#greg skaff

Little Rootie Tootie

Greg Skaff Trio

Little Rootie Tootie

Greg Skaff Trio

25 years ago today- January 6, 1987-  I had a gig at The Bitter End in New York City with singer-songwriter Kim Lesley.  I worked with a lot of singer-songwriters in my first few years in New York.  It's only now that I truly appreciate the chutzpah it takes to go that route: to write the material, to put it out there, to assemble a band, to rehearse said band, to make the demos, to hustle the gigs, engage the "star-maker machinery" as Joni Mitchell says, to rinse & repeat- for years.

These days there are books, how-to videos, workshops, Soundcloud, Bandcamp, ReverbNation, support groups, entire college degrees for Pete's sake, to help you make it as a singer-songwriter. But the two things still required- heart & good songs- haven't changed, and Kim had them in spades. 

I met Lenny White through her, and guitarist Greg Skaff , and bassist Zev Katz  and guitarist Ronnie Drayton.  I played some great music, and was inspired by watching her raise her young daughter Jasmine and strive for things that mattered.

Thank you Rev. Kim Lesley for Living on the Line, "I relate to You Thelonious," "Sassy," "You Know What I Want," "Take a Song to Heart," "Girls in the Groove," "London Town" & all the other songs I can still hear in my head.