Once More With Feeling

I was raised in a musical family. Grandparents and aunts and uncles on both sides of the family were professional musicians. My mother was a professional singer and a talented dancer and my father was a terrific trumpet player who traveled with the big bands right out of high school. He soon thought better of that lifestyle and went to college and became a music educator. He was a great teacher and taught thousands of kids brass instruments right up to the age of eighty-eight. Needless to say, I was playing trumpet at the age of seven and my mother had me singing and tap dancing. All I wanted to do was play football and fly kites. So, as I grew up, I was exposed to a very wide variety of musical styles and genres, most of which I and my older brother Edward and baby sister Elaine enjoyed. Every Sunday afternoon we would pile fourteen LP's (at least) on the old HI-FI and let 'er rip. The first could be some Dixieland stuff by Bobby Hacket and Jack Teagarden. Next could be a Broadway musical (my sister's favorite) or something classical like the Nutcracker Suite then to Maynard Ferguson or even Rafael Mendez, hours and hours of great stuff. Oh, and we could always listen to some great 50's and 60's rock & roll on the local AM station on our transistor radios. My favorite, however, much to my parents' pleasure, was my love of the songs written in the 30's and 40's. Stuff performed by Billie Holiday, Mel Torme, Frank, the Duke, Tony.......well, you see where I'm going. I continued to play and sing professionally until 1990 when I decided I needed to settle down and get a real job. Well, the 'settle down' part was a complete failure but I did try several career paths. I eventually went to medical school, became a physician assistant, and worked in the field of cardiothoracic surgery. Now, after twenty-two years with my horn in it's case and only having sung here and there when the opportunity came along, I am re-entering the music scene. Along with five very talented musicians, I have recorded my debut album with fifteen of my favorite tunes from the Songbook. Ballads, some blues and a little bebop. I hope you like them as well. Today's technology really is amazing. And it changes so quickly. My old brain has trouble keeping up. I do know that it's been a real education. I'm having a ball and I'm so excited to have you all hear my new album. I look forward to hearing feedback from each and every one of you.