Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Gordon “Gordy” Johnson was born July 31, 1952 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was quickly immersed in the world of music as his father Clifford was in the bass section of the Minnesota Orchestra for 47 years and his mother Thelma taught piano. His main instrument growing up was the flute, however, he also played bass, keyboards and guitar, and sang rock and roll.
Graduating in 1974 from Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester in New York, Gordy played flute in the Eastman Wind Ensemble and bass in the Eastman Jazz Ensemble, Studio Orchestra and Arrangers Workshop Orchestra.
Johnson spent a year breaking into the New York City music scene often playing with pianist and college classmate Phil Markowitz. In 1975, Gordy hit the road for a three-year stint with the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra, alongside drummer Peter Erskine. World tours followed with Gene Bertoncini, Roy Buchanan, the Paul Winter Consort and Chuck Mangione. He was also busy with studio recordings.
Moving back to the Twin Cities in 1989 where he became one of the most in-demand bass players in town ever since. He has performed, toured and/or recorded with Joanne Brackeen, Herb Ellis, Rosemary Clooney, Scott Hamilton, Michael Johnson, Jay McShann, Dewey Redman, Jim Rotondi, Diane Schuur, Marlena Shaw, Stacey Kent and Toots Thielemans, among others.
Double bassist and bass guitarist Gordy Johnson, who has recorded five albums as a leader and fourteen as a sideman, continues to play an average of 250 gigs a year, which keeps quite busy.
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Jazz Poems
PREZ IN PARIS, 1959
By 1959 he’d moved to ParisPrez wouldn’t eat. Sweet alcohol harassedhis system. Cooled, the jazz “To Be or Not to Be” –withdrawn, a whisper–seemed a jot.
Once there’s been ways to get bak at the world;Ex-G.I. Prez had tried and tired. He hurledhimself now–hearsay, smoky horn–down-stage.“Well, Lady Gay Paree, it’s been a dog’s age.”
he might’ve said. Or “Ivy Divey! Wrong!The way that channel swims–toocold. “This song–the lyric’s weak. We’ll drown. No eyes, my man.No, let’s don’t take it from no top. The band
can skip it.” Prez. Monsieur le Président, who played us what can work, and what just won’t.
Al Young | May 31, 1939 – April 17, 2021
Poet, novelist, essayist, screenwriter, and professor. He was named Poet Laureate of California by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger from 2005 to 2008.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
David William Sanborn was born July 30, 1945 in Tampa, Florida where his father was stationed in the US Air Force, and grew up in Kirkwood, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Contracting polio at the age of three and confined to an iron lung for a year, the polio left him with impaired respiration and his left arm shorter than the right.
While confined to bed he was inspired by the saxophone breaks in songs he heard on the radio by Fats Domino’s Ain’t That a Shame and Little Richard’s Tutti Frutti. At the age of eleven David changed to saxophone from piano lessons when doctors recommended that he take up a wind instrument to improve his breathing and strengthen his chest muscles. By 14 he was good enough to play with blues Albert King and Little Milton in local clubs. Alto saxophonist Hank Crawford was an early and lasting influence.
Sanborn studied free jazz in his youth with saxophonists Roscoe Mitchell and Julius Hemphill. He continued his education at Northwestern University and transferred to the University of Iowa, where he played and studied with saxophonist J.R. Monterose. In 1967 he took a Greyhound bus to San Francisco, California to join the Summer of Love, and was invited to sit in on a session with The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and stayed with the band for five years. He went on to play with the Brecker Brothers, Al Jarreau, and Tim Berne.
Finding life on the road increasingly difficult he continued to tour, was active as a session musician, and played on numerous albums by artists including Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Sting, the Eagles, Rickie Lee Jones, James Brown, George Benson, Carly Simon, Elton John, Bryan Ferry and the Rolling Stones.
As a leader he recorded twenty-five albums and his discography as composer and sideman is extensive and includes videos, television and film. Sanborn won six Grammy Awards and had eight gold albums and one platinum album and was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame.
Alto saxophonist David Sanborn, who was known primarily as a smooth jazz musician, died of complications from prostate cancer in Tarrytown, New York on May 12, 2024.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Patricia Dean was born on July 29th in Tampa, Florida and was surrounded by music while growing up. Her brother played bass and father played lead alto saxophonist in the big band of guitarist Bobby Sherwood, and was also a pianist, composer and clarinetist. Her greatest influence was singer/drummer Karen Carpenter.
She got her first drum set and began studying privately and really playing, at the age of 11. She played her first professional job with her father and brother when she was 14. Citing Sarah Vaughan, Shirley Horn, Nancy Wilson and Julie London as among her singing influences, and names Ed Thigpen, Jack DeJohnette, Tony Williams and Sonny Payne for her drumming.
Through the years she has worked with Nat Adderley, Ira Sullivan, Whitey Mitchell, Bobby Militello and the late John LaPorta. Vocalist and drummer Patricia Dean continues to pursue her career in southwest Florida.
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JEFF LORBER FUSION
A consummate musician, Jeff Lorber’s passion, technical wizardry, forward-thinking and earnest approach, and sheer musicianship, has inspired legions of musicians for over five decades. A groundbreaking Fender Rhodes pioneer along with Herbie Hancock, Joe Sample and Bob James, he is also one of the most in-demand producers in Contemporary Jazz.
JEFF LORBER …KEYS/RHOADS
JIMMY HASLIP …BASS
GARY NOVAK …DRUMS
ALEX SILL – GUITAR
$40.00 1st Set | $35.00 2nd Set are Inside Seating
$20.00 Patio Seating is a live video concert, not inside the club.
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