Since the dawn of time, Inspriation evolves the spirit and quality of art… from masters to students, mentors to mentored.  I believe that an artist, especially a musician has the best chance of affecting the message of positive change.  The artist’s only real message… is Inspiration. 

 

Thanks Miles…As a young trumpet player, I first heard him at age 10 (Kinda Blue) and decades later got to hang with my idol for a few years before he passed.  I met him during his hiatus, mid 70’s.  When I asked why he didn’t do something, like…you know, make a comeback.  Miles said “Everytime I do a new album they think I’m gonna change music again…isn’t 5 times enough?...I’m tired… & you can play… why don’t you change something?  Why don’t you go inspire someone?” 

 

The Pickering Family…Serious Inspiration.  I’m the son of a famous Vaudeville comedian, Dan “Smoke” Pickering, and the grandson of two of the pioneers of Vaudeville, Dan Deland, sensational acrobat & Irish comedian, and Velma, star of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, the famous Train Show of the early 1900’s.  I’m also the father of an incredibly talented 3 sons who I watch carry on the family tradition. I started performing with “The Pickering Family”.  on television, radio concerts in upstate NY at age 4.  In my family if you said you played a dozen instruments, you’d be asked…”so what’s your act?...do you juggle or do back-flips on a tight rope? Music is great for the pit or a comedy song, but it’s not an act.”  So my Vaudeville father, Dan Jr. was my first real inspiration.

 

1963…I’m shooting hoops in the driveway and the radio went….”I want to hold your hannnnnnd”….What????  The BEATLES…better learn to play guitar… Next?...look out… the real 60’s…Hendrix, Who, Stones, Cream…what can I say…. 1972 Steely Dan, mid 70’s, Sting….plus Stevie… Ever notice that the people who inspire you most only need one name?  Mom, Dad, Jesus, Miles, Jimi, Sting, John, Paul, Stevie?  Maybe I should think about that….

 

The 30 year lesson: Inspiration continued with Jimi Hendrix’ early engineers, Shelly Yakus and Roy Sicala schooling me on mixing consoles.   Then while working with Vicki Sue Robinson in the late 70’s I found myself hangin’ in the studio with Ike (Turner) who taught me layering,  Larry Graham from Sly taught me to slap a bass one night in a dressing room in Jersey. Then a short tour with my own group with the original Average White Band locked in the layering concept. Living next door to the godfather of fusion, Larry Coryell for a couple years was key.  Years later, the opportunity to produce an album with Michael Brecker, Roy Hargrove, Jon Faddis & Jimimy Cobb elevated inspiration to a new level.  Overall, I have been blessed to have worked with true masters, some of the greatest of whom did me the honor of playing on this project.

 

My hope is that something on this album inspires you…just a little, and the sum total of all of our collective inspiration will move the planet one tick in the right direction.

                                                                                                           Pick