I never thought I would record two big bands in a single year...but this opportunity was just too good to pass up. Emil Richards, Joe Porcaro, Mike Valerio and David Garfield, collectively know as Calamari, recorded a quartet record for AIX Records in the spring of 2003. Once Emil came to the studio to experience the playback mixed in high-resolution, 5.1 channel surround sound he was hooked. The very next day he called me and told me about his big band and asked if I would be interested in recording them. The names he mentioned made the choice simple...if he could get the guys all together on the stage at Zipper Auditorium then I would show up with the equipment. The tracks are amazing examples of what an extremely talented group of players can do when they're spot on. No headphones, not processing, so studio tricks...just the real deal played during one 4 hour session.

Emil Richards and Joe Porcaro have been making music together for over 60 years! When Emil came to the studio to hear the quartet project, Calamari, he simply had to have his and Joe's big band recorded the same way. This is it…the very best players in L.A. playing all out in one afternoon.