No Justice

oooo I'm tilted right now. Just heard a musician told a comedian I work with from time to time, "You don't have to pay her big money ,she works for cheap" You better hope I don't find out who you are.. There's a big difference between Local Jazz club work where there's no cover charge and show and concert work. Every cat in the business and I mean every cat and I ain't droppin names, takes gigs at their local clubs and they don't always do it for the bread but to keep the chops up. Now you understand why It pays to stay home period? I have cut way back on "Local " gigs just for this reason. I'm between a rock and hard place not being a really big Marquee name that can take only the cream of the crop gigs .There is no justice or anyone that can be trusted in the music business or any business for that mater.. ooh I could just bite someone.

Lyman "Butch "Strong

The passing of yet another great musician. Lyman “Butch” Strong. I met Butch 15-20 years ago. He Played the B3 and we gigged at a black jazz club in Auburn NY. His ability on the organ was astounding. We became musical friends and then real friends over the years into his smooth jazz era where he gave up the Organ for a keyboard and did Orchestrations that Johnny Mandel would be envious of.
I often called Lyman for duo gigs. He was perfect for the small gigs with the entire band under his hands. Our ballad work together was legendary. I loved his work so much I used him on my 2nd cd Singin and Swingin. Which was ,as all my cd’s, released nationally and internationally. I felt so happy and proud to share him with the world. Check out "Come in from the rain" on that cd , Its all Lyman and his arrangement.
We worked all over upstate New York . We developed a wonderful following around central New York as a duo. We became very good friends. I work with many piano players and have my favorites But Lyman and I shared more than just the music. He called me, I called him, and we chatted for hours. He loved to sew and made many treasured things for me. When I called him for a gig he never asked me “What does it pay?” He trusted me. I could call Lyman and say “Hey I need to learn some new tunes” and he’d drive up to my house to help me... He spent days sequencing my shows. We were invested. We recorded tunes for free to raise money for Children hospitals at Christmas. He was very giving and loving. We were getting ready to put together a cd of our beloved Ballads when I heard of his passing. I will truly miss him and his tremendous talent. I’m so grateful he shared his many “gifts” with me.

Return to Love

For the past 4 years I’ve basically lived alone. Oh I would Love to have a fabulous guy in my life but life just doesn’t agree apparently. So I forge forward without. But I am not without love. Unconditional love from my family which includes our wonderful family pets. There’s Cubby that lives with my sister and family and there’s little Miss that was my mother’s cat I took in when mother passed away. Missy has been my true sister and love, always there at the door to greet me and make me feel needed.
Then there is Blue dog that lives with my daughter and family. Blue dog was rescued by Kellie (my Daughter) when she was a pup. She was bred to fight and kill by some very misguided neighbors .The puppy cried for love and Kellie saved her. Blue has been a part of our lives for 14 years. Blue and I had a very special bond which I will be ever grateful for.She is possibly the most compassionate being I have ever known. She has been a very important part of all our lives. She went back to spirit today. We are all lost without her. I will never walk in the woods again without feeling her spirit. I will never walk down Graham ave in Williamsburg without thinking of her and our late night walks there. She loved me and I loved her. She loved us all. Now anit that what life’s all about... Thank you Blue dog.

Joe Romano

Joe Romano.....April 17, 1935-November 26, 2008
Joe was the real deal. He lived the “jazz life” and his playing was authentic. The sound Joe had was from years on the road working and playing with the best cats out there. You can’t get it from a classroom, you have to live it. Working with Joe was a great learning experience for me. He pushed me to uncharted territory and we flew high on the band stand. Hearing of Joe's passing has not been easy for me. When Joe was on the gig I never felt uncomfortable. Joe always made me feel valid as a singer. His style of playing encouraged me to take musicale risks and he genuinely liked me and my work and trust me that’s not the case very often as we singers at best are a necessary evil for most musicians and I know who digs me and who doesn’t. He did and I loved him big time. We became friends and kept in touch all thru the years and gigged when we could. He was very giving and forgiving on and off the bandstand. He was a great hang too.. Thanks Joe for everything you shared with me. I have lost one of my brothers in deed. I gonna really miss you...

Not so " Menza Menza"

You often hear folks talk about the talent that was born and bread in upstate New York . Many have made history and will be remembered for their contribution to the music. Don Menza is definitely one. Nice gig with Don Friday night. Don is originally from Buffalo now living in L.A. Plays his everlovin butt off and has a ball on stage. What a gas. It's good to know your not alone sometimes. Thanks Don..

How Bout Them Apples

I took this picture at the public market in Seattle. It turned out to be somewhat serendipitous and right on . I went out there to work a wonderful Jazz room called Bakes Place. It was a rewarding experience on many levels. The musicians were 1st rate and were great guys. The club was 1st class as well . Joan Merrill Books the room. I had met Joan at IAJE several years ago. She was and still is managing Rebecca Parris and several other notable jazz singers. I, needless to say asked her if she'd consider booking for me to which she replied she was not taking anyone new on. We stayed in touch and she brought me out to Bakes in May. Houston Person had been telling her to take a serious look at me for several years and after seeing me live Joan had a change of heart and is now my manager and agent for which I am grateful as I had just recently thrown up my hands to cold calling festivals and clubs. It becomes redundant for some artists to do so and Joan is a blessing.. In Joan’s words: Suffice is to say that I’m taking this on because I think you’re a terrific singer (Houston was right!!); probably the most authentic and pure "jazz singer" out there and I think other people ought to have the joy of hearing/seeing you.
We are doing a live Cd at Bakes place in the Fall. It’s all very delightful. Now let’s just hope I can afford to travel by this time next year. LOL

Darwin's Theory of Jazz

There is a big movement towards academic Jazz singing and playing and what I am calling Folk or Pop Jazz. Sadly some are calling it a natural evolution of the music.
How did we get here? I'm sure the Beatles had something to do with it. That’s another whole blog. There was definitely a decline in people going out to hear live music after the drunk driving laws affected most of the club scenes around the country. Jazz musicians ran to the universities looking for work. 30 years ago there were only 3 colleges in the U.S. that offered a jazz program. Now almost every school in the country has one. We are turning out factory made jazz musicians faster than Detroit could make the Edsel .It’s a “Catch 22” educating so many to the music is priceless and important to its preservation but, they are released into a market that has about as many opportunities as Siberia. Every young jazz wannabe in the country is borrowing money from their family or sugar daddy, depending on their ethics, to make cds and flood the market with them. While getting the American songbook out to the masses is important, it could be seen as music inflation and a product of commercialism and capitalism. Those of us that came up learning our craft by actually living it for 30 years are finding it harder and harder to find a new audience as they are now exposed to “new Jazz" by the commercial jazz machine that can make a jazz star out of anyone that has enough money, is 19 and good looking and can sing or at least know how to use Pro Tools. Hey after all it’s the land of the free and everyone depending on how cunning they are can have a big piece of the pie
There’s a few good Dj’s left in the country like Ross Gentile at WSIE in St Louis. Ross plays what he deems great jazz and great singing period, but countless Jazz radio program directors because of various factors of the nature of the new beast,are under pressure and are forced to feed the commercial jazz machine
I am, in no way bitter and consider myself to have a blessed life and career and to be alive to watch any transformation, not just this one. I am proud of every line on my face and proud to be a part of the “old” jazz that’s left. I’m not Doris Day, I’m not Frank Sinatra. I don’t sing the melody all the time. I sing jazz standards and the American songbook my way Like Ella, Carmen and Billy and Betty.
Whenever I am asked if I do anything original my answer is, “Yes everything I do is original “