Diki, I'm one who may have misled folks about my attitude. I really don't hate any kind of music or performance done with professionalism and sincerity.

I have just positioned myself as the jazz standard bearer around here, mainly because all the really good ones have passed on and I'm "it"!

I don't take jobs where country music is appropriate, and run away from gigs where Jimmy Buffet (UGH) music would work.

And, I've paid the price for my choices, in terms of limited venues and prevailing compensation levels. Add the fact that I'm not much of an entertainer, and you can understand why I take a back seat to a ham sandwich and am the "go to" guy for upscale background music.

Luckily, around here, at "high end" events (government jobs, corporate events and thoroughbred industry jobs), people are intimidated into thinking that it's "cool" to have the music I play (Jazz, smooth jazz, standards, Fusion, and Stevie Wonder, Tower of Power, Georger Benson, Earth, Wind and Fire...even Sly Stone kinds of tunes).

From years of doing studio work, I enjoy playing all styles. It would be a gas to back my friend Don Mason on his material. Steve Warner is a frequent visitor to one of my regular jobs, and is very kind to me when commenting on my stuff, and J.D. Crowe, the Grammy winning Bluegrass music guru, is a close friend. I've done graphics and copy for his early albums. We've even played together some.

But when it's my gig, I would avoid their styles and selections. That's just not what I like and do.

I don't automatically hate any performer, although Tony's selections of "UGH" performers hits pretty close to the mark for me.

I have chosen to not be a generalist and am happy with the niche I've created. Others here (on the Zone) do it differently....good for them! Much continued success to all, however you do it!


That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

"Grumpy old Russ"

Man at my age you can be obnoxious as hell and no one can do a damn thing about it. Of course, I was this way as a teenager, when I used to tie my horse up to the old hitch-n-post....