Merl Saunders

Hammond B-3 participant Merl Saunders recorded with numerous renowned performers beginning in the first ’70s and led a lot of his own times in a number of styles from jazz to blues to modern to rock. Given birth to on ROMANTIC DAYS CELEBRATION, 1934 in San Mateo, California, Saunders started understanding how to play the piano at age 10. (He was a classmate and bandmate of Johnny Mathis through junior senior high school.) Saunders chosen music as an occupation after seeing just how much fun was experienced by target audience and performers as well at concerts by such music artists as Cab Calloway. He apprenticed in early stages with Jimmy Smith for a while, and attended numerous music schools. Beginning in the first ’70s, Saunders collaborated on / off with Jerry Garcia, as well as the Pleased Deceased. He also started working being a jazz keyboardist, and performed and documented with Harry Belafonte, Frank Sinatra, Lionel Hampton, Mls Davis, B.B. Ruler, Bonnie Raitt, and Paul Butterfield. One of is own many albums with Jerry Garcia, Blues in the Rainforest, hit the very best 5 from the U.S. Billboard MODERN charts in the first ’90s. Saunders also went his very own label, Sumertone, including a lot of his catalog, as do the Illusion label. In 1998, Saunders released his 20th record as a head, ALONG WITH HIS Funky Close friends: Live! (Sumertone), including guests Garcia, John Popper (of Blues Traveller), and Trey Anastasio (of Phish). Furthermore to his active touring timetable, the San Franciscan also composed scores for Television and films, including Tales in the Crypt, Twilight Area, Heavy Visitors, and Fritz the Kitty.