Free 3 hour recording sessions at our studio are now suspended until after the winter due to heating costs. Please enquire again in the Spring See CONTACT US for telephone/email.

AL PORCINO(see also PROFILES)

Al Porcino takes us through the memories of his life as one of the outstanding musicians and lead-trumpeters of his era from growing up in Weehawken, New York to playing with all of the 'greats' from Georgie Auld, Louis Prima, Tommy Dorsey, Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich and Frank Sinatra and many other legendary names. He was the first white musician that Count Basie ever hired. What a legacy! Al Porcino speaks his mind. He says that Duke Ellington had a "raggedy band" Thad Jones was "a tedious and 'ornery cat". Dizzy Gillespie's trumpet with the turned up bell is "sacrilege". Jon Faddis is "a young punk trumpet player" and Frank Rosolino was a much better trombonist than Vic Dickenson, who "couldn't blow his nose". Now, I'm not denying the greatness of Charlie Parker says Al. Dizzy is one of my heroes except for that stupid bent up horn of his. I've always been a fan of Jimmy Lunceford and Basie. Those guys hooked me on jazz in the first place. But a lot of people think that you can't play jazz unless you're black and I'm out to defend all of the great white talent that gets no support. It's a crime and a disgrace. "I may be terribly wrong about my opinions", says Porcino with disarming candour, "but I'm certainly sure of them".

Are you a Yamaha AW16G user?

We have an A4 page on how to programme scene changes into tracks. i.e. record different EQ and DYN, pan and effects settings for a time in an empty space in a track then revert to the original parameters. N.B. This info is not in any manual. Happy to pass this on as an attachment per email. See CONTACT US for email address.

Our shop is up and running and is always open through the Buy Music button.

Downloads of single tracks or whole CDs available at a click.

Singers, musicians, poets, orators and all sound artistes are welcome to visit and talk to us without commitment. See 'phone number and email address in 'Contact Us'.