Club Date (PBS)
The first photo shows our first 'Club Date' show. Club Date was a PBS show coming to viewers from San Diego.
We had John Heard on bass, Tom Harrell on trumpet, and Sherman Ferguson on drums. This program aired in over 120 cities in U.S. We have another in spring 2001 with the Young at Heart band. They put out tablecloths, candles, and wine, and invite people into the studio. It's a warmer feeling with the people in the studio. Paul Marshall is the producer, he has won some awards for some science shows he has done. They use a minimum of four cameras, and stereo sound--it's first-class.
I first heard Tom in '65, while I was playing with Jon Hendricks at Stanford. Tom sat in, and you could tell right away that he blew up a storm with some very hip ideas. He was influenced by Freddie Hubbard. It was amazing. He sits in, and comes ripping these real mature, lyrical phrases that really you don't expect from a cat at 17 years old.
The second photo was from that same first Club Date show, and it's our rhythm section with Charles McPherson. Paul Marshall, the producer, saw him in the audience, and he had his horn with him. Paul asked him to join us, and for our last tune we played After Hours. Charles and I had worked together before that, and he lived in San Diego, so he came down to the show. It turned out beautifully.
