Rory Hoffman and I had dinner Friday night and went to the floor of the NAMM show Saturday.

I have had the honor of meeting and playing with some of the world's best. In high school, a sax player named "Duke" Madison took me to play at the NARCO hospital in Lexington. It was a Federal drug treatment facility. Sadly, a great number of the jazz giants from around the world went through there for treatment.

In California as a 17 year old "scrub" on the Steve Allen show, Ray Brown and Ella, my "LA Mom", introduced me to the finest from the show and the area. That was a "who's who" of the bebop world. In the years since, I've backed up many other top players and performers, including several Grammy winners.

I can tell you with some measure of credibility (in my mind-at least-LOL), that Rory has a place in that exclusive club. He is one of the finest multi-instrument players I've ever met and heard.

On keys and guitar, he's a "monster". He briefly played the new Nord C-2 and a Wetcher guitar, and quickly drew a crowd. Film crews for various music shows and the daily video review that is played on a proprietary channel in the area motels during the show followed him.

Not only does he have fantastic chops, but he easily moves from Django style to fusion and jazz standards, covering everything in between.

He impressed the other real pros. Here's a guy who moved from ND to the most competitive music environment in the country, and he's really made a name for himself in the last 14 months or so. He has the talent, dedication and drive to get to where he deserves to be in time.

On Saturday, I had to leave to make a job in Lexington just before he was playing in the Q-Lighting booth with Bill Laurence, the world-renown pick-up designer/manufacturer. Bob Burris, a friend and designer of a high end hand-wired tube head who is also the Q-Lighting engineer is going to talk to him about an endorsement contract. Previously, Rory demoed for Blade.

Even though he's young enough to be my kid (in fact, Logan, my son, loaned him his badge, and he was my "adopted" son for an hour or so), he taught me a few things:

1. When I first heard of him, I identified him as a gospel/country player...two of my least favorite types of music. I'm telling you, this old man would have to struggle to keep up with Rory playing MY type of jazz. The lesson is NEVER have a pre-conceived idea about a player or style before really hearing it/them.

2. Rory plays a guitar on his lap, strumming/picking it with his LEFT hand and playing the most intricate of lead lines and changes/chord inversions with his right hand without reversing the strings. The lesson is, don't think that there is only one way to do things correctly.

3. I've been feeling a little overwhelmed since an accident that left me with some damage and numbness in my left hand and arm.
The lesson is, considering what Rory has overcome, I need to get off my "pity horse" and get on with the program.

Rory is at the top of the list of pro's here, in my mind. And while I won't completely excommunicate Logan and Ben from the family, he's one I'm proud to recognize as my "adopted son".

I have plans to bring him to Lexington to work on a film score in the future...to play the parts I generally play. He'll do a better job.

The internet is great, but you can't really see the full story about the folks you meet on-line until you sit and visit.

It's an honor to know Rory. I've been in this business over 50 years, and he'll always be in the top tier of my list of pro's of substance.

Thanks, Rory for a fabulous visit.


Russ



[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 07-20-2009).]