Grandpa Bill

My Grandpa Bill passed away this week. We are going out to Florida today to see the family. I wish we could have made it out there to see him one last time...But I know that we'll get to see him again. A little tidbit about my Grandpa, he was a Jazz Musician. I'm sure he's up in heaven having jam sessions with the greats and loving it! This is a CD he made back in the day:

1960, Criteria Recording Co.Engineer: Mack EmermanKenny Drew (piano) Bill Christ (bass); Bill Ladley (drums); Jim Lawrence (tuba); Loren Reichert (french horn); Lon Norman (trombone); Gene Goe (trumpet); John Georgini (trumpet); Duke Schuster (trumpet); Bill Robbins (trumpet); Gus Mas (saxophone); Billy Miller (saxophone); Berry Polger (saxophone); Jerry Brockman (saxophone); Jimmy Casals (saxophone); Kirby Campbell (saxophone).

Black pits of luna, Flamenco sketches, Eulogy, Waltz for Stephen, Off the grate, Blue monk, Don's idea, Night in Tunisia.

This is the first of several VSOP releases of Criteria recordings. Criteria was a small jazz label founded by Mac Emerman that showcased Miami jazz musicians of the late 1950's. All Criteria LPs are extremely rare and highly sought after. For the first release on CD we have selected the Modern Jazz Orchestra recording. Criteria was the brainchild of trumpeter/recording engineer Mac Emerman. His interest was recording jazz in Miami, which he termed Gold Coast Jazz. The music on this CD is primarily written, orchestrated and directed by Don Vincent. Don who studied at Carnegie Mellon and under Nikolai Lapatnikoff later went on to lead the orchestra at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas and currently runs a recording studio in Los Angeles. The band is made up of Miami's all stars of the day. It is a fine jazz orchestra. The compositions and arrangements are excellent, and Kenny Drew is terrific. Highly recommended.