Hey all and Happy New Year! I hope all has been going well for all of you. Well, FINALLY, Jazz Guitar Life has been updated with 7 new interviews, reviews, and even a couple of lessons. The new interviews feature Tuck Andress, Laverne Christie, Kevin Van Sant, Sheryl Bailey, Terrence Brewer, Mike Kennedy and the duo of Kathy Dyson and Deirdre Cartwright.As always feel free to let me know what ya think.

Now, I realize that it's almost been two years since Jazz Guitar Life was updated. I can't be… Continue

Well, add one to my long lexicon is gigging disasters. Like anyone who has spent any time in music, I have an assortment of oddball gigging stories, and my supposed "comeback" gig turned into one of those.

Long story short: We were double booked with another group, and unfortunately it turns out that the person who booked me wasn't really the person in charge of that, so the preference went to the other band. My best guess is the person I talked to (who was certainly someone very high up the fo… Continue

I made it happen, finally. After picking up the jazz guitar again back in early October after about 2 1/2 years since I played any kind of gig at all, I am booked for a professional jazz gig. I was able to work some old connections to book a show at one of my old haunts, Manhattan's restaurant in Toledo, Ohio, on December 23rd. I'll be playing with my old friend Jason Gahler on bass. With him backing me up, I really can't go wrong. Also joining me is a hip new sax player, Al Ashby, who is just f… Continue

Since I really began playing again in earnest back in September, I was surprised at how quickly my old skills came back. In mere days, the fingers were feeling good again, and I more or less could play like I used to, when I would hold forth at various venues in NW Ohio, from Easy Street Cafe to Manhattan's in Toledo. I could "make a gig," as they say.

However, the goal here is not to simply reattain my old style with all of its warts and problems. The goal is of course to improve upon these fu… Continue

Bobby Darin. He swaggered, snapped his fingers and shrugged his shoulders to jazz, blues, gospel, pop, folk, rhythm & blues and Country Western. He was the first great cross-over artist before the term was even phrased. He had a sleepy-eyed charisma that kept his audience spellbound. He possessed a natural sense of rhythm and vocal timing that was unmatched among male vocalists. He did incredible impersonations, could dance with the best of them, and played any instrument he picked up like i… Continue