Don, if my abilities were exactly like yours on both keys and vocals, I'd be a happy man.

I'm looking forward to getting to work that job up here together when the "dork" owners get their financing together.

Truth be known, we could sit down with no rehearsal at all and "knock em dead" together.

Ray Price, one of my my all-time favorite "class acts", has nothing on you, my friend. You certainly earn the name "Gentleman Don".

And that keyboard steel sound is fantastic! Add the humor and ability to write and I think you're "Slicker than snot on a door-knob"!


(BIG HUG and lots of respect)!

Russ

Don, Thanks for the good words, but the ability to play the singles I play has more to do with the kind of jobs I'm taking than ability.

If I were subbing for you at Earnests, you'd better believe I'd be using an arranger.

These are "wallpaper" jobs for organizations...dinners just before a business meeting, where everyone is talking, for an arm of the local or state government or a horse farm dinner, just prior to a sale, where everyone is talking business...same thing.

Arrangers are great tools for other kinds of jobs, and I'm certainly not slamming them or implying that doing "non-arranger" jobs is somehow better.

This "naked" approach is just what I'm doing right now, along with the group jobs.

Later in the year, I'm going to take a house job...a little jazz room in the back of a Chinese restaurant owned by a long-time friend. He has seen places in NYC with small jazz rooms. I'm going to use my SD-5 (finally), and I'll have a "guest" every week-end...a horn, guitar player, singer, etc.


Then, I'll be in my element! You're welcome to play, but that commute would be a "killer"!


Russ

You can come get me in your airplane, then bring me back after the job!
DonM

If you'll pay for the fuel, I'll be there (LOL)

R.