Happy Birthday to The Maestro-Joe Zawinul. Without argument one of the most important figures in music over the last 50 years.He was a great influence on me and I miss all of the great hangs we did.

I realize that getting into what I am about to talk about may make some people unhappy and I am open to criticism for that. But I've been feeling this for awhile and Michael Jacksons death has really opened up this subject to me.



I have now spent 35 years practicing my craft. I started out wanting to be a producer and soon learned it was going to be a real journey of learning and understanding what that means.I idolized the greats like Arif Mardin,Teo Macero,George Martin.I realized… Continue

I believe there isn't a person in the world who hasn't spent sometime thinking about Michael Jackson the last few days.It is of course a sad ending to a person who at one point had enough talent to spread around the world a few times. The one thing that truly comes into my mind is that there is a connection between Jazz and his success. Quincy Jones was himself a genius.In his concepts and his music. I loved the fact the on the Dude Quincy never played anything.It was a producers vision.A great… Continue

The Genius



I was truly flattered the other night when producer Bob Belden gave me a present.The complete Miles Davis On The Corner Sessions Boxed Set

I took it home and read the liner notes and listened to half the CDs.It showed me one thing.True genius transcends time.I remember when On The Corner came out.It really stirred emotions in our musical community.I listen now to this music and say Miles was a genius who was so far ahead of his time that he was lost in time and then… Continue

Whenever I do I live show I always have a few messages for the audience.



1-Make sure you find at least one young person that you can turn onto Jazz.As the audience ages we need to know

that the music is being left in good hands to other generations.I recently asked a Jazz afficiando about his favorite

records. He never heard "In a Silent Way" and only heard Kind of Blue a few times.He didn't know much about CTI records nor some of the forgotten greats like Stanley… Continue

Herbie Hancocks CD The River is due to sell over 35,00 CDs this week.It is #1 on Amazon.It shows that there is still an audience out there for quality music.That is what I live for-To make high quality music that resonates with the audience.

Luther Vandross once said to me-"I make The best pizza in town-It's the delivery system that gets it to the customer cold.Luther was very wise and on the money.I learned a lot from him.The music is out there-The delivery system is broken.People will… Continue