John

Jazz with John Playlists

I have been a jazz fan all my life (86+). Sadly I always wanted to be a musician but true musicians are wired differently. I had pretty good sense of pitch and rhythm but could not memorize or play from my head like true musicians. In high school I played in a five piece dance band (picture sent separately) called the “Swingcopaters.” The leader played piano and was very talented he could hear a song on the jukebox and then write down the notes. He was also my mentor in electronics. The trumpet player was a true musician and later got a PhD in music and worked out of Nashville with various organizations. The guitar player was also an incredible wood worker and made beautiful stringed instruments including ukuleles . Sadly I never got one. The drummer was like me and had limited talent and died very early of type I diabetes. I did not play at all through my college years.

However later in Honolulu I played 4^th tenor with two big bands for about 20 years. The first one was called the “Monday Night Band” and we rehearsed at Kam school. The leader who play great alto was the Head Master at Kam at the time. Then after that I connected with one of my neighbors who was a physician lived nearby and had a sound proof rehearsal hall on his property. I did play some gigs where we got paid union scale ( I was a union member for a while). Really enjoyed that and played one gig where Gabe Baltazar played lead alto wonderful experience.

John