<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=3>In a message dated 2/23/03 11:08:09 AM Central Standard Time, bbiffle@swcp.com writes:<BR>
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<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Charlie's post about the importance of a good drummer put me in mind of an<BR>
experience I had 15 years ago or so. My wife and I were on a cruise to the<BR>
Caribbean and on the boat was the usual "house band". Good enough playing<BR>
in small and large combos for several venues/event on the boat. Then,<BR>
mid-week brought on board our "guest celebrity", Bobby Rydell*. And with<BR>
him came his "musical director", a drummer. This gentleman - the drummer -<BR>
placed himself upstage center of the "big band" for the show and I thought<BR>
they'd brought in a completely new group of players. They played much<BR>
tighter, swung much harder, played with more confidence and verve, and<BR>
generally sounded like a completely new band.</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
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That drummer must have been Dave Kovnat. Dave has been Rydell's drummer and musical director for years. Dave Kovnat works out of Chicago and he has played with Charlie Hooks and myself many times In fact, it was Charlie Hooks who told me about him. He is, indeed, a fine drummer. Kovnat was on a Jazzology recording that Charlie Hooks and I did with singer, Judi K. He sure helped make that recording a success.<BR>
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Jim Beebe</FONT></HTML>