Why LA club owners are totally lost and some advice for them from a professional musician.
As I’ve been looking for gigs lately, I’ve never seen so many free and low paying gigs. Well the economy is bad, so I can understand that a little bit. However, it is no longer good enough for the musician to be willing to perform for little compensation. Now we are expected to also be the venue’s promoter. The expectations are that the band will not only provide great music, but also bring lots of people to their venue. It is now the band’s responsibility to make this happen, not the club owner.
Just the other day I was told by someone who owned a wine bar that they really liked our music and would love for us to play at their place. She then told me the gig paid $75 for a trio. Now $75 used to be bad money per person, let alone $75 for the whole band. It had to be a joke, right? No she was serious. But it didn’t end there. She then informed us we had to bring 25 people minimum. Didn’t even offer us extra money if we brought 25 people. I would have laughed other than it’s not the first time I’ve gotten this proposal from club owners. But are there musicians really doing this? Yes. They are so desperate to play, they will do anything. But lets think about this for a second and turn this around a little bit.
What if I told the wine bar owner that I have a great band and we are going to play at my house. I need someone to provide and pour wine while we play. I can’t pay much, just $75 and you must bring at least 25 people who are willing to pay a $10 cover charge at the door. Now wouldn’t they look at you like you are crazy? “Why would I do that” they would ask? Well because it’s great exposure for you and your wine bar. The people there would see how well you pour wine and see how good your wine is. Then they would come out to your wine bar sometime. “But I brought all the people myself, I already know them?” they would say. Well maybe you could make up some professional looking flyers, pass them out, and get people you don’t know to come on out. “But you are only paying me $75, How can I afford to make up flyers?”
You see how absurd this sounds, but musicians do this all the time. If they didn’t, then the club owners wouldn’t even think of asking us to do it. So this sounds like a great deal for the club owners doesn’t it. They get a band and customers for that night, and have to pay very little if anything. But what they don’t realize is that this is NOT in their best interest.
Running a restaurant, a club, a bar, is really hard. There is a lot at stake for the owner. You are trying to get loyal customers that will return because you are offering them something special. If you want great food, you hire a great chef. If you want great décor, you hire a great interior decorator. You expect these professionals to do their best at what you are hiring them to do. It needs to be the same with the band. You hire a great band and should expect great music. That should be the end of your expectations for the musicians. The music is another product for the venue to offer, no different from food or beverages.
When a venue opens it’s doors, it has to market itself. The club owner can’t expect people to just walk in the door. This has to be handled in a professional way. Do you really want to leave something so important up to a musician? This is where the club owner needs to take over. It is their success or their failure on the line, not the musician. The musician can just move on to another venue. I’ve played places where for whatever reason only a few people have walked in the door on a Saturday night. The club owner got mad at me, asking where are the people? I turned it around on him asking the same thing? Where are all the people? It’s Saturday night and your venue is empty. Doesn’t that concern you? What are you going to do about it? Usually their answer is to find another band with a larger following. This means the professional bands get run out of the joint in favor of whoever can bring in the most people.
Eddie Mechanic who has slaved all week fixing cars at the local dealership also plays guitar. Not very well, but he’s been practicing once a week with Doctor Drummer, Banker Bass Player, and Salesman Singer. Usually they just drink beer between rehearsing a few tunes in Eddie’s garage, but this week they answer a craigslist ad and line up a big gig. Well they don’t sound that good, but they sure all work with a lot of people everyday. All these people can be given a flyer on Monday and after being asked “are you coming to my gig?” everyday all week, will most likely show up on Saturday night. So mission accomplished, the club owner has packed his venue for one night.
But here’s where the club owner doesn’t get it. The crowd is following the band, not the venue. The next night you will have to start all over again. And the people that were starting to follow your venue, are now turned off because you just made them listen to a bad band. The goal should be to build a fan base of the venue. To get people that will trust that you will have good music in there every night. Instead you’ve soiled your reputation for a quick fix.
I think we as musicians need to fight back. Sure you can get mad about it, but that won’t do anything. We could all agree not to play those for the door gigs, but you know that isn’t going to happen. But what we can do, is explain to the club owner that it’s not in their best interest to operate their business like this. There is too much at stake for them not to be truly invested in the music presented in their venue. Convince them that if they think that live music is important to the demographic that they are trying to reach, then they need to reach out to that demographic in a professional way.
If you asked a club owner, “who is your target demographic?” I doubt they would answer “the band’s friends and family.” But yet clubs operate like it is. Another example, I answered a craigslist ad for a nice looking place in Beverly Hills. The ad read…”looking for a high energy jazz band, if you can bring the band and have a following, I will put you on stage.” That logic seams to say that they think musicians in a jazz band know lots of people living in Beverly Hills. And the people those musicians know, have lots of money to spend. Those are two pretty big assumptions. Good luck finding that combination. Even if you find that combination, are you going to find it every night? Because friends and family of a professional musician won’t come out that often. They can’t. This is what we do every night. Would you expect the chef’s friends and family to eat at your restaurant every night? How about the dishwasher, the waitresses, the hostess? Or how about the club owners friends and family? You see, when you start turning this argument around, it becomes silly.
I’ve started arguing with club owners about this. It happened after I played a great night of music in LA. We were playing for a % of the bar. There were about 50 people there in this small venue, so it was a good turnout. At the end of the night, I go to get paid, and hope to book another gig. The club owner was angry. “Where are your people?” he asked. “All these people, I brought in. We had a speed dating event and they are all left over from that.” I pointed out they all stayed and listened to the music for 2 hours after their event ended. That was 2 more hours of bar sales, because without us, you have an empty room with nothing going on. He just couldn’t get over the fact that we didn’t walk in with our own entourage of fans. Wasn’t happy that we kept a full room spending money. Right when we were talking, a group of people interrupted us and said “you guys sound great, when is the next time you’re playing here again?” The club owner, said “they aren’t, they didn’t bring anyone.”
I went home that night bummed out and sent him an email. Telling him most of what you are reading here and how his business model and thinking is flawed. After a lot of swearing back and forth, because I’m guessing that musicians never talk to him as a business equal. He eventually admitted that what I was saying made sense. BUT, that’s not how LA clubs and restaurants work. And he has bands answering his craigslist ads willing to do whatever it takes to get the gig. It’s been a couple of years now since that conversation. I called his bar, and the number is disconnected.
So there you go LA club and restaurant owners. The advice is free. But you’ll most likely ignore it because “That’s not how it works”. But if more musicians kept telling them the same thing, perhaps it would start to sink in.
I keep seeing this post circulating on facebook, its going "viral" and yes its worth reading...
Well if your a musician you cannot help feel something strong when you read it. The fact that it begins by focusing on the financial aspect of our life as musicians it is very real but sounds kind of cold - the thing that brings it home is the closing statement; "musicians are musicians because of the love of music" And this is so true. We love it so much and it becomes our life blood. Many of my facebook friends and colleagues chimed in saying "Happy Musician's Day" ...there continues to be post after post of comments and heartfelt testaments of the life and dedication and thankfulness of musicians throughout. I was touched by the idea or fact of a day for musicians and wish them the same but at first, rather than look into it, reality strikes and I just had to run off to a gig or work on promoting or finding another gig! Indeed I love the idea of a universal day that celebrates the musician but unfortunately upon investigation, apparently there is no officially recognized "Musician's Day" nationally or internationally. But that doesnt stop anyone from posting, re-posting and wishing everyone a happy musicians day!
One thing I did find out about was Saint Cecilia and there are celebrations in her honor and musician's honor. Apparently like the musicians who kept playing on the Titanic she sang to god as she was executed and is remembered as the patron saint of musicians.
Well for me, all of this is only the tip of the iceberg, because it triggers so many stories I could personally tell about the theatrical, crazy, comedy and ironic life of being a full time musician. Musicians stories as you well know, indeed are colorful and have become the subject of cinema, theater and some really fantastic yarns to weave - my own are no less than epic and quite endless and worth telling. Ask me sometime about the life of Samba musicians in Spain during carnival. Or ask me about how many gigs or colleagues I have completely lost or lost touch with simply because I got sick and could not make it to the gig no way no how. Ask me about the ever changing music business that as soon as you learn it, it changes and all you learned doesn't apply anymore. Ask me about aging as a musician and after so much hard work seeing younger musicians take all the work in one clean sweep or watching older heroes with brilliant musical mastery working in the most awful conditions. Ask me about the hours I put in compared to the corresponding monetary compensation. Ask me about my aging guitars with the care needed to keep them in shape and all the money I spend on equipment or how after a decade you need new equipment to keep up with technology and demands of new genres... Its really an endless tale of unbelievable ironies, fantastic ups and downs, dreamlike moments, serious struggles and I could go on and on with stories that are all worthy of being told to any audience musician or not.
And what can a musician do, give up when times are hard after dedicating your whole life to it? I really don't have another skill so highly developed now as this one to fall back on. For me there is no giving up even though the thought may cross my mind on some days and sometimes many days in a row. So yeah, now I would love to go on and on but I need to prepare for tonight's gig with Cabo Verde Cretcheu in Pasadena at Plate38... So happy musicians day (November 22nd or lets just say everyday) to all of us who are courageous enough to try and make this gift of magical sonic insanity our lifes career.
Mitchell
PS: Isn't it funny that today as I write this I am fighting a cold and really should stay in and not sing with a soar throat tonight but because the symptoms are mild enough, that doesn't even cross my mind for a second except to write here in irony - I have to go to work to keep the gig going with the promoter and venue, to get my meager pay and well because I love it! I love it so much it gets me through it all.
I am blessed! Last night I shared the stage at Vitello's with Rique Pantoja and friends. A wonderful opportunity to play with a group of inspired and true music monsters. Rique Pantoja, Ernie Watts, Alex Acuna and Abraham Laboriel. Of course they need no introduction to any fan of music, student of jazz, Latin, Brazilian, Pop or really any other style of music. These guys have not only dedicated their lives to their craft but they have in many ways shaped music around the world with their vast contributions in all music genres, recordings, concerts and or film soundtracks etc. I would like to introduce you to them a little, review their impact on me, share some of the experience and what I got from it. And speaking of being blessed, their faith is an inspiration to me. Hallelujah!
Rique Pantoja. First of all for over twenty years now I have admired Rique for his compositions, fierce talent as a pianist, improviser and obvious dedication to the craft. I must salute his hard work as a leader - making sure that everything is taken care of, no matter how hard he must work to achieve that. His compositions are well received and draw on many influences yet always include his own original brand of Brazilian jazz infused into each tune. Along with a stellar career working as musician and arranger with many Brazilian icons, many of his tunes have become "standards" of the Brazilian instrumental jazz repertoire recorded by and played by Chet Baker, Ernie Watts, Raphael Rabello, Romero Lumbambo, Helio Delmiro and others. Each tune tells a story which he presents well while giving the simple introduction or inspiration of the songs. Los Angeles is lucky to have such a great Brazilian jazz master. The fact that he has such a dear heart and caring personality just rounds out the experience of working with him perfectly. It has been wonderful to make music with him and because of Rique I have had the opportunity to play with musicians I never dreamed I would play with. (previous concerts with Rique also included musical giants like John Pena and Justo Almario) At times I question what I am doing there in the company of these "monsters" but I know that Rique not only welcomes my addition with open heart, he understands my love of Brazilian music, jazz and believes in me. It was a fun moment last night when someone from the audience came up and said to me; "now your a monster too" Hahaha, entao, obrigado Rique! It is really an honor to work with you and be your friend. I loved digging into his compositions over the past few weeks and as they linger in my soul the next day after our performance I find myself wanting to re-visit the music much more. I look forward to record with Rique and present some recordings someday of his compositions with my own guitar oriented touch.
Ernie Watts. A modern day John Coltrane but pure Ernie Watts. Normally I don't like to make comparisons or take away at all from each and every musicians unique voice but in fact Ernie talked a lot about Coltrane's influence on him and there is nothing wrong with John Coltrane as a mentor right? Ernie is a soft spoken, well educated and graceful man with a genuine musical soul. He comes 100% prepared to play - even in rehearsal. His invention, improvising and technique is enthralling and really beyond words. He can use many notes to express his message but yet he retains the subtleties and gut wrenching heartfelt storytelling and thematic development in his playing. It is impressive to hear someone use what I would call "a John Coltrane language" in such a musical way. There are many that play with this kind of music vocabulary but it often misses the truly musical mark and your soul is not stirred and left only impressed with the sheer technique. Ernie makes music, tells a story and emotes with dynamics - also a kind of lesson in the sheets of sound concept maybe. The same way that someone like BB King can tell a story with three notes that hits your soul - Ernie does it with incredible complexity, speed and harmonic movement all related to the tune or melodic framework of the composition being played. Ernie can stop me in my tracks, enthrall me and I am left in awe. There was some nice interplay last night but I hope one day to "trade fours" with him or play a duo to try and ride the musical wave of this giant one on one. Call me a thrill seeker but I welcome such mastery in my life with confidence and open arms. Thank you Ernie for sharing your genius, ideas and musical majesty! I recall a funny comment by Ernie's wife Patricia in rehearsal after everyone being in awe of his solo on a ballad or up tempo (paraphrasing) "Ernie just has one constant setting - he likes to burn"
Abraham Laboriel. The heart of this man is huge and he wears it on his sleeve and shares it completely with the whole room. I am so impressed with his musicality and technical wizardry but equally impressive is his friendly and sincere heart. Note: He remembered everything we spoke of once before when playing together over a year ago as if we just had the conversation. Here is a man who is transparent, not jiving anyone in any way, he is there with you and he is giving his Abraham Laboriel heart to you and listening with his blessed and humble soul. I admit I found myself saying in the past that this must be what has made him such a popular working musician and possibly the most recorded bassist in history. But no, it is not only his personality and grace, he is a virtuoso on his instrument of seemingly endless energy, fantastic originality, spontaneous invention and uncanny ability. He matches musically whatever power and energy he is fed. I had a little epiphany in sound check while I started playing a few choruses of Jobim's "Triste" with him and Alex. Abrahams groove and note choice in that little moment blew me away - such a delicate and deeply musical touch on each note and adding alternate tones without ever interfering with what I played. Genius is so clear and evident when it is revealed clearly in front of you. At one point during his solo on Rique's powerhouse and fast samba tune "Melancia" he starts playing flamenco tremolo technique weaving melodies and substitution harmonies through the changes effortlessly while the band is backing him up full throttle, I am sorry but that's just crazy! To end the night Abraham spoke on the mic to give his heartfelt thanks. Again wearing his heart on his sleeve with his emotional sincerity actually getting choked up as he thanked everyone in the band and audience for such an amazing night and how blessed we all were for it to come together.You just want to hug this man and his soul! Thank you Abraham! My wife Dilma who was so illuminated by the music in this concert and thrilled with everyone's performance, she even gave Abraham a new name: "Bass Tiger"
Alex Acuna. Well just to say his name for me is intense. There has been so much music that enthralled me completely in recordings where he is the rhythmic force of nature driving from top to bottom. I recall a recording of him doing a sort of Brazilian Batucada but with odd instruments and Cajon at the forefront that belied description or category except that it is a rhythmic freight train of super groove and sonic magic. I recall reveling in that recording every day and feeling that it was just pure rhythmic power. This is a good example of his genius. Alex has a unique and original rhythmic voice that is all his own. He is Peruvian but has embraced the world of rhythm, mastered it and developed his own sound. I found him obviously musically dedicated and apparently a very good sight reader in rehearsal as well but he adds the magical savant thing where it sounds like he is just making it up as he goes and discovering what he does as it happens. I tried to talk to him about it and he explained to me by calling it playfully yet serious; "open heart surgery" on the drums. That's indeed what he does, he just opens his heart and lays it all out on the drums. He is very funny guy with a childlike energy that makes him look like he is in his mid 30's but in fact he has been around longer than anyone in the group! He never lets go of that youthful energy, its always there discovering and inventing and enjoying but he also has the solid commanding presence and experience that comes with great musical wisdom. I sat close to him in the group and I had the audacity to play Brazilian agogo bell at one point along with him on a batucada, it was a thrill to really lock into and play along with that huge muscular groove of his. Thanks to Alex for the humor, high energy and musical mastery.
One thing for sure about all of these guys is that you cant put them in a box or specific genre of music. They all have such vast experience in so many styles, if you think you have them pegged they will immediately pull something out from a place outside that box you tried to put them in. Well that's a little about my experience and encounter with the music monsters! I must also thank the sold out crowd for both performances and Vitellos for hosting us.
Mitchell
PS: There is also a review of this concert posted in my web site reviews section.
OK, so what have a I been up these days? Take a peek, up close and personal. Its good, cant complain. Even though I would like to rant sometimes, I know I cannot. Things could be far worse. I have been through a lot to get where I am, so I feel proud and strong. Been kind of busy - sorry if I did not return your call. In June alone I count 27 gigs and over 10 rehearsals. Can you believe I still have trouble paying the bills? Well I do, haha, but no complaining, I love my job - its just that gigs seem to pay half what they used to and cost of living is higher than Charlie Sheen.
Here is a small selection of recent experiences and upcoming highlights:
SOLO FLIGHT: Working on steadily becoming a regular solo act at the Novel Cafe in Pasadena, next show is on July 29th. A true music cafe vibe where I can really be Mitchell Long the genre jumping guitarist singer percussionist who also writes his own songs. Please support this great venue.
GREATNESS: I did a session the recently with a fantastically talented Mexican "popera" (pop and opera) singer and a great engineer. I showed up, found the singers key and quickly arranged Perfidia for two guitars with a killer modulation, I tweeked the harmony a lot and this suave cat "Henrique" just sang it with so much voice I don't even know how to explain it! Shout out to my buddy Grecco Buratto for the recommendation. Music is an amazing job when all the planets align.
LO AND BEHOLD! I'm playing straight ahead jazz again on a regular basis here in LA. Like Jimmy Smith said: "jazz was, is and always will be, all the other bullshit is here today and gone tomorrow" Jazz is a kind of equalizer, you have to be lyrical, virtuosic and listen and react to spontaneous group improvisation over complex and rich harmonic progressions and rhythmic complexity. And when its played right, it doesn't matter if you like punk, classical or whatever, you will love it. I love it.
MUST SEE: Vitello's August 20th with Rique Pantoja, Ernie Watts, Abraham Laboriel and Alex Acuña. This will be a rare and sure to be an epic performance with some of the greatest musicians in the LA jazz scene. Have you listened to Ernie Watts lately? This guy is as heavy as anyone ever was on a saxophone. I'm just sayin'
BLESSED: My group "Cafe Atlantico" was featured for the third year in a row on July 21st at Descanso Gardens summer concerts in the park series. This year Enzo Todesco is out on tour and so we are blessed with the ready and able Aaron Serfaty, steadily becoming another one of my favorite cats in LA who is a true friend and massive talent. I go directly from Descanso Gardens to Skirball Perfoming Arts Cenetr to perform with the one and only Maria de Barros.
IN CONCERT AND TICO TIME: I just did a concert for the Jazz Society at SOHO in Santa Barbara which featured Brazilian Jazz, some of my original music and arrangements and a few of Rique Pantoja's tunes featuring Rique Pantoja on Piano, the amazing Jeff Elliot on keyboards and trumpet, Aaron Ray on drums and Randy Tico on bass! Speaking of Randy, I went to the Troubador and heard his set with Jeff Bridges. It was no novelty-actors-act, it was the real deal; deep music, lyrics, tone and performance. Quincy Jones introduced them and I had a great conversation trading ideas, anecdotes and experience with Jeff Bridges after the show. Randy Tico is a inspiration and becoming one of my favorite colleagues.
NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT: Freelance working continues with with powerhouse singer Sandra Booker, percussion legend Ritchie Garcia, LA's own Samba Society, always high performance Katia Moraes and or Sambaguru, the lyrical Robert Kyle, siren Carol Bach Y Rita and some really serious side-men. I am rehearsing with pianist Todd Hunter for an upcoming recording with Dave Robaire and Aaron Serfaty.
MAGIC HAPPENS: Every Thursday is magical and Casa Del Mar. With Jessica Vautor guiding the sonic ship we take inspired musical license and visit some truly blessed Brazilian, Jazz, French, Martinique and Cape Verdean musical magic in a really nice venue. Rhythm section include musical greats; Robert Perkins, Nick Rosen, Jimmy Branly, John Belzaguy, Michael Shapiro, Ian Martin, Leo Costa, Randy Tico, Joel Whitley, Matt Spencer, Rene Camacho and others. This is a must see residency gig.
THE LESSON: Giving back. I am giving more private lessons and also teaching the World Music Vocal Ensemble Workshop at LA Music Academy - 10 female singer/students and a rhythm section. It is very satisfying to be able to share what I have worked to hard to musically collect over the years with young and up and coming musicians.
LIFE STYLING: I went surfing and the waves were serious! It was 4 to 5' and point-breaking-right off the jagged and scary rocks at Leo Cabrillo. Nobody really knows me these days as a surfer and I can say my muscles definitely don't recognize me as surfer, but I got in the line-up and caught a few big set waves and stayed in the 63 degree water for a two hour session. Sometimes you just got to go for it. I am going for it and not giving up!
See you at the gig or maybe at the beach!
Mitchell
What is Jazz? It’s my life...
As early as 15 years old I was already writing about jazz and blues, discovering, listening to and being amazed by it avidly as evident in looking back in my high school journal circa 1977. My parents listened to Jazz and there are other auspicious early influences. But Indeed it took a while to wade through the popular music that I was exposed to in those earlier years - much of it great; BB King, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zepplin, The Beatles, Motown and Joni Mitchell but I never was too dedicated of a pop or rock player although it can resonate with me having grown up on it. So by 18-19 years old I had embraced jazz completely “woodshedding” night and day and listening intently to Bird, Coltrane, King Pleasure, Miles, Joe Pass, Wes and Peter Sprague among so many others. I even went to school for jazz some (Berklee and Naropa Institute) but I am more of a self-made and learn by doing musician.
Soon enough I was playing jazz gigs, making a living at it and discovering the whole culture and history. I started listening to and playing Brazilian music throughout this experience but Jazz was home base. Back in the day, most gigs you’d play three to five days a week and work with all kinds of combos and singers so the language and jazz lifestyle blossomed vibrantly. I say "lifestyle" because all my friends were either jazz musicians or people that loved jazz and we hung out, talked about it and went to places that had jazz and blues in the mix somehow. It is a direction in my life that defined me in myriad ways and also put me in closely touch with many of the greatest artistic riches, history and cultural diversity of my country. I can’t say any of this without a deep bow to all the African Americans who embraced and welcomed me and brought me up through this musical and life path.
Because of having children at an early age I eventually had to go out and work in the clubs, restaurants and wherever I could find work and soon I found myself not only playing jazz but also working with fusion, Brazilian, R&B, soul and blues bands to make more money. It was never bad music and I know my genre-jumping has enriched my interpretation of the jazz idiom. But with Brazilian music providing me so many gigs by the time I ended up again in Los Angeles in 2002 many years down the music road it was easier for me to break into the scene just gigging with Brazilian projects and as it turns out deep into Cape Verdean music. But whatever I've played over the years I always approached the music through my own sort of jazz prism which is kind of funny because in some cases one could never seem further from the other - but then again good music has a funny way of being all inclusive and connected at the same time. The biggest difference obviously is that a jazz player would never (hopefully never) play the same solos over and over. In fact in those groups where I was required to play the same solo or part I found myself always pushing the limit of the part in improvisational terms. The fact is I just can’t ever seem to shake my jazz roots, it’s who I am musically. This is really the reason for writing this “note”
I often have said that being stuck and pigeon-holed as a Brazilian music player/singer (some people even think I am from Brazil) is not really that bad, I mean, there are worse stigmas! But in the last 10 years playing only Brazilian music in Los Angeles was hurting my jazz heart. Actually this last decade being equally involved in Cape Verdean music, the Creoles have kept my musical and cultural path and discovery quite fresh and exciting. But still I longed to swing! So after talking bout it a lot with my wife, colleagues and even asking the universe, it slowly started happening and I began to get calls for “the guy who can play authentic Brazilian and some jazz too” Well lo and behold these past few weeks I find myself back on the block as 100% jazz musician. There are others to thank that gave me straight ahead gigs recently like one particularly hard swinging evening in Beverly Hills with vocalist Adam James, Greg Swiller on bass and drummer Billy Wysaske. But these last two weekends with Sandra Booker, Charles Ruggerio and various bass players sealed the deal. Thanks Sandra. You are the real deal, hard swinging, interplay with the musicians, a fearless inventive improviser and have the general musical excellence that I have always associated with jazz and being a jazz musician. I made it home, and home is indeed where the heart is. Not that I leave behind any other culture, music and life - as I said, I know my constant exploration enriches my interpretation of the jazz idiom but I feel like I am complete when I am with my people, my jazz people that have come to claim and define my life in this world as a man and musician.
Special thanks to friends and colleagues Larry Steen, Aaron Serfaty, Enzo Todesco, Jose Marino, Carol Bach y Rita, Robert Kyle, Rique Pantoja, Nick Mancini, Elizabeth Lammers, Gloria Calomee and others who have helped bring some straight ahead jazz back into my work these past few years. I love Cape Verde, Brazil, Africa and other world music genres but it’s so nice to be with jazz, blues and her many tributaries. Naturally with my own countries music I have a profound connection that can be elusive with World music no matter how deep I go into the culture and music.