Please allow me to introduce myself…..from St. Louis

[Richard Zempel]

I’ve been at this too long to suck so badly, so I’m looking to improve. Blues, Swing, Jump, R&B, Soul, Jazz, Funk, Rock, Country, Punk, Ska. Everyone I play with is a better musician, and I’m proof that horn players can fake better than anybody else in the band, unless it’s a punk band. I didn’t allow my children to play reed instruments because I was afraid they’d someday show me up, and I would lose whatever mystique I might have left. Of course, my 3 sons have a popular power trio and they let me play with them some times. Many in my family are, or were, a musician when they were alive. Several played on minor hits or played concerts in good rooms, with symphonies, had songs on the radio, TV, a movie, toured a little, sold a song to Johnny Cash. If none of us ever reached fame and fortune we stood next to many of those who did. I worked in advertising and weaseled my way on to the biggest music producing beer brand and learned a lot about writing and producing and working with big name artists. My biggest sax influences are Boots Randolph, Louis Jordan, Illinois Jacquet, Red Prysock, Bobby Keys, Gato Barbieri, Michael Francis (Asleep at the Wheel), Don Wise (Delbert McClinton), Lee Allen and Grady Gaines (Little Richard) and other forgotten names that played those great solos……………
I’m fortunate to have some good hardware that deserves better music slobbered through them.
Thanks for reading, say hello, I’m Richard Zempel in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

[Michael]

Nice to meet you Richard, sounds like you’ve done some cool stuff. I live here in Little Rock, Arkansas and Johnny Cash is from our state…his music is still very popular even to this day here. I’m only about 5 hours from you, it would be cool to hook up with you up there in time to come and let’s do some Sax playing together. Let me know what you think. Welcome to Johnny’s site—you’ll find everyone to be very friendly, encouraging, and always willing to share tips/tricks with each other.

[Mel]

Welcome Richard!

[William Cingolani]

HI RICHARD,
I lived in St Louis (University City) from 1969 to 2000. I knew Freddy Washington noted by the St Louis Post Dispatch to be the best Jazz Saxophonist in the area. Blaze Buchannon was my sax tech. Lots of Jazz clubs in St. Louis. I lived one block from Blue Berry Hill in UCity. Chuck Berry made an appearance about four times a year in the basement of Blue Berry Hill. Great music town St Louis and You’ll find Johnny’s site to be the best.

[Author]

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