1-10-17 Interview 1-10-17 Pianist, composer, arranger, singer, dancer, teacher Gwen Wahman fell in love with music at four years old. Although she took her first piano lesson at 4 1/2 she had wait till she was five for her motor skills to develop. Hear Gwen…
Category: Musician
8-2-16 Interview 12-20-16 As composer, arranger, pianist, conductor, teacher, Tommy Goodman approaches his 92nd birthday, he is still indulging the passion he discovered at two years old. Studying with Paul Hindemith, Nadia Boulanger, Nikolai Lopatnikoff and Bernard Rogers to hone his craft, Tommy worked with…
8-2-16 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…
8-2-16 Interview The following shows are a tribute to drummer, band leader, impresario, landscape artist and bad joke teller Al Hixon and the musicians and singers who appear at his long-running Jazz Jam, currently 6:30-9:30 every Monday night (Oct 3-May 15) at 15 South Ristorante…
8-2-16 Interview 8-23-16 This show is dedicated to the memory of Charlie Prawdzik, a musician’s musician. Looking more like and accountant than a jazz musician, when Charlie sat down at the piano you had no doubt that the music was going directly from his soul…
8-2-16 Interview 8-2-16 Tom Renoud had fooled around with singing but never thought seriously about a career in music. When, at around 30, he was struggling to support his family he found a saxophone and taught himself to play “well enough to sit in with…
5-24-16 Interview 6-28-16 Musician, educator, triathlon competitor Len Murphy has spent most of his life making and teaching music. Ironically, although both his parents were musicians and although he was given piano lessons early in his life (unfortunately the teacher rejected him),and although he took…
5-24-16 Interview 6-7-16 – Seven year old Lee Dougherty saw her mother and brother at the piano and knew that she too wanted to play. Her mother immediately enrolled Lee with Francis Marsh Bunton, who had a profound impact on Lee’s life and with whom…
1-19-16 Audio Interview Two and a half year old Joyce Valentine would stand by the piano and listen to her music teacher mother give lessons. Although shocked when she heard little Joyce playing the song she’d just taught to her seven year old student, Mom…
12/15/2015 Audio Interview Justin Lucero says he was always “bossy,” always telling his siblings and friends what to do and how to do it. He was addicted to anything Disney but had no access to theater and never imagined being – what he became –…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 –…
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,…
8-4-15 Audio Interview Although both of his parents were professional musicians Billy Marcus didn’t touch a piano until he was 16 years old and his study of the instrument was sporadic and haphazard. It took him a long time to realize that he was, and…
6-30-15 Audio Interview with Katherine Michele Tanner Katherine Michele Tanner is an artist in the truest sense of the word. Raised by a family that encouraged all of the arts she was able to pursue every one of her passions. As a result she is…