More portraits of the musicians:

Mike Fahn, valve trombone. Lives in Brooklyn, a heck of a serious musician who is well respected by his peers, he has had an active musical live in both LA and NY. He has been privileged to play with Michael and Randy Brecker, the John Patitucci Quintet, Deodato and Lenny White. Growing up in Huntington, LI, he was influenced most by pianists Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson and the like. Advice for soloists: use Time and Space. His website: www.mikefahn.com

Eric Erhardt, tenor sax. Undergrad degree from Eastman School of Music, master’s from New England Conservatory, studied with Jerry Bregonzi also. Played Benny Goodman’s clarinet solo on Sing, Sing, Sing in the Broadway and touring production of “Fosse!” and played lead alto sax in Ken Peplowski’s Tribute to Benny Goodman tour in 2006. A very serious musician who spends the long bus rides composing new music using the old fashioned method – pencil and paper!

Vito Chiavuzzo, baritone sax. Wise beyond his ears, Vito hails from Edison NJ, studied at William Patterson with Gary Smulyan, and received his MMus (’06) from Manhattan School of Music where he studied with Dick Oatts. Attended the Mancini Institute in LA, and toured with The Fins, a blues band, at the Monterey Jazz Fest and in Europe. Has appeared at the Jazz Standard and BB King’s in NY, and has played with Slide Hampton, Frank Wess, Rufus Reid and Christian McBride.

A baseball kind of night…

Two nights ago, after a very good concert in a beautiful facility at Newport News, we hung out with a friend of Steve’s, Mr. Blake Cullen, former traveling secretary with the Chicago Cubs, former Administrator of the National League (2nd in command), voting member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, and owner of the AHL hockey Norfolk Admirals. Cullen runs the “Jazz On Granby” concert series at the Ropert Theater in Norfolk, and has booked both Steve and his dad Mel at different times. Jim Newsom, a prominent local jazz guitarist who’s Tommy Newsome’s nephew, also did the hang. Baseball trivia and showbiz gossip were the primary topics of conversation. A good time was had by all…