THE FIRST TIME MEET WITH ONE OF MY HEROES.

In brief, during my days in Artist Relations for SABIAN cymbals, I wind my clock back to around 1991 if memory serves me right, I met with drummer Russ McKinnon who was filling in for David Garibaldi with TOWER OF POWER at the Town & Country Club (Kentish Town, U.K.). After their sound check we had some down time and Russ and I joined a conversation with a group of 6 people in the middle of the audience pit. There was talk about new jazz releases which concentrated the conversation. I joined in and talked about Tom Scott’s albums ‘Flashpoint’ and ‘Streamlines’ which I absolutely loved. I just went to town about the groove on both albums saying it could be released as a double album. I then went to town on the drumming groove and praised Vinnie Colaiuta work on both albums. 

After I finished, there was an awkward silence. Russ then look at me, put his hand on my shoulder and said ‘Jerome, meet Vinnie Coliauta’….I felt my face go all ‘red’, ultimately for me it couldn’t have been more awkward. I then embarrassingly shook his hand with an awkward smile. Vinnie then smiled, shook my hand with a welcoming grin followed by a tap on the shoulder and said ‘Thanks….great to meet you’.That memory still haunts me today and I look back on it with a smile.