Old Inspirations

When I was in high school, the band teacher ran a jazz program before school. He was paid to lead the big band three days a week, and the other two days he'd open up the room, and the few kids in our school who really knew how to play would play in a combo together. I'd usually go and listen to them play, and listening to them was a big part of my falling in love with jazz. I just thought they were so amazing (and they probably were.)

I just searched for a bunch of them, and a lot of them are still musicians. Tenor saxophonist Ricky Sweum plays in the Air Force Band now. Pianist Toby Koenigsberg is now a jazz piano professor at the U of O. Alto saxophonist Tim Willcox, pianist Greg Goebel, and drummer Randy Rollofson are all jazz musicians living in Portland, and drummer Jason Palmer is still playing in the northwest as well. Guitarist Marcus Congleton is now the leader of Ambulance Ltd. The friendster profile of bassist Joel Root lists his profession as musician (though it also says he was born in 1770). And bassist Dan Stotz is not only a professional double-bassist- he's my neighbor here in Phoenix!