Two January 1982, Conrad Silvert ,San Francisco Chronicle reviews . The top review: The great Joe Williams and below: Art Blakey Band (w/Wynton Marsalis ,Donald Brown , Bill Pierce, Chas Fambrough) at Keystone Korner. Joe Williams appeared in San Francisco at Boarding House ,accompanied musically by Bay area residents Master Bill Bell- piano and the great Eddie Marshall and me.The Basie Band was opening at Fairmount Hotel in Feb the next month.I worked with the great swinging pianist ,Martha Young at a Berkeley,Ca Marina hang, 2 days /wk, a large restaurant with piano bar area called Solomon Grundys . John Heard was subbing w/Basie Band and had to split back to LA after the gig at Fairmount. I was called for a rehearsal as a temporary one time sub(so I thought) with Basie Band at the Fairmount Hotel Ballroom.Their run was over at the hotel.To my surprise,Basie asked me to see his wife about something .I thought to be paid for the rehearsal .Mrs Basie offered the Basie gig and hired me after that rehearsal to my surprise. Martha Young had foreseen it and told me as much in her no nonsense loving way.I was clueless thinking about something else, Grover Mitchell had gotten my name from a trombonist,Ike Bell he knew that had recommended Grover call me. Now in February ,1982 I was with Basie Band and the first gig was Count Basie Orchestra with Sammy Davis Jr (George Rhodes -conductor) at Harrahs Lake Tahoe! Life has a way of passing! Six months later May,1982, I was given notice from Basie Band,as so I was told, Cleveland Eaton came off of temporary leave! Two years later I now resided in Los Angeles and in March 1984, I started my 5 years with Sammy Davis Jr. Life is movement!!!
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 18:07:37 +0000