“[My mother] told me a little bit about the scene out there and I think, as a small child, I just always felt a connection to that history because my mother had described it to me.” ThinkingChildrenLittlesMotherFeltBitsSceneLittle BitConnectionsSmall Child Author:Jon Gordon
“We [with my mother] listened to music when I was a kid. We listened to a little bit of Bob's [Gordon] music, but just a little, I think it was too painful for her.” ThinkingLittlesKidsMotherBitsLittle BitPainfulBob Author:Jon Gordon
“Families that I lived with a little bit in junior high and quite a bit in high school and college. Just to have a safe, sane space with food and things like that. That's what I needed. And people were really kind and really generous. So I think the world kind of opened up my first years of performing arts, studying classical saxophone with Caesar DiMauro.” PeopleThinkingWorldYearsFirstsKindLittlesArtSchoolBitsSpaceStudyCollegeNeededSafeLittle BitHigh SchoolPerformingGenerousSaneJuniorsSaxophoneJunior HighPerforming Arts Author:Jon Gordon
“I'm reaching a certain level [at school] that I had been aspiring to with all these incredibly advanced classical peers around me that I had been trying to be able to hang with them a little bit.” TryingLittlesAbleSchoolCertainBitsLevelsLittle BitReachingPeers Author:Jon Gordon
“I learned some classical music history, which I had done quite a bit at of Performing Arts. But I got some more with a great teacher named David Noon, who I've been in contact with quite a bit in recent years.” YearsArtDoneBitsTeacherContactPerformingClassical MusicNoonGreat TeacherPerforming Arts Author:Jon Gordon
“A tenor player named Bud Revels there at the time. A lot of really nice associations amongst the students. Garry Dial was a returning student. He actually got me on Red Rodney's band subbing a little bit. I gigged some with Red when I was 21 in 1988. So I had a lot of nice associations that came from [ Laguardia School of Arts]. But a lot of my education was going on in the clubs. Hearing music and sitting in.” LittlesArtSchoolBitsNicePlayerStudentsBandLittle BitSittingRedClubsHearingAssociationBudReally NiceTenorsHearing Music Author:Jon Gordon
“Barry Harris had a club called Jazz Cultural Theater and there were sessions there on a regular basis. I remember being there and sitting in with [Charles] McPherson and Barry being there, and just smiling at me. He didn't talk to me much at the time, he just came up and gave me a smile, which meant a lot. I've since gotten to know him and been around him a little bit.” KnowsLittlesRememberBitsLittle BitSittingBasesTheaterJazzClubsSessionBeing ThereTalk To Me Author:Jon Gordon
“What I feel the most confident about as a teacher, whatever my strengths and weaknesses are. The fact that I got to be around those people, I feel like that I have something to offer because of that blessing. Being around them a little bit... I'm not them. I'm certainly not trying to compare myself to them. But in lieu of them being able to impart something, the fact that I had so many people like that that were kind to me and talked to me was invaluable.” PeopleFeelsTryingKindLittlesFactsAbleBitsTeacherBlessingOffersLittle BitWeaknessCompareImpartInvaluableStrength And Weakness Author:Jon Gordon
“Phil [Wood] was known for having a little bit of a gruff manner, but he was all heart.” HeartLittlesBitsKnownLittle BitWoods Author:Jon Gordon
“There were some things I was going and doing in Europe a little bit. Some festivals that brought me over. That was good. Some touring I did over there. But there was nothing major [from 22 to 29].” LittlesBitsMajorsLittle BitEuropeFestivalsTouring Author:Jon Gordon
“I'm very gratified that I had my little 15 minutes,or whatever [at the Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition]. It certainly didn't make me rich and famous. But it helped a little bit for a while.” LittlesBitsRichMinutesLittle BitCompetitionInternationalMonkSaxophone Author:Jon Gordon
“I was able to go over [Saxophone Competition] and work a little more in Europe. I'm thankful that those of kinds of things. Simultaneously, some nice things did come in. I got a nice festival that came in, in Virginia through that. There was a club that opened in DC in the famous Willard Hotel near the White House. And the club was called The Nest. I played there a few nights. Some musicians in Philly and D.C. kind of brought me down and got me on a couple things. So things opened up a little bit.” KindLittlesAbleNightHouseBitsWhiteNiceCoupleLittle BitMusicianEuropeDown AndCompetitionClubsHotelWhite HouseFestivalsNestsVirginiaNice ThingsSaxophoneSome NiceCouple Things Author:Jon Gordon
