Here is something I think you will really enjoy: this is a recording of a really dynamic group I was lucky enough to be a part of in Ann Arbor during the early eighties -- a Latin Jazz group that called itself "Picante!" (that means "spicy" for those of you gringos that don't speak spanish!) And it certainly was, in a musical sense. The group was led by Reggie Smythe on congas and Latin percussion along with Dave Koether on Latin trap set. I was the bass player, and we had Robbie Rosenstock on fender rhodes piano, and Dave Mann...

Let me tell you about a composer that I greatly admire. His name is Roger C. Miller. He and his brothers Ben and Larry grew up down the street from us in Ann Arbor. What I understand is that his father is a professor of ichtyology or something at the University of Michigan. He and I gigged on the road together one summer in a funk band. Then we tried to put together another band with his brothers, but there were no gigs so we all went on to do other things. That was before even the cassette was invented...