Making It With Terry Wollman

Rick Rodriguez served as the Mayor of Downey California in 2018. He is founder of RMI International, an international security firm that operates in 18 states and three countries. Rodriguez founded the company in 1996 after a lengthy career in private security.Rick is a past president of the Downey Chamber of Commerce and current president of Gangs Out of Downey. His other volunteer work includes stints as chairman of Downey's Emergency Preparedness Committee, member of Downey Los Amigos Kiwanis, and member of Downey's Veterans Memorial Committee.He is also a chaplain with the LA County Sheriff's Department and founder of the Living Tree Foundation, which helps returning Combat Veterans and their families.Rodriguez, the son of migrant farm workers from Texas, grew up in El Monte, California. He and his wife Lupe have seven children and nine grandchildren.http://www.rmiintl.com/http://www.yourlivingtree.org/

Shelly was born Mashelle Clark in Brooklyn, New York. An original member and cofounder of The Honey Cone, Shelly has had a remarkable career. Beginning as a child star at the age of seven she headlined at the renowned Apollo Theatre and the Palace Theatre before making her Broadway debut with Pearl Bailey and Diahann Carroll in the celebrated hit musical "The House of Flowers."Clark went on to dazzle audiences touring with Cab Calloway in his renowned Cotton Club Revue followed by her work with artists including Dusty Springfield, Tom Jones, Little Richard, DJ Rogers and Richard Harris. She also toured nationally with The Ike & Tina Turner Revue as one of the historic Ikettes. With The Honey Cone, Shelly was part of creating an enduring legacy of Billboard No. 1 and Top 10 hits that garnered numerous gold records and esteemed industry awards.Shelly has been married to Verdine White, the iconic bass player and co-founder of Earth, Wind & Fire for 40 years.Verdine White is best know as the visionary ent

Ron Walters Jr is a keyboardist, composer, arranger, producer, and conductor.  This Chicago native began his musical journey at an early age singing and playing drums in church.  Heavily influenced by the music of Walter Hawkins, Andrae Crouch, Duke Ellington and Count Basie, Ron fell in love with the piano and never looked back.  He went on to study with Chicago jazz piano legend Eddie Baker and composer/arranger William Russo.   Ron graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a degree in Composition and a minor in Conducting. In 2004, Barry Manilow took Ron "under his wing" as his new music director.  Ron moved to Los Angeles and has served as Barry's conductor/MD/keyboardist ever since. With Mr. Manilow, Ron has performed on stages and TV shows all over the world. His most memorable experiences so far have been conducting and performing for the Nobel Peace Prize concert in 2010, and conducting both the Los Angeles Philharmonic and BBC Concert Orchestra in 2019. His conducting and playing earned him an Emm

Ron Powell is an accomplished musician, clinician, author and educator with over 40 years of performance experience.In addition to touring with Sergio Mendes for 20 years, as well as with Kenny G and Diana Ross for the past 30 years; Ron has recorded and performed with renowned artists including Black Eye Peas, Santana, Madonna, Maria Carey, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, Herbie Hancock, Justin Timberlake, George Duke, George Benson, Sheena Easton, Josh Groban, Lee Ritenour, Barry White, Brand New Heavies, Gloria Estefan, Boyz 2 Men, Annie Lennox, Pattie Austin, The Four Tops, Poncho Sanchez, Jeffery Osborne, Donna Summers, Peabo Bryson, Donny Osmond, The Supremes, The Commodores, Lou Rawls, India Irie, Michael Bolton, Patti Labelle, David Cassidy, Faith Hill, Al Jarreau, Boy George, Merv Griffin, Paula Abdul, Najee and Cirque De Soleil.Ron has also played for The American Music and Grammy Awards, Smokey Robinson’s Motown Review, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno &

She thought she could and so she did. This California radio personality, concert event producer and global music innovator has been on the radio since she was 15 years old, starting her career on John Steinbeck's Cannery Row in Monterey, California in 1979. She has worked her way up and down the Coast to broadcast on many respected FM frequencies including The Wave in Los Angeles and KKSF in San Francisco.Known in the music industry as a visionary in regards to Internet Broadcasting and music programming, Sandy has dedicated her talent to introducing the lifestyle vibe of contemporary jazz to millions around the world by keeping the sound fresh and warm. She believes that the genre is evolving and appealing to a new breed of listener who enjoys a diverse music mix. Shore describes it as a modern and robust blend that includes both the "relevance of pop and the depth of jazz."Music is her life. Shore works personally with today's hottest jazz artists and recording labels, building successful branding by integr

Since arriving in California in 1988 from his native land of Sri Lanka, Hussain has become a first call bass player in Los Angeles. His feel, versatility and joyful attitude has kept his phone ringing for over thirty years. His presence is a joy to behold on the bandstand and in the studio, raising the level of musicality and inspiring both the audience and the musicians that he plays with.Born and raised in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Hussain grew up surrounded by the richly varied traditional music of his country, but was also drawn to Pop, Jazz and R&B that he heard on the radio. He started singing in school choirs at 10, took up piano and accordion at age 12, and at 17 started playing electric bass.After living in Europe for 6 years he moved to Los Angeles to study music at the Musicians Institute, where he graduated with the school’s highest honors. Armed with his bass, his passion and dedication Hussain’s stellar reputation has lead him to travel the world many times over, playing music with some of the mos

A founding member of the chart-topping contemporary jazz group Fourplay, East was 16 years old when he got his first break and found himself on the road with Barry White. The next time the phone rang, Quincy Jones was on the line. The calls kept coming and for the last forty years, East has been churning out hit songs with artists as legendary as Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, Barbra Streisand and Stevie Wonder. His genre-crossing groove has earned him both the recognition – a Congressional Record for his contributions to the worldwide music community, for one – and the boundary-busting respect of his peers, illustrated by his current appearances on two hit records as diverse as Andrea Bocelli’s Passione and Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories. Suffice it to say, it’s been a busy four decades. “There are only so many hours in the day,” East concedes. “But for years, friends have encouraged me to record a solo album. Some for so long they’d given up. Howe

Happy wife, proud mother, avid cook, lazy gardener. Certified Horticulturist. As a musical actress, Linda Griffin was an original cast member of Broadway shows Something Rotten! and The Drowsy Chaperone and can be heard on both Grammy nominated cast albums. She performed the role of Mrs. Shroeder/Narrator in Anyone Can Whistle at New York’s City Center. She has also been featured in the Broadway tours of Wicked, A Chorus Line, 42nd Street and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Linda created the role of Propsy in the world premiere of Minsky’s at The Ahmanson Theatre in LA, and more recently The Hollywood Bowl in Mel Brooks’ The Producers. Linda has been a member of Actors Equity Association for over 30 years.Tom Griffin is a nationally recognized music director and conductor. Recent productions include Oliver, Sweeney Todd, The Music Man; West Side Story, Bye Bye Birdie; the national tour of My Fair Lady… and Alabama Shakespeare Festival's production of Mary Poppins. He has been recognized for the Broadway reviva

Dave Pearlman has been playing pedal steel and guitar since 1968 and has performed with such notable artists as Dan Fogelberg, Phil Everly, Bill Medley, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Chuck Berry, Hoyt Axton, REO Speedwagon, Bobby Womack, Leslie Gore, Pat Boone, Michelle Shocked, Joe Walsh, Richie Furay, Al Jardine, Jesse Colin Young, Albert Lee, Terry Reid, and many others as well as having been recorded on many movie and television soundtracks and commercials. Dave ran a successful recording studio for many years and was given an award for engineering on a Grammy winning album as well as four Gold Albums and one Platinum Album. Dave now owns and operates Pearlman Microphones where he hand builds custom microphones for some of the top artists and studios in the world.www.pearlmanmicrophones.comwww.rotundrascal.comhttps://www.facebook.com/pearlmanmics/

Dr. Linda Spilker is a planetary scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory who has participated in NASA and international planetary missions for over 40 years.  Spilker’s mission roles include mission leadership as well as design, planning, operation and scientific data analysis. As Cassini Project Scientist Dr. Spilker leads a team of over 300 international scientists. She has worked in a science role on the Cassini project for 30 years and is a Co-I with the Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer team.  She previously worked on the Voyager mission for 12 years.  She also conducts independent research on the origin and evolution of planetary ring systems and supports proposals and concept studies for new missions to the outer planets.   She enjoys yoga and hiking in National Parks, including her favorite park, Yosemite.  She is married, with three daughters and nine grandchildren. Dr. Spilker received her PhD summa cum laude from UCLA in 1992 in Geophysics and Space Physics while also working at JPL. Dr

The Seventh Son in a family of musicians, Vail was blessed with wildly diverse influences. His professional career began straight out of high school headfirst into the club circuit around Seattle, west coast region, then national to international travel with dozens of different bands.Connecting with Kenny G in Seattle early1986 set Vail on a unimaginable ride that continues to this day. Never content to be 'just a sideman' he continually developed his band leader and vocal skills with 6 solo CD's which brings us to the present;The New Project..........'Around the World in 40 Years' Music and Musings from a Remarkable CareerVail's new 'one-man' show integrates music and stories from world- wide performances and experiences not just with Kenny G (33 years and counting) but luminaries such as Herbie Hancock, Stevie Nicks, Keb' Mo', George Benson, Michael Bolton, James Ingram, Gil Scott Heron, MC Hammer, Steve Perry, The Arsenio Hall Show and David Cassidy as well as lesser known but highly respected artists like

The career of Bob James is long, varied and continues to evolve at every turn. From his childhood in Marshall, Missouri to present day, the music of this artist has captivated audiences throughout the world.Discovered by Quincy Jones in 1963, James recorded his first solo album “Bold Conceptions” that year for Mercury Records. Fifty-eight albums and world wide recognition would follow through five decades as an award winning pianist, composer, music director and producer. While James has established himself as a true original in the jazz world, his music has also had a profound effect on the history of Hip Hop. His songs “Nautilus” and “Take Me to Mardi Gras” are among the most sampled in Hip Hop history. www.bobjames.comwww.fourplayjazz.comhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv6ALYWxQtI

Conductor and choral arranger ALEXANDER LLOYD BLAKE is the Founder and Artistic Director of Tonality (www.ourtonality.org), a new choral ensemble focused on spreading a message of unity, peace, and social justice through a culturally diverse choral setting. Blake also serves as the Principal Associate Conductor of the National Children's Chorus (www.nationalchildrenshorus.com), where he conducts both the Los Angeles and New York City branches of the oldest and most experienced singers. Blake’s role will soon include diversity engagement to work toward a more diverse choral membership within the organization. He also serves as the Choir Director at Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA) (www.lachsa.net). As an arranger, Blake’s Wade in the Water was a featured arrangement at the North Carolina Music Educators Association convention in 2013 and is published with Santa Barbara Music Publishing. Blake has recently been requested for a commission by the New York City professional ensemble called Insp

Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution is a 2020 American documentary film, directed and produced by Nicole Newnham and James LeBrecht. Barack and Michelle Obama serve as executive producers under their Higher Ground Productions banner."In the early 1970s, teenagers with disabilities faced a future shaped by isolation, discrimination and institutionalization. Camp Jened, a ramshackle camp “for the handicapped” (a term no longer used) in the Catskills, exploded those confines. Jened was their freewheeling Utopia, a place with summertime sports, smoking and make-out sessions awaiting everyone, and campers experienced liberation and full inclusion as human beings. Their bonds endured as many migrated West to Berkeley, California — a hotbed of activism where friends from Camp Jened realized that disruption, civil disobedience, and political participation could change the future for millions."Nicole Newnham (Writer, Director and Producer) is an Emmy-winning documentary producer and director, four-time Sundance Film Fe

This is how virtuoso guitarist Oz Noy describes his intoxicating blend of jazz, funk, rock, blues, and r&b. Born in Israel, Oz started his professional career at the age of 13. By age 16, he was playing with top Israeli musicians and artists. By age 24, he was one of the most established studio guitar players in the country. Oz was also a member of the house band on Israel’s top-rated television show for more than two years. Since his 1996 arrival in New York, Oz has made a huge impact on the local and international music scene. His unique and intoxicating style has broken all the rules of instrumental guitar music by focusing on the groove. His latest album, released on Abstrack Logix, is called “Booga Looga Loo.” Oz Noy has performed, toured and recorded with Richard Bona, Chris Botti, Gavin DeGraw, Harry Belafonte, Cyndi Lauper, Clay Aiken, Toni Braxton, Phoebe Snow, Nile Rogers, Dave Weckl, John Patitucci, The East Village Opera Company, Roger Glover, Bill Evans, Randy Brecker, The Gil Evan Orchestra,

Rose Schindler (1929-) Born and raised in Czechoslovakia, Rose was deported to Auschwitz along with her parents, aunt, five sisters and two brothers when she was just 14 years old.Max Schindler (1929-2017) From Cottbus, Germany, Max and his family were deported to Poland and sent to a forced labor group in 1942. Over a three year period, Max was sent to six concentration camps.Despite these horrible beginnings, Max and Rose found each other and have been engaged in Holocaust activities for much of their lives. They are members of the ’45 Aide Society and involved in The Butterfly Project, whose mission is to educate students about the Holocaust. Rose has also been the president of the New Life Club, a local San Diego organization of Holocaust survivors.They have been interviewed extensively by the news media and their video testimonies are included at the USC Shoah Foundation Institute – the organization founded by Steven Spielberg.Max and Rose have earned many awards as well. They were honored to receive the

Saxophonist Boney James, whose style falls on the R&B and pop side of jazz, is a Soul Train award-winner and four-time Grammy nominee who has sold over three million albums. Born in Lowell, Massachusetts; he grew up in New Rochelle, New York before moving to Los Angeles with his family at the age of 15.In 1985, James went on the road as a keyboardist with Morris Day, and eventually convinced Day that he should be playing saxophone instead. He spent four years playing with Day and also became an in-demand guest musician on tenor, alto, soprano, and flute, playing with Randy Crawford, Sheena Easton, the Isley Brothers, and Bobby Caldwell.James made his debut as a solo artist with “Trust” in 1992 on Spindletop Records, which earned him a contract with Warner Bros. two years later.His latest album “Solid” will be available on June 12, 2020 on Concord Records.https://www.BoneyJames.com 

Born into a musical family, Joe Vitale is a veteran musician and drummer whose career has spanned over forty-five years of touring, recording, song writing, and producing with legendary and Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Fame artists. Along with vocals, he also plays percussion, keyboards and flute. His drumming encompasses all styles of music. A dedicated professional, his quality of performance is evident in his resume.Joe Vitale has played on over 70 Billboard charted albums. He has toured & recorded with such greats as Joe Walsh, The Eagles, Crosby Stills & Nash, Neil Young, Peter Frampton, Buffalo Springfield, Dan Fogelberg, John Entwhistle, Rick Derringer, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Carl Wilson, Don Felder, Boz Scaggs, Rick Springfield and many others.Joe Vitale's performances & songs have appeared on many Television shows and Movies including: Jay Leno, David Letterman, Chevy Chase, SCTV, Arsenio Hall, The Drew Carey Show, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th Anniversary C

Roger Brown - President of Berklee College… on whimsy, being fearless and leaving a legacy Roger H. Brown is the president of Berklee. Since his appointment in 2004, he has led Berklee during a period of unparalleled expansion that has included the launch of several pioneering institutes, such as the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, Berklee India Exchange, the Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship, and the Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice; overseen the creation of the world’s largest online music education system; created an international campus in Valencia, Spain; the construction of the Boston campus’s first, custom-built building; and the acquisition of New York’s iconic Power Station studio to create BerkleeNYC, a state-of-the-art recording facility and a hub of education and creativity. He also completed a merger with the Boston Conservatory to establish the world’s most comprehensive training ground for global careers in music, dance, and theater. Brown is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Davidson Colle

Peter Erskine has played the drums for sixty years. He appears on 700+ albums and film scores, has won 2 Grammy Awards plus an Honorary Doctorate from Berklee. Fifty+ albums have been released under his own name or as co-leader. He’s played with Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, Weather Report, Steps Ahead, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Diana Krall, et al, and has appeared as a soloist with the LA, Chicago, London, Oslo, Helsinki, BBC & Berlin Philharmonic Orchestras. Peter graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy and studied at Indiana University under George Gaber. He’s the Director of Drumset Studies at USC. petererskine.com artistworks.com