[jazz_guitar] Kenny Poole and Cinti
Brian Kelly
John,
Good to hear from a fellow Cincinnatian. I left there over thirty years ago
but I still keep in touch with everybody and I still have family there.
Wilbert Longmire is one of my lifelong closest friends and an early teacher
of mine. I remember Lloyd Hazelbaker as well. I took a few lessons form
him but he didn't show me much. He was another one of those guy that tried
to show me Girl From Ipanema when all I was interested in was John Coltrane
and Wes Montgomery. There was another guitarist that lived out that way
named Mel Horner and he was my earliest and biggest influence as a jazz
guitarist. He was very successful around town and just up and quit playing
one day. Absolutely disappeared from the scene.
Cal Collins lived about a block and a half a way from me for years and I use
to run into him after each of us got off our gigs at the Toddle House in
Clifton at 3:00 AM. Cal was one of the all-time great players and an
incredibly wonderful person. He's a guy I think of often and truly miss.
After I moved here I use to hang out with him when he came to Nashville to
do clinics at The Nashville Jazz Workshop. I had a gig here over on 8th
Avenue and he came in one night and spent the whole evening. That is the
last time I ever saw him. It's sort of ironic that Cal told me that night
that despite the fact that he drank beer nearly non-stop (somehow he stayed
skinny) he had never had even the slightest health issues. Six months later
he was dead. Died in his backyard playing with his dog. I still see his
wife occasionally. She is a wonderful person as well.
I am surprised that you remember Cal ever playing at the Buccaneer. He
should have left there before you were old enough to get in. Of course Ohio
did have 18 year old beer drinking so maybe you just made it.
I played all over town. I played at all of Ed Moss's places (Emanon) all
the way back to Love's Café on Calhoun. I worked in every studio in town
but primarily King Records when it was in it's heyday. I also often worked
at Rite Recording, Queen City Album and Jewel Recording Studios.
I have met Bob Roetker but he came there after I left. About six years ago
I was traveling with Jack Wilkins and Gene Bertoncini as they toured in the
Tri-State area. Gene and Jack split up in Cincinnati when Jack played at
the Wisp with Wilbert Longmire. Kenny dropped in that night and played for
a few songs as well. Even crazy assed Ed Moss showed up to that gig. So
many guys I came up with showed up that night it was sort of like a class
reunion. Anyhow, that is when I met Roetker.
Another guitarist in that town who was a huge influence on me was John
White. He's not that well known there but in his heyday he was scary
talented. he sure sared me. Fist time I ever sw him play I was so spooked
I felt like throwing all my instruments in the river.
Did you ever hear of Freddy Jordan? He's been dead for years but he was
super bad as well.
For the most part I played jazz with the black jazz guys around that town.
My teachers were guys like Odell Jackson, John White (he was black but his
nickname is "Whitey" after his father, his father owned Whitey's Night Club
in Madison) Wilbert Longmire and Snooky Gibson and they are the ones that
got me started and as a result I just followed them into the clubs playing
in bands with them. Snooky in particular is like a big brother to me. I
spent many a long hour in Snooky's Barber Shop on Reading Rd. picking up
tips on how and what to play. Guys use to come in there with their
instruments and go over stuff with Snooky. It was like a school almost. We
use to call the place Snooky's Black Cultural Arts and Information Center.
I always liked that Cincinnati was so open minded as far as the black/white
thing goes. At least that is the way it was years ago -- especially among
musicians. Lonnie Mack had a mixed band all the way back into the late 50's
and I played with Albert Washington at Vets Inn off and on for years.
Everything was cool.
I can't think of his name right now but I use to keep in touch with one of
the up and coming jazz guitar guys around town there. I wish I could think
of his name. He plays all of the time. He's the guy that introduced me to
Bob Roetker.
I know you responded to my comments about Kenny Poole personally but I think
I will post this on the website since I would love to see some of these guys
get some credit for their contributions. Wilbert is well known
internationally and still plays but Snooky Gibson is like the Godfather of
Jazz in Cincinnati. He is a humble person that hardly acts like the
Godfather but that would be his well deserved status.
Your turn.
Brian
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Robert Kotewall
Hi Brian,
Anything you can tell me about Melvin Sparks?
Regards,
Robert
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jazzster_01
Thanks Brian for the trip dowm memory lane. You are so fortunate to have known Cal like that and the others.
I grew up in Clifton, and probably heard you play somewhere at some point. There was a place on Calhoun St that
had jazz on the second floor, a dimly lit place. I can't recall the name.
Did you play with Steve Schmidt at all? He's an immensely talented keyboard player who had started on guitar in a rock band then taught himself jazz piano. Within a couple years he was playing professionally. I am pretty sure his first real gig was with Wilbert Longmire, then he went on as the house pianist at the Blue Wisp on Madison Rd. John Von Ohlen on drums and first Michael Sharfe on bass then Lynn Seaton. Lynn has moved on but there others are still here.
There were a number of great guitarists who played at the Wisp with the trio, Herb Ellis, Tal Farlow, Bruce Forman, Joshua Breakstone to name a few.
I think I went to Whitey's once or twice. I also heard Cal Collins at some kind of winery on Central Parkway, the name escapes me. Also with Kenny Poole at Arlins in clifton.
As far as the Buccaneer Inn, my Dad had brought me there to see Cal. I was probably 15 or so. I was floored.
My Dad was a self taught guitarist and pianist adept at both classical and jazz. He probably could have made a living as a musician but his calling was in medicine. So I grew up in a musical household. My Dad had a Gibson Es-125 which I still have...after listening to the Allman brothers and Santana a year or two I had gravitated to jazz. I'd been trying to play slide guitar on it, then I heard a recording of Barney Kessel playing 'Crazy Rhythm' and it was on to jazz.
I am not familiar with some of the guitarists you mentioned, but there was a guy Bill Raydyn (?) around back then, have no idea what became of him, and another guy who had taken lessons from Lloyd Hazelbaker - Sandy (?) who had phenomenal technique.
Cincinnati has always had an abundance of very talented musicians around for whatever reason, imho.
John
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JVeg...@aol.com
Thanks Brian for the trip dowm memory lane. You are so fortunate to have
known Cal like that and the others.
I grew up in Clifton, and probably
heard you play somewhere at some point. There was a place on Calhoun St
that
had jazz on the second floor, a dimly lit place. I can't recall the
name.
Did you play with Steve Schmidt at all? He's an immensely talented
keyboard player who had started on guitar in a rock band then taught himself
jazz piano. Within a couple years he was playing professionally. I am pretty
sure his first real gig was with Wilbert Longmire, then he went on as the
house pianist at the Blue Wisp on Madison Rd. John Von Ohlen on drums and
first Michael Sharfe on bass then Lynn Seaton. Lynn has moved on but there
others are still here.
There were a number of great guitarists who played
at the Wisp with the trio, Herb Ellis, Tal Farlow, Bruce Forman, Joshua
Breakstone to name a few.
I think I went to Whitey's once or twice. I also
heard Cal Collins at some kind of winery on Central Parkway, the name escapes
me. Also with Kenny Poole at Arlins in clifton.
As far as the Buccaneer
Inn, my Dad had brought me there to see Cal. I was probably 15 or so. I was
floored.
My Dad was a self taught guitarist and pianist adept at both
classical and jazz. He probably could have made a living as a musician but his
calling was in medicine. So I grew up in a musical household. My Dad had a
Gibson Es-125 which I still have...after listening to the Allman brothers and
Santana a year or two I had gravitated to jazz. I'd been trying to play slide
guitar on it, then I heard a recording of Barney Kessel playing 'Crazy Rhythm'
and it was on to jazz.
I am not familiar with some of the guitarists you
mentioned, but there was a guy Bill Raydyn (?) around back then, have no idea
what became of him, and another guy who had taken lessons from Lloyd
Hazelbaker - Sandy (?) who had phenomenal technique.
Cincinnati has always
had an abundance of very talented musicians around for whatever reason, imho.
John
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Brian Kelly
John,
I can answer some of this for you. I know Steve Schmidt but he was just coming up when I left Cincinnati. I think you are right in saying that one of his first professional gigs was with Wilbert Longmire’s Band. Steve is not a show-off but he’s got lots of talent and a real cool sense of rhythm.
I spent most of my life in Cincinnati living in Clifton. I loved that area so much that my friends use to call me the Mayor of Clifton. I also lived in Mt. Adams and Hyde Park. I played in dozens of restaurants around there and in Northern Kentucky doing mostly solo chord melody stuff. I played in Emanon solo.
I played at the Mug Club with Joe Walsh and Seymour Duncan a few times and at the Black Dome in staged jam sessions with Mick Taylor, Robin Trower and Jesse Ed Davis.
I don’t know if he means anything anymore around Cincinnati but I also played in a dual guitar shootout band with guitarist George Atkins. George was the coolest progressive/blues/rock guitar player I ever heard. Not a lot of chops but massive amounts of coolness. Amng those of us wheo knew him he is still a legend. I loved playing with him. We were like brothers until he cracked up emotionally. He was replaced by Tommy Bolin who later played with Deep Purple and The James Gang. Tommy and I didn’t get along in the slightest. I did like his playing or him personally and left the band. However that band moved to Denver where Tommy was originally from and went on to become the nucleus of the original Zephyr Band.
Tommy started hanging out with Lonnie Mack and Lonnie had a big influence on Tommy and that is where Tommy finally learned to play .
Bill Radin is one of my best guitar buddies from my Cincinnati days. I had had a serious drug problem for a long time but when I healed from that Bill helped me get started playing professionally again. I took over his solo gig at The Epicurean in Mt. Adams and played there on and off for a few years. After quitting trying to play professionally in California Bill moved back to Cincinnati. He still fools with the guitar but rarely plays out anymore. I should keep up with him better but these days we only communicate by email. We promise each other we will have lunch when I am in Cincinnati but it never happens.
Michael Sharfe played with the coolest drummer and one of my dearest friends Kenny Bobinger (who died years ago very young). The band was called Just Like Kids. Bobinger was a musical and drumming genus who I played with is several bands. We also made a record for Reprise records that was never released. By that time my drug problems had taken control of my life and that ended the record company’s involvement. I still played good but my life was out of control. Arthur trip from the Mother’s of Invention was the producer but in actual fact it was totally produced by us. Mostly Don Shenk (bass player) and Kenny. All of us were fulltime studio musicians so it was no big deal. We used to send rough mixes to Arthur and he just said “Wow, that is great!” and we moved on to the next one. It was one of the most incredible bands ever assembled. I just knew we were going to be superstars. The songs were mostly written by Kenny and keyboardist Bill Camorata. I used to take their ideas and make guitar oriented rock music out of it.
The place you are talking about on the second floor was The CandleLIght. I use to go watch Dee Garret just burn the frets off a guitar in the upstairs bar. He played with Dee Felice when he wasn’t doing that. He moved away and changed his name but he’s still playing somewhere in Florida. Dee had scary chops. I’ll remember his name later.
I know the place you are talking about on Central Parkway but I can’t think of the name of it.
Sandy Nassan is who I think you are thinking of. He was a freestyle, avant garde solo guitar player. Played a Super 400 through a Twin Reverb. Maybe two of them. He had lots and lots of chops. He played songs you knew but once he was done with the head he want totally “out”. I knew him pretty well too but I never knew what to make of his playing. You can still buy his album on eBay and there are still people around that think he was some sort of guitar genius but as far as I know he hasn’t played a note in years. I think he might be a doctor or something like that now.
The original Blue Wisp was just getting started when I was leaving town. The only guitarist of any note I remember playing there was Tommy Tedesco who I got to hang around with all of the first day he performed and much of the weekend. Incredibly fun to guy to hang out with but not the best guitarist I ever heard. He had lots chops but his playing was sort of mindless. His sense of rhythm was metronomic and impressive. He ordered drinks in the middle of his Bebop solos without musing a note.
The place I saw all the guitar players was a place called The Viking Lounge. It was on Vine Street by the zoo and across from Veterans Hospital. I use to go in there with Wilbert and John White and hang out with George Benson and Grant Green every time they were in town -- which was often. Same with Gilly’s in Dayton. Those guys also use to come visit us at Snooky’s Barber Shop as well.
Looking back on all of this I feel blessed to have grown up in Cincinnati but, in truth, I have always sort of felt that way about my involvement in music in general.
Your turn.
Brian.
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jazzster_01
Brian:
I don't have much to add, many of your experiences predate mine but I certainly appreciate your input. yep it was Sandy Nasson I had in mind earlier.
Art Gore is another great Cinti musician, he had played with Benson at some time. I last heard him in town with Russell Malone and I was never more impressed with his playing and mastery of the drums, his style was quite reminiscent of Art Blakey.
I am betting you spent some time at the old Ludlow Garage. The Allman Bros played there, and a recording was released some time later.
There was another jazz group called Ethereal some time ago...oh and I believe another pretty good guitarist...Dave Baney? Micheal Baney who I believe was his brother, was a bass player who was tragically killed in a robbery after a gig downtown several years ago.
There was another decent group called 'Wind Chill Factor' but that might have been after you left. That included the likes of Frank Proto who also played with the Cinti Symphony.
But, to anyone who has still been reading this thread check out the late Kenny Poole and I guarantee you won't be disappointed.
John
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Brian Kelly
John,
Checking out Kenny Poole is good advice. Cal Collins as well and if you can find Wilbert Longmire’s original jazz LP entitled “This Side of Heaven.’ buy it. It’s an incredibly recording. Most of his later stuff is very commercial, smooth jazz type of stuff and doesn’t show him at his best.
I only remember hearing about Wind Chill Factor or Ethereal. I don’t even know who was in those bands. Crosswind was the band that Bill Radin played in before he moved to California.
I remember Ludlow Garage very well but I never played there. Drugs had me by the throat by the time the Ludlow Garage was running.
I was also long gone from Cincinnati by the time Dave Baney got killed.
Was the CandleLight the place on Calhoun you were talking about?
You are right about the quality of musicians in Cincinnati. I’ve never been anyplace that had that many truly exceptional players. Nashville does but that is because so many top musicians from other places have migrated here. They’re not local cats.
The guitar player friend that introduced me to Bob Roetke was Dick Sorice. Do you know him?
Brian
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Brian Kelly
Robert,
I probably met him several times since I know people who knew him well but I don’t remember much. He used to come through town playing at the Viking Lounge with all the cool organ players of that era.
He’s an interesting guitar player. He’d be considered considered “smooth jazz” guy today I suspect but in truth he was a little bit of a rocker -- at least in person. I think he even did blues style string bending as well but I could be wrong about that.
Do you like him?
Brian
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jazzster_01
Hi Juan:
You can't go wrong with the Blue Wisp when you are in Cinti. The group you heard probably included Phil DeGreg who is a faculty member at the Cincinnati College Conservatory and a formidable pianist. He has a # of cd's out. Also the Wisp has a nationally recognized big band that plays every Wed evening. They also have a # of recordings out.
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jazzster_01
Brian - yeah I am pretty sure it was the Candlelight. Man there were so many good places around to hear jazz back then. I was sneaking into Emanon when I was a senior in high school...those were the days.
Yeah I do know Dick Sorice, he has gigged pretty steadily around town for while and I've played with him a few times times.
And Crosswind, yeah that was the name of that group.
John
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Brian Kelly
Robert,
Sorry, I don’t know more. Since I first responded to you I looked him up on the internet. The only picture I saw was when he was older and fat. I didn’t even recognize him.
He had a pretty active somewhat jazz/blues based style is all I remember about him. I wouldn’t know who would have been an influence on him. Maybe Grant Green or someone like that. I think he predates George Benson a few years but both lived in New York so it’s possible they influenced each other.
Brian
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Robert Kotewall
Thanks Brian.
All the best, Robert
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Brian Kelly
Tell Dick Sorice I said hi when you see him. I met him from Jeff Sherman when I first started playing again. If you are out playing with Dick you must be pretty accomplished yourself. I haven’t seen him play in several years but he is very driven and every time I see him he has gotten better. A very nice person as well.
Dick use use to play with Freddy Jordan’ son. Freddy Jordan has been largely forgotten but, in truth, he is the Big Kahuna is Cincinnati jazz guitar. He’s been dead for years and he was more or less out of commission for years prior to that with a serious drug problem but he was a monster in both classical and jazz guitar. I mean a monster too. Scary good player. He was also John White’s teacher as well. Although he didn’t also play classical guitar John White in his early days was just as unbelievable – probably more so for me. Both of these guys showed me what the difference between someone who is really truly talented and someone who is just well trained and practiced. You could learn licks from these guys but you just couldn’t get their feel for things. Both of these guys had their very souls straight-wired to their fingertips.
Freddy also did studio work at King Records. That’s how I knew him.
Brian
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Robert Kotewall
I thought he was versatile, Brian, but don't know enough about him. Thought you might.
Robert
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