local Knights of Columbus hall and packed the place
Playing with Herbie happened later on with a Paul
every gig. We played the simplest of pop tunes –
Simon recording. But when I was 15, I got a call
Motown was in, Rock & Roll was new, doo-wop was
from an arranger/trumpeter named Tom Baker. He
on the way out. I passed through all of that, then onto
needed a sub on drums for his band called the
the English invasion and Hendrix, and then into
Sensations, who were huge in Cleveland,
American horn pop bands like Chicago, Blood Sweat
performing at the Agora once or twice a week along
& Tears and the Electric Flag. All of those groups had
with the other dance halls. People in Cleveland
members who were committed jazz musicians
were very supportive of their bands and they loved
moonlighting in pop bands.
this group. Tom turned me onto John Coltrane by
playing me “A Love Supreme”. The spirit of the
You started playing in jazz clubs when you were
music kidnapped me! That I know is a scene that
still very young – alongside celebrated figures like
has been repeated countless times before me and is
Herbie Hancock. What inspired you to become a
still happening today.
jazz musician?
I have to say, my parents were pretty goodnatured about the whole thing. I can recall sitting