9-19-17 Interview

9-19-17 Pianist, arranger, educator, contractor Roy Gerson began picking out songs on the piano to amuse his blind grandmother when he was two years old, and he was playing with his father’s friends band when he was seven. His life was filled with music; studying classical music with his teacher and teaching himself jazz by listening to the music in his house and playing with the band. Although he “never had a plan,” it was always clear that music and specifically the piano would have a place in his life. Listen to the way a life that “never had a plan,” evolved into a life dedicated to making music; he arranged for Natalie Cole, and Lionel Hampton. Performed for Dustin Hoffman, Harvey Weinstein, Dan Rather, John Tuturro, Al Roker, Geana Davis, Donna Karen, Jeff Zucker, Patrick Swayze and Tony Bennett who was so impressed he managed Roy and got him his first album – That Gerson Person And hear cuts from tha Gerson Person and his other CD Gerson Swings Disney which includes vocals by Rosemary Cloney, Michael Feinstein and John Pizzarelli

6-27-17 Interview

6-27-17 Joseph Holt is the Artistic Director of Choral Artists of Sarasota (formerly Gloria Musicae) as well as the Artistic Director of Artists Series Concerts, he is a virtuoso pianist who played all over the world, Before coming to settle in Sarasota Joseph performed with the United States Army Chorus in Washington, D.C., before U.S. Presidents and other dignitaries. He held the position of Associate Music Director for the illustrious Choral Arts Society of Washington for 15 years and led the ensemble in the Family Christmas Concerts at the Kennedy Center. Joe was apparently a hyper active child, who was “scattered all over the place” and “something of a hellion.” So much so that a committee was formed in the church where his father was pastor to pray for “the soul of little Joey Holt.” Hoping that an extracurricular activity would give him an outlet (focus) for all his energy, Joey was given a choice of several activities; little league, cub scouts or piano lessons. Even though his family didn’t own a piano and he had to practice on a paper keyboard, with a little encouragement from his grandmother, a pianist herself, Joey choose piano. And from the very first lesson it was clear that the Joe and the piano were linked. Listen to this still exuberant man describe his amazing career, what’s next for the organizations he shepherds and get a preview of the glorious music you will hear at this year’s Choral Artists of Sarasota Fourth of July concert.
conductor, pianist, chamber music performer, arts administrator, educator and arranger.

5-24-16 Interview

Judi grew up surrounded by music; her father was a drummer, her older brother, a trumpet player and her younger brother, a saxophone player. So although she also loved to draw, Judi decided that piano would be her instrument. Luckily Judi had a teacher who, while teaching the basics and focusing on a classical repertoire, was also delighted to go along with the jazz exercises and pop songs Judi also wanted to play. And this varied training has made it possible for her to play and teach the classical repertoire and also to play jazz, accompany singers, first and foremost her husband Alex, and play in the pit for musicals. Come see/hear her play the very clever and tricky score for the current Asolo production of the musical Beatsville.
Periodically in Alex’s life a “guardian angel” came along to help him. First his dad who, by challenging Alex and his sister to memorize the music and lyrics of a song he’d played for them, inadvertently set the stage for him become a singer At eleven years old, having seen The Beatles, Alex and his friend decided to become a band but their parents couldn’t afford to buy them instruments so they began by singing on street corners. The Janitor of their building, believing that they had talent. bought them a guitar and drums. Listen to Alex talk about a life spend in music, both as a performer and later as an agent. And hear cuts from Judi’s and Alex’s CD’s.

5-16-17 Interview

5-16-17 Joseph Holt is the Artistic Director of Choral Artists of Sarasota (formerly Gloria Musicae) as well as the Artistic Director of Artists Series Concerts, he is a virtuoso pianist who played all over the world before coming to settle in Sarasota. He was apparently a hyper active child, who was “scattered all over the place” and “something of a hellion.” So much so that a committee was formed in the church where his father was pastor to pray for “the soul of little Joey Holt.” Hoping that an extracurricular activity would give him an outlet (focus) for all his energy, Joey was given a choice of several activities; little league, cub scouts or piano lessons. Even though his family didn’t own a piano and he had to practice on a paper keyboard, with a little encouragement from his grandmother, a pianist herself, Joey choose piano. And from the very first lesson it was clear that the Joe and the piano were linked. Listen to this still exuberant man describe his amazing career, what’s next for the organizations he shepherds and hear him play the compelling “Dance of the Giving Maiden,” live.

12-29-15 – Audio Interview

Eleonora Lvov began life under the grand piano in her parent’s one room apartment in the then Soviet Union. With two virtuoso pianists for parents little Eleonora spent her days surrounded by the glorious piano music her parents played. Soon she was being helped on to the piano stool, her fingers placed and her training begun. Is it any wonder therefore that today she too is an internationally acclaimed virtuoso pianist, concertizing widely in the US, Europe and Russia – and a master-teacher on the University level, as well as to all ages in her own studio in Sarasota. Listen to this exuberant woman talk about her relationship to the music she plays and her dedication to transforming her audience. Hear her play an excerpt from George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in a cut from one of her numerous CD’s. And come hear her in person on Sunday January 3, 2016, 4pm “New Year’s Romance on the Piano” Manatee Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 322 15th St. W, Bradenton FL 34205 www.manateeuuf.org Call 941-358-0235 and Sunday January 17, 2016, 4 pm “Grande Piano – Chopin & friends” Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota 3975 Fruitville Rd, Sarasota FL 34232 www.uusarasota.org Call 941-358-0235. Get more information at www.eleonoralvov.com

12/8/15 Audio Interview

The multi-talented Donald Chan is a conductor, musical director, pianist and composer. His repertoire includes 75 or 80 musicals. He has guest conducted at the American Conservatory Theater, the Seattle Repertory Theater and the Cleveland and Seattle Opera Houses. Donald was the musical director for the St. Louis Municipal Opera, the largest theater in the United States, for 12 years. Today, with director/choreographer Joey Mc Neely, he travels the world bringing the real version of West Side Story which he has conducted more than a thousand times. Luckily for us he is currently bringing his experience and expertise to the stage at the Asolo Repertory Theatre. Although he has worked with Gene Kelly, Ethel Merman, Chita Rivera, Carol Lawrence, Joel Grey, Sid Caesar, Len Cariou, Clark Terry and Shelly Manne to name a few, Donald is soft spoken and self-deprecating. In this show listen to him talk about the outrageous schedule he kept during his time at the St. Louis Municipal Opera and his decision to courageously follow his passion to be a musician and a conductor, so clearly the right choice, even though it disappointed his father who wanted him to be a dentist, also hear Pam Wiley’s review of the Asolo’s production of West Side Story and some of its glorious music.

10-13-2015 Audio Interview

If you live around Sarasota Florida you and have probably heard extraordinary Jazz pianist Mike Markaverich. Although blind from birth Mike was trying to play the songs he heard on the radio on his toy piano by the time he was three years old. A neighbor generously provided little Mike with his first piano, but pursuit of the music that would become his life, was very challenging. Listen to this extraordinary man describe the dedication with which he pursued his passion, experience his delightful sense of humor, and listen to cuts from his CD “Solid.” And come see him in person Friday and Saturday nights at The Haye Loft 5540 Gulf Of Mexico Drive Longboat Key, 34228

10-6-15 Audio Interview Part 2

In part two of my interview Mike Lang talks about how he evaluated his choices as a musician, how he discovered that there was a career for recording musicians, how he found his way into it and became one of its most successful players. Playing Jazz with Paul Horn, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Milt Jackson, Lee Konitz and Arturo Sandoval, Rock and Roll for Phil Spector and Marvin Gaye, more than 2000 film scores for Lalo Schifrin, Henry Mancini, John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, James Newton Howard, Elmer Bernstein, Hans Zimmer and accompaniment for Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Diana Krall, John Lennon and Frank Zappa, to name a few. Listen to this self-deprecating man talk about his remarkable career saying “when people say I’m a legend, I say I’m a myth.” There is nothing mythical about Mike Lang, he is the real thing. At the end of this interview listen to him play an original piece on his own piano in his own living room, a rare opportunity.

9-29-15 Audio Interview Part 1

Pianist Mike Lang is a professional recording musician who has played with virtually everyone in virtually every genre of music. In this first part of my interview listen to the way his life in music began. Mike’s parents say that he asked to take piano lessons when he was four and a half. Serendipitously his early teachers taught him about a wide variety of music. His first teacher’s favorite pianists were Jose Iturbi and Liberace, so she had him playing written (classical) pieces and also popular music, and she taught him to play chords and begin to improvise. Mike says it was “a magical way to start because it set the tone for me being able to be about more than one thing in music.” Then he studied with the brilliantly eclectic George Tremblay who not only introduced him to a wide variety of musical styles but subjects as diverse as Shakespeare. Mike calls these “auspicious experiences” because they prepared him for a career which would include playing incredibly diverse music. Listen to this charming, thoughtful man talk about his philosophy of being in the present and the impact that philosophy has on his playing, also hear cuts from his only solo album, Days of Wine and Roses – the classic songs of Henry Mancini.

9-22-15 Audio Interview

Based in Sarasota Florida, pianist Michael Royal has performed in London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Athens, Lisbon, Copenhagen, Tokyo, Bangkok, New York, Los Angeles and throughout the U.S. He has worked with Red Rodney, Mel Lewis, Clifford Jordan, George Garzone, Larry Coryell, Emily Remler, Ira Sullivan, and Mark Murphy in addition to his own groups. Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, Michael began improvising at the piano at the age of five. Turning away from the conventional study of music and by fusing and uniting classical and jazz influences, Michael developed his own piano style, his unique brand of romantic jazz. While still performing, composing teaching, coaching and lecturing Michael continues to pursue his independent studies. His repertoire includes Standards from the Great American Songbook, Bebop, Ballads, Blues, and Classical Masterpieces. In this first half of my interview listen to Michael describe his early life and the way he discovered his unique path. Also hear 2 cuts from his CD – TRANSITION – released in 2008 with bassist Richard Drexler and drummer Steve Davis. And come see Michael play every Monday night at Starlight Café 101 Coconut Ave Sarasota 34236 and Wednesday’s and Friday’s at The Haye Loft 5540 Gulf Of Mexico Drive Longboat Key, 34228.

9-15-15 Audio Interview

Based in Sarasota Florida, pianist Michael Royal has performed in London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Athens, Lisbon, Copenhagen, Tokyo, Bangkok, New York, Los Angeles and throughout the U.S. He has worked with Red Rodney, Mel Lewis, Clifford Jordan, George Garzone, Larry Coryell, Emily Remler, Ira Sullivan, and Mark Murphy in addition to his own groups. Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, Michael began improvising at the piano at the age of five. Turning away from the conventional study of music and by fusing and uniting classical and jazz influences, Michael developed his own piano style, his unique brand of romantic jazz. While still performing, composing teaching, coaching and lecturing Michael continues to pursue his independent studies. His repertoire includes Standards from the Great American Songbook, Bebop, Ballads, Blues, and Classical Masterpieces. In this first half of my interview listen to Michael describe his early life and the way he discovered his unique path. Also hear 2 cuts from his CD – TRANSITION – released in 2008 with bassist Richard Drexler and drummer Steve Davis. And come see Michael play every Monday night at Starlight Café 101 Coconut Ave Sarasota 34236 and Wednesday’s and Friday’s at The Haye Loft 5540 Gulf Of Mexico Drive Longboat Key, 34228.

Sept 8, 2015

90 year old Harlem born Lillette Jenkins-Wisner well give her farewell performances at Ruth Eckert Hall in Clearwater, Florida. Dubbed Queen of the Keys, Lillette is an internationally renowned concert pianist and vocalist. At 3 years old she could “play anything she could hear.” and she began her career at the age of six. Initially trained as a classical musician she developed a strong interest in Gospel, Ragtime, Jazz and Popular music. Lillette traveled all over the world with the USO during 3 wars. She has always had a demanding schedule of concerts, shows, round-the-world cruises and club performances. She has shared the stage with Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, Lena Horne and more recently Billy Joel. She performed on Broadway, in movies and was a regular on the TV Soap Opera All My Children. She has won many awards including most recently the Sachmo Award.

8-18-2015 Audio Interview

From the age of 3 keyboardist/composer Robbie Rose knew his life would be about music. He thought all the music he heard was magic and “why would you do anything else, when the music was so good.” Growing up near Detroit – he knew that the people making this magic were essentially his neighbors, which just confirmed for him that making music was the only career he could imagine. He began “noodling” on the piano as a toddler and surprised his parents by spontaneously playing As Time Goes By at 5 years old. Robbie attended a brand new avant-garde high school where he studied music theory in a class which began with 40 students and ended with 3, Robbie being one. Listen to this exuberant, passionate, candid man him describe the rigorous training he received there, the various skills he’s developed over the years, the important, difficult lesson he learned about “trying” and hear his original composition for Hammond Organ – the title cut from his CD Hot Sauce.

8-11-2015 Audio Interview

Multi-genred, very talented pianist/entertainer Eddie Tobin just always loved music. He didn’t take piano lessons until he was in college, he just began to “mess around with it” very early – learning to play the songs he liked. Although a serious jock, he played virtually every sport, he just always loved music. In college he tried to major in Business but soon discovered that he didn’t like it. He did finally major in Music at Miami State but even then he hadn’t decided to make his life as a musician. He just always loved music. Listen to the sweet way he talks about music and his haphazard journey to becoming a professional musician, and hear a cut from his CD Cheek to Cheek. And come to hear him play and sing Sun afternoon at the American Legion 2000 5th ST. W., in Bradenton and Sun evenings at the Surf Shack on St Armand’s Circle, and Mon and Tues at Euphemia Haye, 5540 Gulf of Mexico Dr. Longboat Key, 941-383-3633, Wed and Friday at Amore also on Longboat Key and on Thursday at Madison’s with the Ventura’s.

12-23-14 – Audio Interview

Eleonora Lvov began life under the grand piano in her parent’s one room apartment in the then Soviet Union. With two virtuoso pianists for parents little Eleonora spent her days surrounded by the glorious piano music her parents played. Soon she was being helped on to the piano stool, her fingers placed and her training begun. Is it any wonder therefore that today she too is an internationally acclaimed virtuoso pianist, concertizing widely in the US, Europe and Russia – and a master-teacher on the University level, as well as to all ages in her own studio in Sarasota. Listen to this exuberant woman talk about her relationship to the music she plays and her dedication to transforming her audience. Hear her play an excerpt from George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in a cut from one of her numerous CD’s. And come hear her in person at her annual concerts for the Unitarian Universalist Churches:

• Sunday 1/4/15 at 4:00 PM at
  322 15th St W
  Bradenton FL 34205
  (no charge)
• Sunday 1/18/15 at 4:00 at
  3975 Fruitville Rd
  Sarasota FL 34232
  ($15.00)

For more information you can call her at 941-359-0235 or go to her website www.eleonoralvov.com

5-27-14 – Audio Interview

When I say that Dick Hamilton is a musician, I’m not telling you nearly enough. By the time he was two his mother could control her toddler by simply putting on some music, he would stop whatever he was doing mesmerized. Dick Hamilton simply fell in love with music and immediately wanted to create the sounds he heard. Listen to this self-effacing man describe the way he relentlessly pursued this passion which lead him to a career as a studio musician and composer in Los Angeles. Then listen to a cut – I wish I had the time to play more – from his solo (and I do mean solo) album, called Album Myself on which wrote all the songs and played every instrument;
Piano, Electric Piano, Guitar, Upright Bass, Keyboard Bass, Drums, Percussion, Flute, Alto Flute, Soprano Sax, Trumpet, Alto Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Alto Flugelhorn, Alto Horn, Trombone, Valve Trombone, Baritone Horn and Moog IIIC Modular Synthesizer (1968 vintage – no computer or sequencing to produce the few (italics mine) instruments he didn’t own such as Tuba and Clarinet.

8-30-11

Interview with the talented and engaging jazz pianist Eric Scott Reed who made the seasoned musicians at the Newport, CA Marriott Jazz Party take notice by playing both rapid fire jazz and achingly sweet melodies, like his version of the classic Thelonious Monk tune ‘Round Midnight’ from his tribute album to Monk called The Dancing Monk, which I will play as well original compositions from his CD Stand. Two year old Eric began fooling around with his neighbor’s piano while they were babysitting for him. He was always surrounded by the music his parents loved and his experience with his neighbors piano led him to try to play whatever he heard on the radio or the record player. He would pick out the notes he heard and it wasn’t long before he was playing full songs. His parents finally decided to give five year old Eric piano lessons. Listen to Eric talk about his parents, who although raised poor and black in the south, were able to give him and his siblings love, acceptance, discipline and faith. And in Eric’s case to have nurtured a thoughtful and talented professional musician who is dedicated to sharing the gift of his music in every way that he can.

August’s shows included interviews with people who came in with their destiny clear in their minds, all four musicians were playing the piano by the time they were three years old.

August 03, 2020 Dotti Anita Taylor Re-Run Interview – see March 30, 2010

Dotti Anita Taylor was a true prodigy. At three years old Dottie would play the music she’d heard her seven year old sister play. Not surprisingly her sister’s piano teacher didn’t believe it until she saw tiny Dottie play what she heard. Cleverly the teacher insisted that Dottie not hear any of the music she was learning so she would not be able to cheat – but had to learn to read music. The result is a consummate musician who plays not only piano but flute exquisitely. A soft-spoken gentle woman Dottie is a powerhouse when connected to one of her instruments.

July 13 Interview with Duncan La Mont

Although already a very successful musician and composer Duncan La Mont discovered that his first love is songwriting. Listen to how he discovered his skill and his passion for songwriting and hear some of his songs which were recorded by Natalie Cole, Blossom Dearie and Cleo Laine – to name only a very few. Duncan’s story to use his words is nothing less than “Magical and Spiritual.”

July 06, 2010

This is the first half of my interview with the much awarded, applauded, and accoladed Duncan La Mont. A boy from the tiny poverty stricken town of Greenock, Scotland, who expected to spend his life working in the mines, and although he tried hard to avoid it, found himself playing with Henry Mancini, Tony Bennett, Bing Crosby, Benny Goodman, Paul McCartney. Listen to remarkable way Duncan was pushed into accepting and using his prodigious musical gifts. Hear his wonderful music and his disarming sweetness.