1/4/09

A new year, and some new gigs to look forward to! The first happens every Thursday at Pops For Champagne from 9-12. “The American Songbook Series” will feature myself, along with bassist Joe Policastro, accompanying a different Chicago area jazz vocalist each week. The lineup of singers gets me psyched-in January we have Paul Marinaro, Kimberly Gordon, Mark Pompe and Petra van Nuis. In February we have Andrew Distel, Rose Collela, Elaine Dame and Jeannie Lambert. Please join us and help this series get off to a good start.

Also, Braxton’s Seafood Grill in Oakbrook is starting their live jazz policy back up. I’m there many Fridays and Saturdays, with the Petra van Nuis trio as well as with my own trio. The music is from 7:30-10:30, and the seafood is delicious!

12/12/08

I recently got a tiny camcorder and it’s pretty cool. It’s about the size of a cell phone and it has been a lot of fun to video tape some gigs. I’ve been going YouTube crazy posting clips from different performances. You can see them on the site at the VIDEO page.

I also have a new LISTEN page where I’m posting songs from recent gigs and musician get-togethers. Check out the latest from a fun gig at Philanders with Gypsy Jazz guitarist Alfonso Ponticelli and his band Swing Gitan.

Some fun gigs coming up in December: -Wednesday the 17th “Moon and Night” themed show at Katerina’s with Petra van Nuis
-Sunday the 21st Jazz Vespers Holiday concert with Petra, Joe Policastro and Bob Rummage
-December 26th and 27th The Blue Wisp Jazz Club in Cincinnati with Petra, Joe, and drummer Jim Leslie
-December 31st New Years with Kimberly Gordon Organ Quartet at Shaw’s Crab House

Also, I just got a nice review of my CD “Trio And Solo” in the British jazz magazine Jazz Journal International. This is my favorite jazz periodical and I was psyched they dug the CD.

11/25/08

Hello friends. In an effort to keep my website evolving, as well as find a chance to write in the first person as opposed to the strange third person that pervades the rest of this site, I've added this "News" page.

I've been enjoying two nice runs at Andy's Jazz Club. Thursdays at 5-8:30 are with Russ Phillips, Bradley Williams and Stewart Miller. These guys are all superb melodists, and continually inspiring. Mondays from 5-8:30 I'm there with my own group, featuring Art Davis on trumpet, Joe Policastro on bass and Bob Rummage on drums. This group has been doing some fun tunes by composers like Wes Montgomery, John Coates Jr., Johnny Mandel, as well as Tal Farlow's arrangement of "Fascinating Rhythm." The good times continue through December, so come down and hang with us.