, all somehow within reach. and gratitude, than when creating within There’s a smoother more flowing gear of an unencumbered art; not ego‐less, but focus as time flexes, expanding and con‐ also not ego driven; an art that embraces tracting in such a way that minutes and the perfect combination which supports hours seem indistinguishable. both the individual and the whole; art as an organic, flowing force of nature. I remember this feeling first as a young Paul Jost man while deep in practice. One time in experiences, team sports like basketball particular though, I experienced an unshak‐ and baseball each display examples of col‐ able sense that I was part of a kind of laborative effort, though I think the collec‐ stream. Maybe I had stumbled into a sort tive team concept might best be experi‐ Jazz Birthdays of self hypnotic state, but I felt certain I enced as an offensive lineman in foot‐ was at the very same stream visited by ball. I've had the pleasure to co‐write com‐ great artists and humanitarians throughout positions with a gifted musician, John June: time. No doubt they had learned (and Scully, (an All American at Notre Dame, 9 Kenny Barron, piano (1943) earned) many more avenues of accessibil‐ who went on to be an outstanding offen‐ ity to this stream than I, but in that mo‐ sive lineman for the Atlanta Falcons). He 9 Tim Lekan, bass (195?) ment I understood that we all drank from described an offensive line in much the 12 Chick Corea, piano (1941) the same source, and that we all had the same way we might describe an ensem‐ 30 Stanley Clarke, bass (1951) potential to travel similar pathways. ble. Above all, there needs to be a kind of I came to know “the zone" regularly while sensitivity, an unspoken meeting of the creating alone, but the joy and exhilaration minds. And it’s only after a substantial July: was magnified when successfully creating period of time working together in a cohe‐ 2 Ahmad Jamal, piano (1930) with others. But it's not always easy to sive group that linemen become more in‐ create a meaningful piece of work with tuitively able to sense and respond to the 5 Vince Ector, drums (1965) more than one artist, each with their own movements and patterns of their team‐ 7 Joe Zawinul, piano (1932) brush, their own color and the need to ex‐ mates and function as a unit. It's only then 29 Michael Pedicin, Jr., sax (1947) press their unique imprint, all the while that chemistry develops, (and just as in supporting a collective vision. And even in music), this result doesn't happen auto‐ 31 Kenny Burrell, guitar (1931) the hands of the most gifted artists, this matically, or by simply throwing the "most 31 Stanley Jordan, guitar (1959) collective effort won’t succeed unless talented" group together. there is a selfless giving to the whole. This isn’t to suggest however, that this is a Whether through sports, the arts, or count‐ August weak, leaderless or meandering journey, less other professions and occupations we 6 Charlie Haden, bass (1937) but rather an instinctive and shared per‐ engage in, the awareness of our shared ception that guides the way. journey is powerful and addictive once 9 Jack DeJohnette, drums (1942) experienced. It’s a nourishing and desired As a drummer in a rhythm section, I began addiction though, because within those 25 Wayne Shorter, sax (1933) to understand this idea of a collective con‐ moments of collective “knowing”, our 26 Branford Marsalis, sax (1960) sciousness while learning and appreciating bonding is instantly recognizable without 28 Joe Breidenstine, trumpet (19??) the responsibilities of supporting music, need for clarification, definition or judg‐ (whether for each other, a soloist, vocalist, ment, and sets us together on common 31 Paul Jost ,vocalist, drums (1952) or a big band). I also recognized this ground or toward a common goal. "team" principle to be true as an athlete as well. While individual sports such as golf It’s accepted that we share the same DNA, and tennis can be singular Zen‐like that we are all related and cut of the same Page 6 Quarter Notes Keepers of the Flame
By Jim Bonar ing live music there. Whenever I see Tony and the Platters’ loss has certainly been our Day and ask him what’s new, he’ll smile in a gain. “Keepers of the Flame” is a column dedicated way that only people from southern Califor‐ to all of the working jazz artists who play nia can, and tell me that he’s “trying to keep Tony Day’s versatility, musical training, and regularly in New Jersey and keep the jazz it going.” It is an expressive smile that sug‐ professionalism has allowed him to work in flame burning for those of us who love this gests both weariness and great joy, part many musical genres and to build a large music. We visit with some of the best musi‐ “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” yes, but also show‐ network of musicians who call on him and cians out there today and give you a chance ing absolute love of playing music, most on whom he can call for any given engage‐ to meet them if you haven’t yet, or think often jazz, but other kinds of music too. ment. Just a few of the great jazz musicians about them if you haven’t for awhile. To me, I have come to know by going to see Tony “Keepers of the Flame” describes the deep Tony Day began playing drums profession‐ are Dan Kostelnik, Greg Lewis, Kyle Kohler, pride these artists feel to be a part of the jazz ally at the age of 15 with groups in Los Ange‐ and Rich Budessa on organ; “Twig” Smith, tradition. les, where he grew up. After high school, he Bob Devos, and Teddy Royal on guitar; auditioned and was accepted into the U.S. Jesse Andruss, Ralph Bowen, and Larry It seemed appropri‐ Military School of Music at the Naval Am‐ Unthank on sax, and Will Clark on trom‐ ate that we should phibious Base in Norfolk VA, which trained bone. Tony Day will often call this revolving call on drummer/ musicians in the navy, the marines, and the collective group of all star musicians the bandleader Tony Day army, and he completed a three year tour of Across the Globe Orchestra. Though they to visit us for the duty with the U.S. Army Band. He went on do not usually number many, this orchestra summer edition of to attend Mt. San Antonio and Cal Poly is always a big band in terms of talent, am‐ this newsletter. For Pomona colleges, majoring in percussion bition, and variety. Like Basie, Ellington, jazz fans like myself, and music history. After college, Tony led and Diz when he had his large orchestra, watching Tony pre‐ the life of a young professional musician, Tony will sometimes include a singer to side over a swinging following opportunity wherever it led him: come up and do a few ballads or blues to jazz group outside, Las Vegas, the Atlanta Pops Orchestra, na‐ change the pace. Often this is Tim Norman, beneath summer tional and international tours, and eventu‐ a man with a big and beautiful voice. Tony Day sunshine or summer ally Atlantic City and the thriving casino moonlight, has be‐ lounge scene. We are extremely fortunate to have Tony come part of what summer is all about in the Day play at Somers Point Jazz Society Atlantic City area. It is a pleasure that just How Tony ended up in Atlantic City is a fasci‐ events usually several times a year. This will feels good, like fishing or going to a baseball nating story. He toured with the Platters, be another very good year, with Tony play‐ game or walking on the boardwalk. The music one of the biggest‐selling vocal groups of ing behind trombonist Will Clark during this of Tony Day is an extension of Tony Day him‐ the 1950’s, for four or five years during the past Cape Bank Jazz@thePoint festival, self. Furious power and energy, grace and early 1980’s when then group was on the Tony’s appearance during the JazzBridge gentleness, looking forward musically, but oldies‐but‐goodies circuit. The Platters, fea‐ Benefit in May (where he brought alto sax also looking back, to create a world where turing the operatic lead voice of Tony Wil‐ man Duane Davis, who raised quite a few jazz is relevant, where jazz is celebration, liams, were one of the first black singing eyebrows with his swinging attack), and where grown folks from all walks of life who groups to “cross over” and top the pop the upcoming summer series event with a have as our friend and WRTI radio host Bob charts with songs like “Only You”, “The group co‐led by the unique guitarist Teddy Perkins (BP) might say “a few miles on their Great Pretender,” “The Magic Touch,” and Royal on September 18. But also look for odometer” can gather and nod their heads in many others. A second iteration of the Plat‐ Tony Day’s frequent gigs in Atlantic City. He recognition and lose themselves in a beautiful ters formed in the mid‐1960’s with new per‐ appears there often in concerts sponsored jazz groove for an hour or two. And the sonnel and had two boss soul hits with by the Atlantic City Public Library, the young people, we can only hope, feel the “With This Ring” and “I Love You 1000 Noyes Museum, the City of Atlantic City, infinite variety of rhythms emanating from Times.” Tony told me that he toured with and the Atlantic City Art Museum. Tony has the drums of Tony Day and witness his light‐ the Platters year round, and each year they a long‐standing relationship with the ning quick musical interaction with the group would play three two‐week engagements in Chicken Bone Beach Historical Foundation, of master jazz musicians he always assem‐ Atlantic City. In 1984, Tony was playing with appearing most summers at one of the bles. The fact that we can hear Tony Day and the Platters in the showroom at the Claridge Thursday night concerts on the AC Board‐ his band work out on Cannonball Adderly’s and whenever he had free time he would go walk and at the Chelsea Hotel events when “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” (written by Joe Zaw‐ out to the lounge, where George Mester‐ the weather turns cold. He has also ap‐ inul of course) in a park or in a plaza or on the hazy was playing solo piano. Tony dug what peared frequently down in Cape May, with boardwalk in Atlantic City in 2011 is almost a George was doing and they used to talk. extended runs at some of the venues down beautiful miracle considering Atlantic City’s Tony was telling George that he was think‐ there and also as a participant in the Cape important place in jazz history and jazz’s cur‐ ing of coming off the road and George en‐ May Jazz Festival. rent struggle to generate enough profit to couraged Tony to settle in Atlantic City, register with the people in control of present‐ where at the time there was plenty of work for musicians. So in 1986, Tony did just that, Continued next page Page 7 Quarter Notes
Tony also looks forward to opportunities to father Ike (and played conga drums that play classical music with the South Jersey night, as he’ll sometimes do now!), tenor Wind Ensemble. That brings to my mind the saxophonist Hassan Abdullah (who often afternoon in April 2008, at the Atlantic City appears in both Somers Point and Atlantic Art Museum, when trumpeter Brenda Bass City), and…you guessed it, Tony Day on came by to sit in with Tony’s group. Brenda drums, who was quoted as saying "This is and Tony talked offstage for a minute and my outlet." The more things I heard and came back and did a beautiful duet 3 part learned, the more I began to realize that classical concerto. The painting‐filled gallery Tony, as well as all of the musicians men‐ was an appropriate visual background. After tioned above are really the link between a surprised and delighted audience ap‐ the historic jazz scene in Atlantic City plauded the impromptu musical journey, (Kentucky Avenue, Club Harlem, Grace’s Tony and Brenda resumed their swinging Little Belmont, the Wonder Gardens etc.) jazz set with the rest of the group. and the present time.
The fact that Tony Day has been playing jazz Tony Day and I are about the same age. He in Atlantic City for a couple of decades now grew up on the west coast in LA and I grew is something that I came to know little by up on the east coast in New York. My fa‐ little. In some ways, this 21st century is de‐ ther was a historian who loved jazz and fined by access to instant information, but in passed that love on to me, as well as a pas‐ the jazz world sometimes immersion and sion for studying the past and connecting time are the only pathways to knowledge. the dots. As you will read in the interview During one of Tony’s gigs at the Chelsea at the end of this column, Tony’s father hotel last year I ran into organist Dan Fogel also filled their home with the sounds of and he told me that he used to play with jazz. Tony Day as a jazz musician and an Tony Day (courtesy of Sue Ayres) Tony Day way back in the day. Then I lis‐ artist is very much focused on the here and Tony: The first records that turned me on tened with rapt attention when trumpeter now and “trying to keep it going.” For both to jazz were records that my dad would Eddie Morgan talked during the Somers of us, in different ways, jazz is an integral play on an old hi‐fi stereo set. Some of the Point Jazz Society’s night to honor the late part of life. The very first live jazz concert I artists were Lee Morgan, Jimmy Smith, Art pianist Johnny Andrews. Eddie reminisced attended after moving down to the Jersey Blakey, and Sarah Vaughan‐‐this was proba‐ about playing in a trio with Johnny and Tony Shore was Tony Day’s annual appearance bly during the time I was in the 6th grade. I Day on drums. Then soon after, I ran into my at the Noyes Museum February 26, 2005. I was blessed and fortunate that my dad also friend Harold, a jazz fan from way back and saved the program and it is the first page in played a lot of blues on that old stereo set, someone who has an endless supply of in‐ my live jazz scrapbook. The late Charles especially music by B.B. King and teresting jazz stories going back to the Fambrough was playing bass, and I knew Bobby "Blue" Bland. Just hearing that mu‐ 1950’s. He had spent that day at the jam him from the Art Blakey group with Wyn‐ sic gave me a sense of soul, groove, feel session in honor of Johnny Andrews at the ton Marsalis. Lolita Treadwell was singing and history, even before I decided to be‐ Flying Cloud Café. Harold said he first met and both my son and I admired her vocal came a musician, and so many of the great Johnny soon after moving to this area from phrasing, beauty, and talent. The presenta‐ jazz musicians of the 20th century were Washington D.C., and that Johnny was play‐ tion opened with the spiritual “Lift Every blues‐based (jazz kind of came out of the ing in a group with tenor sax man Pete Voice and Sing,” incorporated recited po‐ blues), people like Charlie Parker, John Chavez and Tony Day at Rosa's Southern etry and African‐American history by Joann Coltrane, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Dining, a neighborhood restaurant on New Peoples, and wonderful food by Chef Har‐ Count Basie, the list goes on and on, so York Avenue in AC. (Tony later told me that vey Dawson. I had never sat so close to now as a musician, I feel like I'm a part of Rosa's Southern Dining was formerly known witness jazz musicians perform before, and that great legacy. as Simply Elegant and during that time it I now believe that concert helped move my was owned by percussionist Bob Bostick.) life in another direction. So, yes, it is always Jim: What was the first record you ever Tony also played jazz during this period at a a good feeling to see Tony, sitting in be‐ bought or owned? place called the Blue Light on New York tween all of those cymbals, celebrating Avenue and in the lounge at the Flagship another opportunity to play the music we Tony: If my memory is correct, the very Hotel on Maine Avenue in the Inlet section. both love. first album I ever bought was Freddie Hub‐ As I prepared for this column I ran across a bard's Red Clay. I was 16 years old! I was a I talked with Tony on the phone and by e‐ column from the Philadelphia Inquirer dated sophomore in Compton and was in the mail recently to put together the following February 3, 1993 that described the an all‐ high school band with a senior named interview. night jazz session at Ike's Corner (Tennessee Dathan, who was the band’s star trumpet and Arctic Avenue in AC). The article, a pre‐ player. He was into Art Blakey and Freddy cious time capsule, mentions three people Hubbard and he used to tell us about the who are still central to the Atlantic City jazz Jim: What were the first records that new records coming out. He told me about scene: Chicken Bone Beach Musical Director turned you on to jazz? Red Clay. Nick Nicholson, who ran the bar with his Continued next page Page 8 Quarter Notes
Jim: What are you listening to this week? Many thanks to Tony Day for taking time out of his very busy schedule to share his Tony: The two records I am listening this thoughts with us. I encourage you all to week are: Michael Brecker's last record be‐ reflect on Tony’s great contribution to jazz fore his untimely death (Pilgrimage) and the in this area. Come on out to Gregory’s Sep‐ Chick Corea Elektric Band. tember 18 and listen to a style of jazz rooted in the blues and gospel, as made popular by The Mike Brecker record is a musician's de‐ the soulful organ/sax combos of the 1960’s. light because it features world class players like Herbie Hancock, Jack DeJohnette, and John Scofield‐‐this record is a textbook ex‐ ample of advanced jazz harmony and composition. I really like the Chick Corea Elektric Band album because the music has kind of a fun, grooving feel and one of my favorite drummers (Dave Weckl) played on all the drum tracks and co‐produced the album.
Jim: Do you have any upcoming projects or gigs you want to tell us about?
Tony: I have two upcoming gigs that I am really excited about. The first one is the Chicken Bone Beach summer jazz concerts at Kennedy Plaza on Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 7pm. I will be opening for guitarist Mon‐ nette Sudler's group. The music I will be presenting is basically standards made popu‐ lar in the Hammond jazz organ genre. The band will be organist Dan Kostelnik, guitarist Teddy Royal, Monchunco on percussion, and I will also be featuring the strong and fear‐ less trumpet playing of Winston Byrd. He has been living and playing in my home town Los Angeles and making a name for himself in that city by playing some high profile gigs in the studios and on concerts and television shows. I think it's going to be interesting and exciting to hear him in a jazz quartet setting with the Hammond or‐ gan. The second one is on September 18 at Gregory’s for the Somers Point Jazz Society summer jazz series. That will be a quartet with Teddy, Dan, and Duane Davis. I met Duane on a gig with organist Rich Budessa and we played at the JazzBridge benefit and also at Gardner’s Basin as part of the Atlan‐ tic City outdoor summer concert series.
I’m also in the process of completing my CD. I'm producing and financing it myself, so it's taking a little longer than expected. I have some great tracks already finished that fea‐ ture Ralph Bowen, Bob Devos, and the next great Hammond organ player, Pat Bianchi. I am considering releasing these tracks as a CD sampler, because everyone's playing is at such a high level. They basically came in and killed the session!