Musical Career

Back in the day, I had full-fledged career as a musician — just this side of starving — but made a living at it.

At the time, it had been 10 years away from my instruments. What happened to start me back up? I started practicing again on, of all things, a piccolo I had acquired at the Sante Fe, NM flea market — why I was living there is a story for another time. When business slowed down, I moved back to California, to San Diego.

As I was considering whether to start that business back up, I noticed an ad in the local Reader. A guitar player had posted a listing looking for a sax /flute player to from a duo. I auditioned with only the soprano sax and flute, which I still had, and got the gig. I then asked Dad to co-sign for an inexpensive tenor sax — and never looked back.

I must say that one of the biggest regrets of my life was selling my Selmer Mark VI to buy a tepee so I could go live in the wilderness (another 'nother story). Within a few years, I did get hold of a new Selmer Super Action 80, next best ax.

The Big Switch from Horns to Vocals and Guitar

Starting with TerraNova, I switched from playing horns to singing and playing guitar. Inspired by my previous associations with guitar players, I purchased some pro equipment and set the woodwinds aside (literally, on a stand behind me to grab for the occasional solo). And without a horn in my mouth, I could sing while playing my beloved Chet Atkins classical electric and Fender Strat Plus.

The timeline below is in chronological order. I would hope that it demonstrates evolution over time.

Click to listen

  1. Singer/guitarist and me on sax/flute. We played bossas, modern Brazilian (MPB), and light jazz. A highlight was weekends for two summers at Plaza Del Mar Resort, Mexico.
  2. Oingo Boingo, George Michael, Michael Jackson, INXS. A classic mid-'80s pop-rock band. Most bands had a sax player ala Clarence Clemons and Steve Gregory.
  3. Straight-ahead jazz quartet/quintet, featuring vibraphone. Pure music. Something I would have always regretted not doing.
  4. Lead vocalist and guitarist, hired the band, wrote the charts... now, I can play the music I want to play: world, Brazilian, Caribbean, and a little acid jazz.
  5. Eclectic musical influences and a few years spent writing poetry came together to create these originals.
  6. Island Fever Steel Drum Band (Soca, Reggae - San Diego Zoo). Caribbean Cruise Ships (contemporary). Memorable was fronting a jazz trio with a borrowed Gibson L3.

  7. 3rd-stream music (classical+jazz). Classical guitar: solo, or in a duo with a flute player. As much arranging as anything.