1-2-18 Interview

1-2-18 Without having taking a tennis lesson in his life Nick Bollettieri became an icon in the tennis and sports worlds. Because he has the “gift” of seeing people as they are, his unique teaching style which capitalized on the players’ natural abilities instead of trying to turn them into clones, resulted in 10 becoming #1 in the World – Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Venus and Serena Williams, Boris Becker Brad Gilbert, Monica Seles and Maria Sharapova. In 1978 he founded the Bollettieri Tennis Academy, now known as IMG Academy, the first full-time tennis boarding school. He has been inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and received the United States Olympic Committee National Coach of the Year award and the ITF Lifetime Achievement Award. At 86 he is still teaching and still going strong. In this interview listen to this extraordinary man tell his story and come see him live and in person on stage at the Venice Institute for the Performing Arts (1 Indian Ave,, Venice FL 34285 – 941-218-3779) on January 24th

10-17-17 Interview

12/19/17 and 12/26/17 Parts 1 & 2. The irrepressible, outrageous, talented, generous and at 82 (he is actually 88 now) still sexy and still acting, Ed Asner. Best known for his portrayal of the curmudgeonly Lou Grant, a role he created on the Mary Tyler Moore show and reprised in his own show called only Lou Grant. Ed won seven Emmy awards, more than any other male actor, and is the only actor to win an Emmy for his work in both a sitcom and a Drama series – for playing the same role. A famously outspoken rebel who has always been courageously true his beliefs and often paid a heavy price for his courage, Ed Asner is still poster child for true north. Spontaneous, open, guile-less; with Ed – what you see is what there is, and that is terrific. Listen to this funny, interesting man talk about his life and his work, his dogged commitment to being the best he can be and his dedication to bettering the lives of those less fortunate than himself.

11-28-17 Interview
12/19/17 and 12/26/17 Parts 1 & 2. The irrepressible, outrageous, talented, generous and at 82 (he is actually 88 now) still sexy and still acting, Ed Asner. Best known for his portrayal of the curmudgeonly Lou Grant, a role he created on the Mary Tyler Moore show and reprised in his own show called only Lou Grant. Ed won seven Emmy awards, more than any other male actor, and is the only actor to win an Emmy for his work in both a sitcom and a Drama series – for playing the same role. A famously outspoken rebel who has always been courageously true his beliefs and often paid a heavy price for his courage, Ed Asner is still poster child for true north. Spontaneous, open, guile-less; with Ed – what you see is what there is, and that is terrific. Listen to this funny, interesting man talk about his life and his work, his dogged commitment to being the best he can be and his dedication to bettering the lives of those less fortunate than himself.

11-28-17 Interview
11-28-17 In my 500th show I am airing an interview with dancer, singer, actor and Broadway director/choreographer Josh Rhodes who is in Sarasota directing his sixth show for the Asolo Repertory Theater; the stand out production of Evita. Listen to this charming story of a man who was drawn to musicals as a 5 year old boy, who dedicated his life to becoming the very best performer he could possibly be and was rewarded for his talent and his diligence with the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Choreography, and the Astaire Award as well as nominations for the Drama Desk and LA Critics Circle Awards and a career in which he never had to have a straight job!

12-12-17 Interview

12-12-17 Part – 2 In this second part of my interview, Wayne Adams continues to relate his remarkable life. Listen to him describe his delightful meeting with legendary acting teacher Maggie Flannigan; and how his production of Ralph Pape’s Say Goodnight, Gracie directed by Austin Pendleton, resulted in his determination to bring Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company to Broadway; first in the production of True West with John Malkovich and Gary Sinise and then in the Lincoln Center production of And a Nightingale Sang with , Joan Allen. Wayne says “I’m interested in being the human being that I am,” and he reminds us that “life is taking chances, not doing what someone else thinks you should do but doing from yourself honestly according to your own instincts.” Listen and be inspired.

12-5-17 Interview

12-5-17 – Part 1 – Actor, Director, Broadway Producer, Lighting Designer, Art Gallery Owner waiter, server in an upscale tie store and more, octogenarian Wayne Adams did everything with passion, commitment and panache. Adopted by an extraordinary couple who wanted him to experience everything and encouraged him to “be himself, and to take responsibility for everything he attempted,” Wayne has done just that. A musician, an artist and an actor.As a boy, Wayne majored in commercial design and minored in history of architecture at Ohio University, and although he never took a “theater course” he was in 11 productions during his four years at school with the result that when he graduated he knew that after his mandated stint in the air force he would go off to NY to pursue a career as an actor. Listen to the remarkable diverse jobs he tackled – all with the same commitment to excellence and hear how he discovered “what it really means to be an actor.”

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

11-7-17 Interview

11-7-17 Peter Bogyo thought he was an actor and diligently pursued that career, but the experience of producing a play convinced him that his natural talents and inclinations lead in another direction. He began to explore the area of managing, instead of acting, in a show. First becoming a company manager and then creating a huge track record as a general manager of Broadway and off-Broadway shows. Peter has worked with Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Kevin Spacey, Richard Dreyfus, Sir Alan Bates, Dame Eileen Atkins, Carol Burnett, and Cicely Tyson and the recording he produced of the concert version of “Anyone Can Whistle” at Carnegie Hall with Angela Lansbury, was nominated for a Grammy® Award. But Peter is always evolving and having taken a hiatus from his work as a general manager, he turned his talents to writing and has just published his first book – Broadway General Manager: Demystifying the Most Important and Least Understood Role in Show Business. Listen to this charming, funny, interesting man describe his ability to ‘switch horses mid- stream’, and discover that he is really a “fish.”

10-31-17 Interview

10-31-17 Betsy Gertz is a multi-talented woman. A gifted photographer, sculptor and potter, she has also worked as a chef, an EMT and a nurse. Betsy excels at whatever she decides to try. Currently she is living on a large plot of land which she calls her “piece of peace,” where she cares for dogs, cats, horses, ponies, burros, sand cranes and deer. Somehow in addition to the work it takes to minister to the needs of these creatures, she finds time to ride her horse, create art and assemble and publish a book of her photographs called “Encounters.” Listen to this extraordinary woman describe her struggle with and survival from a deadly disease, and come down to The Starlite Room 1001 Cocoanut Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236, on Sunday Nov 5th from 4:00-6:00 to help Betsy launch her book.

10-24-17 Interview

10-24-17 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 three 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 –, and come see her with Billy Marcus (named the best musician in So FL) on piano, Don Mopsik (the sage) on Bass and blazing drummer Steve Bucholtz at the Jazz Club’s Giving Hunger The Blues music festival on Sunday Oct 28th.201

10-17-17 Interview

10-17-18 The multi-talented Carole Schweid began taking dance classes at six and continued studying through the grueling program at Julliard. But by then she had already discovered her interest in and talent for acting and singing, and her passion for plays. Listen to the delightful story of how she got her first Broadway show – Minnie’s Boys, and the life changing experience of being part of the company of the iconic show A Chorus Line. But performing was not enough for Carole and in addition to raising her two sons, Carole and her partner Nancy Diamond created the hugely-successful Play with Your Food, a truly unique theater experience, and the basis for her newly published book Staged Readings – Magic. Listen to Carole’s funny, charming, disarming story, hear her describe how she went from someone who was “dancing from the minute she could walk,” to the singer, actor, writer, director, choreographer, producer, and author she became.

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

9-26-17 Interview

9-26-17 2-21-17 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 here him at Al Hixon’s Jazz Jam on Monday nights.

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

9-12-17 Interview

9-12-17 Saxophone/flute/clarinet/piccolo artist, clinician, educator, music editor and recording artist Pete BarenBregge didn’t intend to become a musician. In school he joined the band “just because” and was given the clarinet because he had “long fingers.” Playing the clarinet was “okay,” but when his band master gave him a saxophone and introduced him to jazz, he found what he was meant to do and he “jumped in with both feet.” From then on Pete’s life revolved around his music and he became nationally known as a jazz musician. He was a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, (GRAMMYS), and the board of governors for the Washington, D.C. chapter of NARAS. He was musical director of the Columbia Jazz Band, and Musical Director of the prestigious United States Air Force Band’s Airmen of Note, where he performed as lead jazz tenor saxophonist during his 20-year military career. With the Frank Russo Group he recorded two CDs which received rave reviews in DownBeat and Jazz Times magazines. Listen to this soft-spoken, multitalented man describe a life dedicated to making, sharing and teaching music in every venue possible and listen to cuts from one of his highly praised CD’s – Point of Grace.

9-19-17 Roy Gerson,

9-5-17 Interview

9-5-17 Steve Patmagrian grew up in an artistic household, but he resisted going into the arts until, on a lark, he and some friends went backstage at The Players and Steve was captured by the idea of creating something from nothing. He volunteered to do set work for the Players in his first year of high school and worked on every show straight through graduation. After Graduation he was appointed designer and technical director He had found what he was meant to do. But there is no easy way to define or label Steve’s career. Having attended Ringling School of Art and Design Steve has been a set designer, stage manager, sound and lighting technician, event planner, videographer, technical director combat instructor. New Atmosphere Productions, Steve’s studio and special events Production Company, had a 25-year run staging imaginative happenings for Sarasota Film Festival, Mote Marine, Historic Spanish Point, Sarasota Memorial Hospital and other area nonprofits. He has created custom props and sets for The Golden Apple, Venice Little Theatre, The Players, Manatee Players, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Florida Studio Theatre, Sarasolo, The Starlite Room and the Asolo. Listen to this charming, funny, unique man describe a life which cannot be categorized only admired.

8-29-17 Interview
Elizabeth Sims was born to be a writer, but it took her a long time to embrace it. Beginning with the stories her beloved Dad told her as she sat on his knee, Elizabeth was drawn to and excited by words and stories. Having bought the conventional wisdom that it is “almost impossible for a writer to get published, get any recognition or make a living,” she pursued many other occupations. But while selling books at a Borders Bookstore she realized that she “could write as well as the authors she was selling,” and she was right. She took the risk and wrote her first novel – which was published. Since then she’s published nine books from two crime fiction series. She is member of the Mystery Writers of America, Novelists, Inc. She was a correspondent for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, is a contributing editor at Writer’s Digest magazine and a keynote speaker and workshop presenter at writer’s conferences and retreats around North America. Hoping to help others who have been dissuaded from pursing their dream of being a writer by the conventional wisdom, she wrote You’ve Got a Book in You: A Stress-Free Guide to Writing the Book of Your Dreams, and is a mentor and a coach to new and aspiring writers. Listen to her story and be inspired. .

8-2-16 Interview

8-22-17 Passionate, talented and courageous Carrie Seidman is a dancer, a journalist, a cancer survivor, and parent of child with mental health issues. She discovered her passion for dance at three years old while watching her older sisters do what she was “too young “to do. Although assured that she could not begin to study until she was five Carrie managed to bully her teacher into letting her begin at “almost five.” And that tenacity is the hallmark of her life. Soft spoken and basically shy Carrie has a will of iron. She has survived everything life has thrown at her and emerged not only victorious over her own and her son’s challenges, but as an advocate for others who are facing those challenges. A graduate of Columbia University’s School of Journalism, Carrie has been a journalist for 35 years: a full time staff writer for the New York Times, Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, Albuquerque Journal and Albuquerque Tribune, she currently writes features, critiques and long form projects for Sarasota Herald-Tribune where she specializes in the arts and mental health. Motivated by the difficult and painful experience of her son’s descent into mental illness, Carrie created a series called, “The S Word: The Stigma of Schizophrenia” for which she received the national Mental Health America Media Award, and became one of only 9 American journalists to be a fellow of the prestigious 2016-2017 Carter Center for Mental Health Journalism. She has won awards from state and national journalism organizations, including the Gold Medal for Public Service from the Florida Society of News Editors in 2015. Carrie turned the project into a book called FACEing Mental Illness: The Art of Acceptance a collection of the stories and artwork produced for her ongoing fellowship project of the same name, which is aimed at changing cultural attitudes about mental illness and eliminating the stigma of a mental health diagnosis. The book will be launched on Friday, September 1st at 6:00 pm at BOOKSTORE1 SARASOTA Listen to this remarkable woman tell the story of her life and come to Bookstore1 to see her, purchase a copy of the book, and support this important mission.