I realize it has been a while since I wrote here. Things are busy, working lots of hours at my restaurant, doing my usual church gig and now singing and playing piano at the Buffalo Club, a private club on Delaware Ave on Friday nights. I am really enjoying having a steady gig and the atmosphere at the BC is very "upper crust". I always loved the fact that most musicians could never afford to be a member of a private club or country club and yet we will always get in the back door. 

What a day!!! From the first bars of "It Might As Well Be Spring" to the burning ending on "I Love Being Here With You" the musicians connected with each other and reached out and touched an extremely appreciative audience.

Just wanted to update everyone on our last two concerts.

Hope everyone is well.

 Just want to make sure you noticed the latest entry...another gig at Salvatore's, June 3rd....hope we can fill the joint and dance till the bitter end!!!

I have been singing at The Buffalo Club the past few months with a very nice gentleman by the name of Larry Eason. Larry and I share piano duties, which gives me a chance to try out my piano/vocal chops on a regular basis. He also brings Wayne Moose and Abduhl Qadir in for some of the gigs, which is a lot of fun. Wayne actually turned me on to the gig (thanks, Wayne). 

Speaking of Wayne, he was able to bring Freddie Cole to town to perform and do some clinics at his high school, Williamsville (north, I believe?). He talked Freddie into playing at McGee's. It was a great night to be listening to jazz as Wayne, Danny Hull and Dave Schiavone were there to support a true master. Thanks Wayne!!!

Hope to see you all soon!!! Come out to Salvatore's...maybe we CAN keep jazz alive and swinging in Buffalo!!!

Just an update...

I have been singing at The Buffalo Club the past couple months and also getting the opportunity to play piano and sing on the gig. It is a beautiful old club and the people are so very nice! Larry Eason hired me and last gig Wayne Moose and Abduhl Qadir joined us. We had alot of fun.

I just landed a summer concert gig at the Charles Burchfield Nature & Arts Center (date TBA). 

The Lewiston Jazz Festival this year will feature an old friend and amazing musician from my Berklee days, Casey Filiaci. Casey is from Rochester, NY and has his own production company, doing lots of music for TV and film. He is great and our musical connection is very strong and FUN!!! 

Hope all of you are well and enjoying this beautiful Spring!!!

Thanks to all of you who came down to the gig last night. I could feel your energy throughout the evening. I really enjoy that semi-annual gig. It really gives me a chance to let go.

Mike, Danny and Sabu give me a foundation to sing over and into, around....they help me to feel the true spirit of jazz.
All of you gave us the energy and charged up a somewhat tired me and made me giddy with a feeling of joy, knowing that we were All a part of the music.
Thanks again for being there!

Thanks to all who came to Salvatore's. We drew a nice crowd. I am sorry that the establishment would not let anyone who was not ordering dinner into the dining room/lounge(?).
The room was not an intimate venue, a little strange for jazz. There was a dance floor and many couples put it to good use.
It was great to see all of you...Dave and Ruth,Daneen & Michael et al, sorry you were stuck at the bar and weren't "allowed" in, as well as any of you who showed and were banished to the bar.
Sure did miss seeing your faces as I was singing.
Oh well.......
That's show biz!!!

Thanks to a great audience on 2/6/09 at the Roycroft Inn.
The gig went so well. I was in musical heaven with George Kane, Bill Staebell and Dave Schiavone! I wrote several new charts for the gig and played piano on 9 tunes. The audience was extemely attentive and they fueled us. A fine night was had by all!

Just to update you...
My new CD "The Fine Line" has been added to WBFO (88.7FM) here in Buffalo and Bert Gambini, a wonderful guy who supports jazz in this area, plays it daily.
The CD had also been added to the playlist at WAER (Syracuse, NY).
I am starting to book for the summer and have been bitten by the performance bug and will be trying to get a couple bookings for the Fall/Winter.
Hope everyone is well. Will keep you updated.
Thanks for checking in.

Just to let you know the latest progress on "The Fine Line".
I have had a lot of positive feedback from people in the industry thus far. I have sent the new album to several radio stations and thus far have an add on WBFO (88.7 FM) here in Buffalo. Bert Gambini, the music director, is playing cuts from the album at least twice a day! I heard my first original on the radio the other day ("I Wanna Be Lifted").
I will be doing a fund raiser for "Music Is Art" at the Barnes and Noble in Williamsville (the plaza at Main and Transit) in October. Both of my CDs are now available at Barnes and Noble.
I do have a couple private parties coming up, but nothing public thus far.
On a happy gig note, I will be doing Lewiston 2009.
I will let you know about any gigs that come up.
Hope you are all well!!