KATALYST

    Believe it or not, I didn't like jazz organ when i was first playing! It just didn't hit me like jazz piano did. I really didn't see the light until I heard Joey DeFrancesco and Larry goldings. then I got turned on to Jimmy smith, jack macduff, and the others.

    Prior to this point, I played with bands that performed the music of chicago, the eagles, the beatles, billy joel, spyrogyra, and, once I got to college, many jazz standards.

    At some point in college, a friend called and asked if i was available that friday, to play some bass lines and chords...no solos. so for the next two years, i played for this vibraphonist every friday night at maxfield's, in potsdam, ny. when the vibist left, i did the gig with a trumpet player, and we played several places in potsdam until we graduated. as i did these gigs, i learned how to play bass, keep time, and play solos! amazingly, as i played through the 80's and 90's in quartets, quintets, and big bands, these smaller gigs kept coming up, and I took them. they were challenging, and they made me play better. I finally took the bass player reigns in earnest, when I started this group in 1999."

jpL