This was an album i totally forgot about. I co-produced it with good friend Sonny Costanzo. Great band and some nice material. Beside the Jobim material a great tune by Benny Carter “Only Trust Your Heart” and one by Gerry Mulligan “Parade Samba”. Also a really nice paragraph on the back from Dave Brubeck who lived in Connecticut near Sonny, myself and Gerry Mulligan.
Continue reading Only Trust Your Heart
On This Album I used Norris Turney who was the lead alto player in the Duke Ellington band. Also I did a few originals one written by Harold Danko and another written by Mike Hall. The great jazz writer and reviewer Leonard Feather gave this album 5 stars and remarked on my solo on “Stardust” that had Louis Armstong as inspiration which felt very good. Continue reading Stardust
Stella Lawson who was the ex-wife of pianist Sal Mosca came to me when I had my quartet “Mainstream” and asked if I would help her do an album which I agreed. Having a great working quartet made the project really easy and fun and a dream come true for Stella. Continue reading Goin’ For It
This was a very special album with my daughter Christine on the front cover. I moved from Manhattan to Connecticut and didn’t want to travel so much anymore so I could spend more time at home with the family. It was a period of tremendous expansion as i started my own production company and teamed up with Bobby Rosengarden and went into the Rainbow Room in NY with my own Big band a first Continue reading Secret Love
This was a quartet i put together with some of my favorite players and one of my favorite bands. I booked a 5 night a week jazz gig and then recorded a live album. That was the end of the band and we moved seperate ways Harold Danko doing his own band and Butch and I joining Bob Wilber. Great quartet and can you believe Butch singing like this and playing at the same time wow ! The Continue reading Steamin’ Mainstream
This was my first album recorded under my own name. I picked some of my favorite players I had played with prior and had a rapport. The band never played together as a unit and there was no rehearsal for the album. I just went in with a set list like i do a jazz gig and called of tunes. Pretty amazing result ! Enjoy
