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 Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Sammy Davis, Jr., Lena Horne, Louis Bellson, and Frank Loesser . just to name a few. He has composed operas, ballets and commercials, and been performed by The New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall. Listen to this remarkable man talk about the way he discovered his attachment to various forms of music and how he relentlessly pursued excellence in every one. Hear him play the classic “My Romance,” and come out to hear him every Friday night at the Burns Court Café in downtown Sarasota.

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.