Click here to listen to Greg Wing's arrangement of "People". (3.7MB MP3)

Greg's comments:

I recorded this in the mid 80's while I was playing Lead for Tom Jones. That gig provided me the luxury to record a few things. I called my friends in Las Vegas (I was living/working there from 1981 - 2002) and hired them to go into the UNLV (Univ. of NV Las Vegas) band room studio and lay down the parts. Curt Miller engineered the session! Curt is a trombone player and great musician/friend as all these guys are.

Saxes: Dennis Wilson, Rick Torcaso, Larry Schlect (soloist on People), Ernie Hensley, Elliot Wax.......... I played with these guys during my stay at the Las Vegas Hilton House Band

Trombones: Eddie Morgan, Dwight Smith, Ron Textor, Nate Lynch (Bass Bone)

Trumpets: Doug Clark, Nick Thorpe (Nick owns his own recording production company and got me on Buddy's Band), Tom DeLibero & Bob Slack.

Piano: Tom Lyons

Guitar: Gary Queen

Bass: Clark Edison

Drums: John Nasshan

All these guys are great musicians! Doug Clark was the lead trumpet player on Buddy's band after I left. I think Doug took Biviano's place (1983??) and stayed 'till Buddy's death. Tom Delibero is one of the greatest lead trumpet players in the business today! Just fabulous!! We recorded all the sound tracks for the Carnival Cruise Ship shows for 10 years. Nick Thorpe still writes and musically produces their shows today!!

I went to Indiana Univesity to study with Bill Adam from 1977- 1981 and met Nick Thorpe and Bob Slack there. Bob Slack is the Dean of the school Fine Arts at Citrus College in Glendora, CA. Needless to say; who you develop friendships with certainly helps you with the many opportunities to get you "on" the gig!

Thank you!
Greg

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Projects by Keith Bishop

Note from Mike James: I received this wonderful email from Keith Bishop, in late June, 2009...

Hi.
I was surfing the internet and was very excited to hear the recordings posted on your site of music I wrote and played with Buddy Rich over 25 years ago. The arrangement of "Porgy & Bess" is mine (as Doug Clark said), but you have much better recordings of the band playing it than I had, and likewise the arrangement of "Body & Soul" is mine (and I'm the flute soloist featured throughout), again much better recordings than I had. I've been living in the LA area the past ten years or so and have been fortunate enough to play and record with the Mike Barone Big Band (see www.mikebaronemusic.com), we just finished recording our 4th CD. I can also be heard on the Phil Woods with the "Unheard Herd" and Bud Shank's "The Long Way Home" CD's, on the Jazzed Media label.
All the best,
Keith Bishop

And this one, after I responded...

I feel fortunate that I got to experience the end of the road band era both as a player (in addition to Buddy' band I was on the last Woody Herman touring band as well),but also as a fan. Growing up in Pittsburgh it was always a big part of my life getting to hear all the great road bands that came through town on a regular basis.The economics of keeping a band on the road combined with the shrinking fan base, and attrition of leaders with a link to the "old days" all contributed to their ultimate demise. I do think the big band format still has appeal though, even with younger people. Gordon Goodwin has found a successful niche with younger audiences, it would be nice if his comparative success with this market (and the kid's band directors/music teachers) would transfer to some of the other great bands out here. As I told you, I've been fortunate enough to play with MIke Barone's Band regularly out here, easily as good or better than any road band I've ever heard or played with, but there are very few venues left where we can play. The same is true for other great bands I've played with out here, Jack Sheldon, Bill Watrous, Clare Fischer, Steve Hufstetter and the late Bob Florence, (on any day of the week you can hear some great music being rehearsed at the Union rehearsal halls) . It saddens me that the same kids who flock to a Gordon Goodwin gig, (and buy his CD's ) are all but oblivious to all the other great music out here. Anyhow, the road band days are gone, but as long as people love to play and write this music(and occasionally hear it), it will survive and grow.

I'm sending a couple of clips recorded by Section 8 that I wrote. The group Section 8 was the saxophone section I was with in Buddy's band .Andy Fusco and Dave D'Angelo (who leads the group) on alto saxes, the late Steve Marcus and Walt Weiskopf (who has many CD's of his own out now [on Criss Cross records], teaches at Eastman and tours and records with Steeley Dan) on tenor saxes, and Jack Stuckey replacing me on bari. The rhythm section is Joel Weiskopf (on "In Your Dreams") Tardo Hammer ("All My Tomorrows") on piano, Phil Palombi on bass, and Steve Davis on drums.The two clips I'm sending are an original of mine featuring the tenors called "In Your Dreams",and an arrangement of "All My Tomorrows", featuring Andy Fusco on alto. You're welcome to post them on your site if you like.
All the best,
Keith

Click here to listen to "All My Tomorrows" (5.2MB MP4)

Click here to listen to "In your Dreams". (3.7MB MP4)

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