Tivolis Big Band Live CD

etc.

Music was not a part of my upbringing as far as learning an instrument. Listening was though! I was saturated with Classical music. Everyone in my family played Classical music. From French Horns, to Harps, to Pianos, to Recorders, to singing it. If that wasn't enough we all did Ballet. (wearing tights and a skimpy shirt were also a part of my get up later. In school I was a gymnastics freak) Fortunately though for me I discovered other forms of excitement. In the haze and fury of my life, I caught flashes of real music going on. The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Doors, The RollingStones, and countless other people doing what I wanted to do. Then I found myself in England. My world changed from then on. I was engulfed in the whole music scene from all over Europe. I had my ears glued to my radio. And with it, under my pillow at Boarding schools, I would take in the world of music as I slept. I listened to everything under the sun. Even Classical music! But mostly Jazz and Pop. What I wanted to hear was heavy guitar stuff but it was not on the radio. It was a kind of music people didn't put on the air to much. But it was available underground and that's where I began to dig it up. On my off times from school I'd rummage thru my brothers record collections. What fun! Then it happened! One of my brothers had begun to play the electric guitar as I discovered one day. I tinkered with it without permission and next thing I knew I had to have one. I finally acquired one, although I was not encouraged to pursue this violation of the family code!!! One day while crossing a village street that went through my school. A friend and I saw coming up the road a van with tons of stuff written all over it. It was A Major Artist and band going to a festival near by. I was on crutches at that time and preceded to cross the road and pretended to have a very hard time. They didn't stop and pick me up and take me with them (sigh) but it was cool and it changed my life. Anyway, Life again took hold and I returned to the States. Travel is a thing I like to do, and so I took off towards Maine to build a cabin in the woods. It didn't go that way and I found myself wondering what else to do. I was hitching and this elderly woman said "go west young man". Well I did just that. I hitched half way across the country, then I decided it would be cooler to ride the freight trains. I did this for another year stopping and surviving in most major cities and mountains and woods. Without any money. People are generous and I was willing to work if need be. I learned a lot about myself and the USA. But music was still pestering me from inside.