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1—17 Interview

Synia Carroll knew she could sing. Although delighted when, in the 2nd grade, the Nuns picked her to sing Silent Night in the Christmas pageant– she didn’t think it was anything special – she thought everyone could sing. It wasn’t until her “first grown up boyfriend,” an up and coming rock musician, told her she was a singer that she began to take it seriously. While working as a teacher she found time to sing in a variety of formats – including developing a storytelling career which included movement as well as music. But it was just in the last two years that Synia “found her voice,” and that voice sings Jazz. Listen to Synia talk about her various attempts to define herself as a singer and describe and the challenges she faced when finding herself as the only woman of color amongst a sea of white faces. Listen to cuts from her first CD – in which she is accompanied by the Billy Marcus (named the best musician in So FL) on piano, Don Mopsik (the sage) on Bass and blazing drummer Steve Bucholtz., and come see her perform her first one woman show “Finding Sassy” on Sat Jan 26th 7PM at this year’s Sarasolo Festival

12-31-18 Interview

1-7-19 John Lamb When John Lamb plays everyone stops to listen. His solos may be poignant or whimsical, achingly simple or blindingly complex, but you don’t want to miss a note. A highly respected musician who spent three years touring and recording with the legendary Duke Ellington band, he is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Sarasota Jazz Club’s “Satchmo Award” for service to jazz as both a musician and an educator. In his 80’s he is arguably the busiest musician in South Florida. But despite his success and accolades he remains kind, generous, charming and self-deprecating, dedicated to sharing his extraordinary talent and knowledge and making the world a better place which, by his very presence, he already has. Listen to him describe the way he constructs his solos and come help him celebrate his 85th birthday at The Palladium on Jan 6th at 3 PM with an all-star cast including Nate Najar, “La Lucha” (Alejandro Arenas, Mark Feinman & John O’Leary), Jeff Rupert, James Suggs, Jeremy Carter, Synia Carroll, Bryan Hughes, and a Bass Choir with Steve Boisen, Mark Neuenschwander and Joe Porter. Special appearance by Bob Devin Jones. Jam session to follow show in Side Door led by the Al Downing Jazz Association.

8-2-16 Interview

When Alto Sax player Frank Ascone was four years old he saw the Louis Prima band and fell in love. Unable to play an instrument at that time little Frank taught himself to tap dance. Seeing that he was captured by Jimmy Dorsey’s clarinet, his parents bought Frank a $200.00 clarinet for his 11th birthday and his fate was sealed. He loved the instrument, learned quickly and on his 13th birthday his parents bought him a saxophone. Although music was and would always be his “life” Frank wanted to have a steady paycheck – something a career in music was not guaranteed to provide – so Frank went to art school and for many years balanced his full time job and his love of playing music. When gigs for Sax became less plentiful Frank taught himself to play the drums and piano, now retirement has given him an opportunity to indulge his lifelong passion for music. Listen to this delightful, self-deprecating man, who can’t “pass a piano without sitting down to play,” describe a life in which music is his constant companion.

3-26-18 Interview
3-26-18 Bob Fuhlrode got a drum when he was five years old and immediately he began, not only to play it, but to keep good time. He commandeered a pot to act as a sock cymbal and began to jam with his grandfather’s friends. He “picked-up” the piano and created an ”act” in which he moved from boogie woogie on the piano to drum solos, and with this “act” he won the Horace Heidt completion 4 times winding up playing at the Hollywood Bowl when he was just 11. Listen to how he accompanied 14 year old Johnny Mathis on piano when he was just 12 and all the other interesting stories of a life lived in love with music. Then hear how he discovered another passion. And come hear him play with the Don Stuart Band at the Phillipe Creek Gazebo on 3/29 at 12:00 admission is free but bring a chair or blanket.

11-21-17 Interview
11-21-17 Judy Renaud always knew that she was meant to sing. But, like many others, she “folded” to her family’s desire that she pursue something that would guarantee her security. And although she spent years working and raising her family, she never surrendered her dream. At 50 she decided that it was her time to finally pursue that dream. She worked with many people including well known jazz performers Madeline Eastman, Mark Murphy and Diane Schuur. All taught her things she needed to know and encouraged her to keep singing. With her husband, jazz musician and singer Tom Renaud, she has been entertaining people in clubs for years. Then she went into Spirit Ranch Studio and with legendary engineer Bud Snyder and the remarkably talented Eddie Tobin, who was Engelbert Humperdinck’s pianist, musical director and conductor, on piano, recorded 36 songs which she packaged into 3 separate CD’s Having just released the 3rd of these CD’s Judy has accomplished her goal. Listen to this charming, funny, guileless woman describe her life journey, and the serious learning curve required when making a CD. Listen to several cuts from her most recent CD.

10-17-17 Interview

11-14-17 When Lew Gluckin was ten or eleven his father took him to see Trumpet virtuoso Louis Armstrong play and that experience dictated the rest of Lew’s life. He visited a friend who had a bugle and when he blew it, although he didn’t make much of a sound, he thought he could be good at it. He got his first trumpet at around twelve and not only taught himself to play, but over his career taught himself to arrange, copy and compose. Lew says “everybody knew me” and so in addition to the bands he played with, including Larry Elgart, Peter Duchin, Woody Herman, and Art Mooney, he was called on to play Jingles, Broadway Shows, Rock and Roll records and to back up artists like Liza Minelli. Listen to this funny, self-deprecating man talk about the career of a man who never had formal training and played with, hung out with, wrote for or rubbed shoulders with the greatest musicians of our time including Herbie Hancock, Mile Davis, Doc Severinsen, Phil Wood Jazz singer

10-10-17 Interview
10-10-17 Outstanding bassist Mark Neuenschwander is one of the busiest musicians in in Florida and, luckily for us, he sets aside one Monday a month to share his remarkable talent – and wicked wit – to join Al and Billy at 15 So – and accompany the fortunate singers and musicians who perform there. Mark has played with Billy Eckstine, Cab Calloway, Rosemary Clooney, Michael Feinstein, Atlanta Ballet, Tampa Bay Opera, Philharmonia Virtuosi, The Florida Orchestra, Eddie Arnold, Bob Hope, Red Skelton, Andrea Bocelli, Herb Alpert, Yanni, Chick Corea, The Moody Blues and the 5th Dimension as well as over 140 national Broadway touring shows He is also respected as an educator/clinician. Ironically Mark never expected to live a life dedicated to music, it seemed to sneak up on him. Self-effacingly, Mark says that he wasn’t born to do this. Continually told how smart he was, Mark believed he had to be an engineer or a physicist or a combination of both, but music just kept getting in the way. Mark’s is the story of a man who kept trying to be what they told him he should be, but who kept bumping his head against what he actually is – until finally realizing and allowing himself to embrace and enjoy the “tremendous” joy of doing what he loves to do and getting paid for it. Listen to this candid man describe his, not a straight line journey, to becoming the musician he always was. And hear his solo on a cut from a CD with pianist Johnny Varro.

10-3-17 Interview

9-13-16 The incomparable Billy Marcus joined the Al Hixon jazz jam team after the unforeseen death of beloved pianist Charlie Prawdzik. Bringing a passion and unique style to his solo’s Billy flawlessly supports the many and varied singers and musicians who perform at the jam. Named Miami’s Best Musician by Miami/South Florida Magazine, some of his credits include playing with Bobby Hackett, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, The Bill Evans Trio, The Horace Silver Quintet, McCoy Tyner, Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Band, Maynard Ferguson, Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins, Scott Hamilton, Al Grey, James Moody, Jack Sheldon, Pepper Adams, Mark Murphy, Eddie “Clean-head” Vinson, Kai Winding, Terry Gibbs, Richie Cole, Buddy DeFranco, The Buddy Rich Big Band, Woody Herman, Grover Washington, Freddy Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, Spyro Gyra, Doc Sevrenson, Ramsey Lewis and Kenny Burell. Billy has appeared in clubs in Miami, Boston, New York Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, Switzerland, Paris, London, Rome, Amsterdam, Zurich, Bern, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Dubai. Listen to this modest man describe his haphazard journey to becoming the remarkable musician he is – and listen to a cut from one of his albums. Come out to see Billy at Al Hixon’s Jazz Jam on Monday and the Allegro Bistro in Venice on Thursday

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

7-4-17 Interview

7-4-17 Singer, songwriter, educator, therapist, and woman of the world Annie Addington has done it all. Listen to this unusual woman describe her eclectic life journey; one which took her to many countries, taught her many languages, and involved her with many fascinating people before bringing her to Sarasota. And listen to two cuts from her forthcoming CD – Wild is the Wind, and the jazz classic Ruby my Dear, accompanied by Eddie Tobin and recorded and mixed at Spirit Ranch Studio by Bud Snyder.

4-25-17Interview

5-2-17 Singer Barbara Jordan is calls herself “late bloomer.” Although she has been singing literally all her life and whenever anyone heard her – teachers in school, bands she sat in with – they always wanted to hear more, she didn’t identify herself as the singer she is until she retired from teaching and raised her daughter. Finally taking the plunge Barbara put together a band of her favorite musicians and is not only playing clubs in Canada (where she lives) but has recorded her first CD Barbara Jordan – Timeless. Listen to this bright and talented woman describe her late blooming ride towards what she was obviously always meant to do. And listen to a cut from her album.

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.