41 replies to this topic

[Polska]

Yeah, I don't think it's a lack of talent.  As was mentioned above, it's the lack of originality and sameness/blandness that I think is the source of the jokes and lack of respect from musicians.  Then again they have both made a very good living in music and I'm sure there are hundreds of players out there that would swap their desk jobs for a shot at what they do.  I don't like either of them, but I can't deny that millions of people do.  

 

I always wonder about the backing band, especially for Kenny G.  I mean, do they really get into it or is it just a job with a really good paycheck?  For me, I'd be bored to tears playing that stuff.  Then again, what's a couple hours a night being bored?  There's days I do that for 8 hours at my job!

[madsplash]

these guys play to the audience,not artists,,that's why they are successful ,and loathed by artists-imo

 

Only by ones who aren't as successful.

 

Typical.

 

Saying these two aren't talented is one of the funniest and one of the dumbest things I've heard on this forum.

 

Comical.

Edited by madsplash, 29 November 2013 - 03:24 PM.

[doctor dirt]

Michael grew up next door to me in New Haven Conn his parents rented the first floor of a house owned by neighbors. He was a good kid and I used to give him percussion toys to play with when he was about 7 yrs old while I would practice drums in my basement. His older brother Oron was responsible for Michaels early successes as his manager and was a tireless worker. A friend of mine named Joe Mellotti (East Haven Conn) was his keyboardists and arrainger for many years even when they reloctaed to Calif.

His real name is Bolotin but I guess he didn't like the sound of it! I think he still tours and yuppies come out to hear him "sing"! Pretty sure he still uses a "band in a can"instead a "live musicians"! His biggest push was when Barry Manilow dumped his Coke and/or Pepsi commercials and Michael was able to grab them. Nice kid back then not sure now I've never heard him give credit to his older brother who busted his butt for him. He should thank the skies above for Otis Redding and Ray Charles to my knowledge he's never penned a thing.                          Doc.

[tnsquint]

What an odd thing for an entertainer to assess what his or her audience might like. It is entertainment after all. This all sounds like another "pity me, I am a starving artist" debate. There is room for art and entertainment. Sometimes the two converge.

As to Bolton's writing credits, he has had a few hits for Rita Coolidge, Cher, etc.

[madsplash]

Michael grew up next door to me in New Haven Conn his parents rented the first floor of a house owned by neighbors. He was a good kid and I used to give him percussion toys to play with when he was about 7 yrs old while I would practice drums in my basement. His older brother Oron was responsible for Michaels early successes as his manager and was a tireless worker. A friend of mine named Joe Mellotti (East Haven Conn) was his keyboardists and arrainger for many years even when they reloctaed to Calif.

His real name is Bolotin but I guess he didn't like the sound of it! I think he still tours and yuppies come out to hear him "sing"! Pretty sure he still uses a "band in a can"instead a "live musicians"! His biggest push was when Barry Manilow dumped his Coke and/or Pepsi commercials and Michael was able to grab them. Nice kid back then not sure now I've never heard him give credit to his older brother who busted his butt for him. He should thank the skies above for Otis Redding and Ray Charles to my knowledge he's never penned a thing.                          Doc.

Bolton has written many tunes. He co-wrote a song called Steel Bars with a guy who has a pretty good history of songwriting....Bob Dylan. (Look it up).

 

But, I'm sure Dylan works with talentless hacks all the time...... lol

Edited by madsplash, 29 November 2013 - 04:03 PM.

[RedMist]

I think Michael Bolton and Kenny G a both talented. I'm not a fan of either. Bolton is good on SNL. 

[singleordoubleheads]

The responses to this just goes to show why I love this forum so much--I was actually going to make a post about a totally different subject when one of Boltons commercials came on the tv in the other room.  It had to be about the 5th or 6th one I had heard so it just prompted me to remark on it.  That's cool....you never know how a simple comment can get dragged in a different direction.

 

I always though he had talent, just not really my cup of tea.  I do remember his version of When a Man Loves a Woman, and it had that really cool fill near the end: it was Jeff Porcaro!  No wonder I liked the feel of that one....

[SteveB]

Michael grew up next door to me in New Haven Conn his parents rented the first floor of a house owned by neighbors. He was a good kid and I used to give him percussion toys to play with when he was about 7 yrs old while I would practice drums in my basement. His older brother Oron was responsible for Michaels early successes as his manager and was a tireless worker. A friend of mine named Joe Mellotti (East Haven Conn) was his keyboardists and arrainger for many years even when they reloctaed to Calif.

His real name is Bolotin but I guess he didn't like the sound of it! I think he still tours and yuppies come out to hear him "sing"! Pretty sure he still uses a "band in a can"instead a "live musicians"! His biggest push was when Barry Manilow dumped his Coke and/or Pepsi commercials and Michael was able to grab them. Nice kid back then not sure now I've never heard him give credit to his older brother who busted his butt for him. He should thank the skies above for Otis Redding and Ray Charles to my knowledge he's never penned a thing.                          Doc.

Doc, What is your age group? I grew up (sort of) just outside of Waterbury in Woodbury and lived there from 51 through 69. I used to play the Horizon club in Branford as one spot not too far from your town, and of course Toads. Was it the Wayley Theater, the one on the main drag coming into town, that James Montgomery used to play? I also used to go to Goldie's once in a rare while to shop and Bankos over in Derby/Ansonia.

 

There're a few locals on here. What was his band's name? Michael would also be younger than me I'm sure.

[Strumdrum]

I think Michael Bolton and Kenny G a both talented. I'm not a fan of either. Bolton is good on SNL. 

 

Absolutely and I would throw Barry Manilow on that pile.  As was said, they play for the audience not musicians.  I got into quite the nasty exchange with Curtis Stigers over this very point.  He was looking for a great opportunity, I was looking at his work to that point.   I think we were both right. How many groups do you know who have an edgy hit but were pushed to mediocrity by the promoters/producers? It's business and seldom does business have a soul, IMO.

[5 Style]

these guys play to the audience,not artists,,that's why they are successful ,and loathed by artists-imo

Only by ones who aren't as successful.

Typical.

Saying these two aren't talented is one of the funniest and one of the dumbest things I've heard on this forum.

Comical.

Really? So what you're saying is because an artist is successful we should probably be enjoying what they do? It's like the copy for one of those old late night TV commercials that that Box Car Willie album.... "can millions of fans be wrong?" I agree with Lazer in that lots of people consider this music pretty bland... and it really has nothing to do with begrudging this guy sucess. I as well as lots of other folks who don't really dig Michael Bolton's (or Kenny G's) music enjoy all kinds of stuff that has been huge popular successes. I love Herbie Hancock's Headhunters album which I believe before Kenny G came on the scene was one of the very biggest sellers in the jazz world. I love the Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Police, etc and all of these arts have been huge sellers. It's been said that Bolton and Kenny G are the type of artists who "play for the people." Though I think that to some extent any performing artist is doing just that, I have a bit of a problem with the ones who make that the #1 goal in what they do (pandering to an audience). I see that the folks who have a much more lasting impact on the music... the Beatles, Hendrix, Dylan, Bowie... the list could go on - are the kind of folks who seemed to create something that was meaningful to themselves and THEN (and only then) bring it to the people. They were brave enough to do things that weren't necessarily the most obvious career choices; stuff that they were told was "commercial suicide." They may have really had to push the suits to make a case for marketing their music. In fact... because what they were creating, however unique it may have been was meaningful to THEM they went ahead and did it and because audiences saw the genius of it, elements of what they were doing (Hendrix's wild guitar sounds, for example) became standard elements of the genre (audiences came to love these artists because of the chances that they took with their music, not in spite of them). I just don't see the folks in question as operating that way. Their music comes off to me as more of a "product" ; something that they've assessed a need for (a market niche), but not so much something that comes from their own imaginations. The listeners who are knowledgeable hear this... it's doubtful that anyone who has a good collection of Stax records is going to want to hear Bolton's interpretations of Otis Redding tunes or if they have Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane records that they're going to want to hear Kenny G's saxophone playing. Otis and John Cotrane were almost certainly never "focus grouped." In this way both of these folks are the kind of thing that seems to be marketed to listeners without much knowledge or appreciation of the genres that they're working in... and that to me seems a bit sad. It's "soul music for those who really don't listen to that sort of thing," or "jazz music for folks who don't much like jazz music." Though both of these folks are decades old at this point, I think of them as kind of sad harbingers to the future that now live in. It seems that the major record companies have become way too risk adverse to promote anything that isn't likely to be an instant hit. In this way they're cultivating a culture with much more folks that are "playing to the people" and many fewer with any kind of unique artistic vision to share with the world. I think that we as listeners are really suffering for that and this is a big reason why so many of us complain that there isn't much out there worth hearing.

As for the alleged talent or lack thereof with these two folks...? I have to say that the word "talent," at least the way that it's most often used isn't really very meaningful... certainly not meaningful as a yardstick in which to judge the work of anyone that we're talking about. The word has come to mean how much skill/technique someone has and though many of the great artists have plenty of this, it's really the things that go beyond this simple measure that define their work. The Beatles it could be argued are all very good at their perspective instruments and three of them very good singers as well, capable of some really rich harmones. Still, there's probably plenty of individuals out there who could play all of the Beatles parts and track 3 part harmony vocals every bit the equal to what they did... in addition to that they might also be able to play some very difficult classical music scores written for oboe.... and yet they could never have come up with what the Beatles did. There's a vision to what they did that's lacking in so many who merely have the talent to produce something that's only very slick and "professional" sounding.

Fine if anyone digs Bolton or Kenny G, I'm all for that. There's no accounting for taste, right? Saying that I need to be take them seriously because of some innate "talent" that they have, or that I'm really just a hater because they made a ton of money (and I haven't) isn't really going to go very far to convince me of their merits though...

Edited by 5 Style, 01 December 2013 - 04:37 PM.

[thenuge]

"billions and billions served". so, like, that's good right? lol

[doctor dirt]

Goldie & Libros was the New Haven store and Banko's (Ansonia/Derby I think) was the best for used gear next to Mannys! I worked the Horizon Club when it was in East Haven on the beach. I had a young kids group that got paid 100.00 for 35 minutes as the opening act for a 3 or 4 act night. We were allowed to stay and see groups like Flamingos, Exciters, Five Satins etc a few years later I had the drum seat for the Five Satins for a summer when their drummer went into the Army. The Horizon burned down and then they used the Banjo Beat in Branford for a few years. They were a part of the R&B circuit that included the Horizon, Actors Colony, The Pit, Polynesian Room, Midtown and others those were the main stay rooms in Conn. the funky rooms were the Hungry Charlies (the original Toads Place) Salty Dog, and others in Harford that I forgotten their names.

I don't remember his band back then, I do know he had an experienced bassist named Glen Sulowitz who liked the younger kids music and I know he stayed with the kid for a while! He started out singing R&B but his age group didn't get it so he fell into a rock genre.

 

I came up with playing with the Orpange young guys 15 to 18 yrs old, maniac group! ,The Herdd worked the colleges and did some work in the Record Plant in NYC with Roger Koop and a few producers like Papalardi and management groups like Laurie Burton.My own groups starting in 69' and were Blues based bands up until 2005.

 

If your from Waterbury then you must know Billy Googliermo's "Googies Lounge" hahaha the "bar room" band stand and the "Zebra Lounge Room"!!!!

I used to set up in the bar room which is were the opening acts would set up, Billy used to be pissed off when he'd get there at 10pm and see my gear in the lil room. I used to get everyone who came in to stay right there at the bar lined up 5 deep and the kids playing in the "big room" would be alone!!! I had fun in Waterbury, the old theatre on the hill downtown had concerts there in the early 70s and I did fill ins with a few made on the spot groups to open for groups no one really knew like the Police, Yes, Ramons, Rynoserous etc did that for about a two year run. They lost their shirt trying to promote groups like Yes, far to advanced listening for Waterburyittes!!!!

 

The New England circuit was very strong from 1939 all the way thru 1980 all the rooms that survived just changed music to match the times. The Blues was the best because the greatest players in the world could be seen & heard twice a year and you could work rooms with 150 sit down up to a 1,000!!! My favorite room back then was Papa's Club 21 in Boston, intelligent cliental who drank hard and partied all night and morning. First tune kicked at 10:15 and last was 4AM. Started there in 67' for 1,500. per and in 73 (I think) finished earning 2,500. per nite!

Best room, best in house p/a everyone dressed to the 9's no t-shirts and loud mouth fools, just the Blues and "havin' fun" ......thanx for the reminder Doc.

[marker]

Michael Bolton - the Tom Jones of the 90's.

[SteveB]

Goldie & Libros was the New Haven store and Banko's (Ansonia/Derby I think) was the best for used gear next to Mannys! I worked the Horizon Club when it was in East Haven on the beach. I had a young kids group that got paid 100.00 for 35 minutes as the opening act for a 3 or 4 act night. We were allowed to stay and see groups like Flamingos, Exciters, Five Satins etc a few years later I had the drum seat for the Five Satins for a summer when their drummer went into the Army. The Horizon burned down and then they used the Banjo Beat in Branford for a few years. They were a part of the R&B circuit that included the Horizon, Actors Colony, The Pit, Polynesian Room, Midtown and others those were the main stay rooms in Conn. the funky rooms were the Hungry Charlies (the original Toads Place) Salty Dog, and others in Harford that I forgotten their names.

I don't remember his band back then, I do know he had an experienced bassist named Glen Sulowitz who liked the younger kids music and I know he stayed with the kid for a while! He started out singing R&B but his age group didn't get it so he fell into a rock genre.

 

I came up with playing with the Orpange young guys 15 to 18 yrs old, maniac group! ,The Herdd worked the colleges and did some work in the Record Plant in NYC with Roger Koop and a few producers like Papalardi and management groups like Laurie Burton.My own groups starting in 69' and were Blues based bands up until 2005.

 

If your from Waterbury then you must know Billy Googliermo's "Googies Lounge" hahaha the "bar room" band stand and the "Zebra Lounge Room"!!!!

I used to set up in the bar room which is were the opening acts would set up, Billy used to be pissed off when he'd get there at 10pm and see my gear in the lil room. I used to get everyone who came in to stay right there at the bar lined up 5 deep and the kids playing in the "big room" would be alone!!! I had fun in Waterbury, the old theatre on the hill downtown had concerts there in the early 70s and I did fill ins with a few made on the spot groups to open for groups no one really knew like the Police, Yes, Ramons, Rynoserous etc did that for about a two year run. They lost their shirt trying to promote groups like Yes, far to advanced listening for Waterburyittes!!!!

 

The New England circuit was very strong from 1939 all the way thru 1980 all the rooms that survived just changed music to match the times. The Blues was the best because the greatest players in the world could be seen & heard twice a year and you could work rooms with 150 sit down up to a 1,000!!! My favorite room back then was Papa's Club 21 in Boston, intelligent cliental who drank hard and partied all night and morning. First tune kicked at 10:15 and last was 4AM. Started there in 67' for 1,500. per and in 73 (I think) finished earning 2,500. per nite!

Best room, best in house p/a everyone dressed to the 9's no t-shirts and loud mouth fools, just the Blues and "havin' fun" ......thanx for the reminder Doc.

No problem! Do you remember Yesterday's Children (Firebirds) out of Waterbury? They were my first time on the road when their former drummer Ralph Muscatelli got sick.

 

I certainly remember Googie's, the Shack, Hullabaloo all around that era from 67 to 70. The Fudge played Hullabaloo. My favorite local bands back then were the Bluebeats and the Wildweeds. The North Atlantic Invasion Force was from down your way I believe; they were pretty good also.

 

Rynoserous, Apricot Brandy. Those guys rented a house down the street from my folks and I used to hang with them some.

[5 Style]

Michael Bolton - the Tom Jones of the 90's.

No, to me Tom Jones has far more style than Bolton ever had. I'd say that Bolton is more like the Pat Boone of the 90s... though didn't he start his career in the 80s?

[lazer]

 

these guys play to the audience,not artists,,that's why they are successful ,and loathed by artists-imo

Only by ones who aren't as successful.

Typical.

Saying these two aren't talented is one of the funniest and one of the dumbest things I've heard on this forum.

Comical.

Really? So what you're saying is because an artist is successful we should probably be enjoying what they do? It's like the copy for one of those old late night TV commercials that that Box Car Willie album.... "can millions of fans be wrong?" I agree with Lazer in that lots of people consider this music pretty bland... and it really has nothing to do with begrudging this guy sucess. I as well as lots of other folks who don't really dig Michael Bolton's (or Kenny G's) music enjoy all kinds of stuff that has been huge popular successes. I love Herbie Hancock's Headhunters album which I believe before Kenny G came on the scene was one of the very biggest sellers in the jazz world. I love the Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Police, etc and all of these arts have been huge sellers. It's been said that Bolton and Kenny G are the type of artists who "play for the people." Though I think that to some extent any performing artist is doing just that, I have a bit of a problem with the ones who make that the #1 goal in what they do (pandering to an audience). I see that the folks who have a much more lasting impact on the music... the Beatles, Hendrix, Dylan, Bowie... the list could go on - are the kind of folks who seemed to create something that was meaningful to themselves and THEN (and only then) bring it to the people. They were brave enough to do things that weren't necessarily the most obvious career choices; stuff that they were told was "commercial suicide." They may have really had to push the suits to make a case for marketing their music. In fact... because what they were creating, however unique it may have been was meaningful to THEM they went ahead and did it and because audiences saw the genius of it, elements of what they were doing (Hendrix's wild guitar sounds, for example) became standard elements of the genre (audiences came to love these artists because of the chances that they took with their music, not in spite of them). I just don't see the folks in question as operating that way. Their music comes off to me as more of a "product" ; something that they've assessed a need for (a market niche), but not so much something that comes from their own imaginations. The listeners who are knowledgeable hear this... it's doubtful that anyone who has a good collection of Stax records is going to want to hear Bolton's interpretations of Otis Redding tunes or if they have Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane records that they're going to want to hear Kenny G's saxophone playing. Otis and John Cotrane were almost certainly never "focus grouped." In this way both of these folks are the kind of thing that seems to be marketed to listeners without much knowledge or appreciation of the genres that they're working in... and that to me seems a bit sad. It's "soul music for those who really don't listen to that sort of thing," or "jazz music for folks who don't much like jazz music." Though both of these folks are decades old at this point, I think of them as kind of sad harbingers to the future that now live in. It seems that the major record companies have become way too risk adverse to promote anything that isn't likely to be an instant hit. In this way they're cultivating a culture with much more folks that are "playing to the people" and many fewer with any kind of unique artistic vision to share with the world. I think that we as listeners are really suffering for that and this is a big reason why so many of us complain that there isn't much out there worth hearing.

As for the alleged talent or lack thereof with these two folks...? I have to say that the word "talent," at least the way that it's most often used isn't really very meaningful... certainly not meaningful as a yardstick in which to judge the work of anyone that we're talking about. The word has come to mean how much skill/technique someone has and though many of the great artists have plenty of this, it's really the things that go beyond this simple measure that define their work. The Beatles it could be argued are all very good at their perspective instruments and three of them very good singers as well, capable of some really rich harmones. Still, there's probably plenty of individuals out there who could play all of the Beatles parts and track 3 part harmony vocals every bit the equal to what they did... in addition to that they might also be able to able to play some very difficult classical music scores written for oboe.... and yet they could never have come up with what the Beatles did. There's a vision to what they did that's lacking in so many who merely have the talent to produce something that's only very slick and "professional" sounding.

Fine if anyone digs Bolton or Kenny G, I'm all for that. There's no accounting for taste, right? Saying that I need to be take them seriously because of some innate "talent" that they have, or that I'm really just a hater because they made a ton of money (and I haven't) isn't really going to go very far to convince me of their merits though...

you hit the mark,the thing missing in today' popular music is vision,and innovation

back in the 60's 70's bands were not afraid to take a chance and try something new and unexplored,sometimes it worked and became popular,and other times it didn't

 

it's been said that 1974 was'the day the music died'

[doctor dirt]

The Weeds were the best Conn group back then, they had Bobby Dudeck on bass and vocals and Bobby was a monster at coping anyones sound. He just passed away a few years back living with his wife on a farm in Conn. Two amazing people living on their own being blind is an amazing story. Easily one of the best musicians/vocalists ever.

Sherri Shack was another good spot I knew that family very well, Sheri became a nationally known go go dancer and the Miller family was very talented.

Also the Pit in New Haven and the Apple in Milford and Trapaziod in North Haven the Mod Scene in Milford (I think) were all popular for a few years. I worked all those places with the Fudge, Rascals, Pilgrimage, Lee Michaels, Chosen Few, NAIF, the Wild Weeds! I worked with the Weeds a few times on drums before they were known as the Weeds I just can't think what they were called then. Their drummer had broken his arm and their agent knew mine. I'm thinking they were the Phinious Band, something silly like that HA! Big Al and the Captain were all good guys and the B3 Ray was one of the best B3 players around back then.

I forgot about my towns hottest spots. Hungry Charlies was the biggest but places like Sonny & Vives, Mr. Rays Cafe, Talk of the Town, and the world famous Monterey Cafe' where Nat King Cole, Louis Jordan & Timpani Five, Ella Fitzgerald and on & on &on major stars performed there. New Haven was the pre New York City review area. If it worked in New Haven in would work in any major city on the North East Seaboard. The New England circuit was the best in the country at one time.

The franchise rooms came in and I took advantage of them, places like the Coral Cables where you can book in for 5 to 7 days with full accomodations beat the crap out of one niters back then.

New Haven had excellant players back then and lots of orginal groups like Tri Power who became Jasper Wrath, I used them alot with my Herdd band in college/mixer concerts. They were excellant musicians and hard working people. The drummer Jeff Cannata is still recording and was a very inovated musician.

The premier groups when I was starting were the Duke the Dutchess & the Magnifciants, a 8 piece horn band with two fronts. Then there was Bobby Bennet and the Realms, the best soul band in New Haven for years! There were rock groups also like the Shags, Sonics (Bobby White) and oldies groups the Premiers (Roger Koob) Five Satins (Freddie Paris). Good times, good money and alot of experienced gained from that environment back then. 

I had great teachers that taught me how to conduct business along with the performance end of the equation. I used to sneak into St. Pauls church on Sat nites just listen to Bobby Buster play the B3 Hammond organ, then be at the Monterey by 11pm that same night. All of this was right down the street from my house and at 11 years old I'd be searching for the music hahahaha!! Thank god I wasn't born in Tampa!!

Doc.

[5 Style]

Wow, it sounds like there was a really rich, varied music scene in Connecticut all those years back (maybe there still is). I love the idea of regional music scenes... ones that perhaps the greater world doesn't know about but still have a lot going on. I have to wonder if someone hasn't put out a comp with the 70s era connecticut bands that you mention. if not than there ought to be one. There are several labels that specialize in just that sort of thing. Fascinating listens, for me...

[doctor dirt]

The New Haven scene had alot of help because of a great mix of cultures that were raised there since the late 1880s we had a raggie club before the average young musician in the 60s knew what raggie was! Clubs that featured Jazz, Blues, Rock and folk settings and Big Band rooms. The heritage was very rich and music was promoted in the school systems heavily. We had a great audiance to perform for with Yale Unn. campus in the middle of downtown New Haven and major colleges throughout the area. Every main eatery featured live entertainment and the city featured music shows all year round. One of the very best acoustic venues you could dream about working is Wholsey Hall on the Yale campus. (saw Henfrix there in 69' the best concert I ever saw) I worked the room in 71 with Doctor John & Nitetrippers. Some 25 years later we work the Sarasota Blues Festival together again. Always enjoyed seeing Mac, can't think of his drummers name but he is a very unique player who was with Mac for 30 years!

When you have a major unniversity and large state colleges in a relatively small town (then 200,00) your going to be in a great envirerment for the arts!

Some of the musicians that worked with me from New Haven back in the day;

Ed Cherry-jazz guitarists, one of the best! (Dizzy's band up till Dizzy passed)

Anthony (Dog) Boyd-the best bassists I ever worked with and heard! (R.I.P)

Wayne Boyd-jazz guitarists (Jimmy McGriff)

George "Professor" Lenzi -harp player who influenced all the New Haven blues harp players!

Georgie Smith-guitarists and set up tech, later worked with Hall & Oates, Sat. nite live etc. good kid!

Buster Brown--B3 player , one of the best ever!

Bobby Mapp-drummer and my mentor

Tommy Glass-drummer and teacher

Jimmie Stravis-drummer & teacher

so many more solid players who fought hard to stay full time players and live their lives through music!

Its not just talent that allows us to stay within the business it takes guts! Thats why when I hear someone crying about a church director complaining to a church drummer and the drummer being a whimp I get short with them. If you can't stand the heat go play in the crap bars or play freebies to open libraries! Cry babies and under cutters need to grow some, and grow up! hahahaha enough of the old times, nite!

Doc

[richm]

The New Haven scene had alot of help because of a great mix of cultures that were raised there since the late 1880s we had a raggie club before the average young musician in the 60s knew what raggie was! Clubs that featured Jazz, Blues, Rock and folk settings and Big Band rooms. The heritage was very rich and music was promoted in the school systems heavily. We had a great audiance to perform for with Yale Unn. campus in the middle of downtown New Haven and major colleges throughout the area. Every main eatery featured live entertainment and the city featured music shows all year round. One of the very best acoustic venues you could dream about working is Wholsey Hall on the Yale campus. (saw Henfrix there in 69' the best concert I ever saw) I worked the room in 71 with Doctor John & Nitetrippers. Some 25 years later we work the Sarasota Blues Festival together again. Always enjoyed seeing Mac, can't think of his drummers name but he is a very unique player who was with Mac for 30 years!

When you have a major unniversity and large state colleges in a relatively small town (then 200,00) your going to be in a great envirerment for the arts!

Some of the musicians that worked with me from New Haven back in the day;

Ed Cherry-jazz guitarists, one of the best! (Dizzy's band up till Dizzy passed)

Anthony (Dog) Boyd-the best bassists I ever worked with and heard! (R.I.P)

Wayne Boyd-jazz guitarists (Jimmy McGriff)

George "Professor" Lenzi -harp player who influenced all the New Haven blues harp players!

Georgie Smith-guitarists and set up tech, later worked with Hall & Oates, Sat. nite live etc. good kid!

Buster Brown--B3 player , one of the best ever!

Bobby Mapp-drummer and my mentor

Tommy Glass-drummer and teacher

Jimmie Stravis-drummer & teacher

so many more solid players who fought hard to stay full time players and live their lives through music!

Its not just talent that allows us to stay within the business it takes guts! Thats why when I hear someone crying about a church director complaining to a church drummer and the drummer being a whimp I get short with them. If you can't stand the heat go play in the crap bars or play freebies to open libraries! Cry babies and under cutters need to grow some, and grow up! hahahaha enough of the old times, nite!

Doc

Wow, your giving me flashbacks. I was born in New Haven, raised in East Haven or should I say Staven! I used to take the bus to new Haven to go to Goldie Libros, remember Sal? When ever some of the biggies were in town (Buddy on the green) you might catch one of them at Goldie/Libros. My first drum set was from there, an orange sparkle Kent floor model with no floor tom! I remember when  Michael (Bolotin) used to play Toads Place. And good old Jimmie Stavris,I used to take lessons from him. Boy did he have no patience! Do you remember the Shags? They used to ride around in an old hearse! Good Times!! 

Edited by richm, 01 December 2013 - 09:52 PM.