Trio's - - May 17

(Kimberly Gordon)
When was the last time you received a gift from someone "just because"? What do I mean? Well, what I'm referring to is this: It's not your birthday. It's not Christmas. No one owes you a favor. It's none of that. Yet, a gracious, open hand simply stretches toward you and says, "Here. This is for you". When was the last time you experienced this?

And in my opinion, nothing compares to a gift like that. Why? What makes this kind of gift so uniquely special? Well, since you asked...my humble opinion is simply this: It's the beauty of the motivation behind it. There's no agenda driving it like the square space on a calendar, or an obligation of some kind or a "balancing of the scales" - it's just love. That's why unexpected (and, I might add, undeserved) gifts are so special to all of us.

I received this kind of gift at Trio's. It wasn't my birthday or Kwanzaa Day or anything like that. In fact, it was a rather Saturday-as-usual kind of day. The band is scheduled to play in South Bend at my friend Herb's upscale jazz club called "Trio's". Now, I'm really excited about this particular gig. Why? Because I have a hunch it's going to be a very special evening of great music.

And I wasn't disappointed.

The night proved to be one of those unexpected gifts I was describing. It falls under the "intangible gift" category. Music is one such intangible. Though it's something we enjoy. Though it affects us emotionally. Though it gives us tremendous joy and can even move us to tears with its beauty, we can't stuff it in our pocket, seat belt it in the back seat of our car or carry it home in our wallet.

Now, I'm looking around the club on Saturday night. I see no decorated Christmas trees anywhere, no tinsel or Christmas colors or lights. It's clearly not Christmas at Trio's, but it sure could have been. Like a pile of gift-wrapped packages under the tree, the evening was piled high with gifts - each of which had my name on it! They were everywhere.

One gift was the wonderful opportunity to do music with three very talented musicians: my brother David on drums, who is a tremendously gifted and sensitive player - someone with whom I share a real musical chemistry. Then there's Demos Petropoulos and Kimberly Gordon, a husband/wife team from Chicago. Demos plays piano with such power and energy that people are leaving their seats just to get a glimpse of those big, powerful hands literally bouncing the Yamaha grand! Yet, Demos is a gentle,soft-spoken and down-to-earth individual who carries a wonderful warmth about him and possesses a fun, subtle sense of humor, too.

His wife Kimberly is the perfect compliment for him. She's colorful, sassy and deeply personable, all of which come through in her vocals. The liner notes on Kimberly's 2004 CD release really says it: "Kimberly Gordon's music reflects her personality; both are sophisticated with a streetwise flair. Her voice is as sassy, sultry and sensuous as the brassy tones of any tenor sax."

Kimberly just throws herself out there for anyone and everyone to enjoy. Her fearless love for people is evident. I witnessed (as did the others with us) how a perfect stranger, a retired vocalist herself and quite elegant lady, meets Kimberly on a break. They hit it off and the next thing we know, she offers Kimberly and Demos a place to stay for the night in a hotel so they can get a good night's sleep before making the long drive back to Chicago! Wow! Talk about gifts!

Even though we just met that evening and never played a note of music together, the energy and synergy on the bandstand was really quite powerful! The crowd's response to Kimberly's commanding stage presence and the sheer power of the music is enthusiastic. It's obvious the club owners are enjoying this night,too. It's high caliber Chicago jazz and they are perceptive and sophisticated enough to know this! What a great gift of music!

Another gift I get to open this night is to have some very special friends drive from Elkhart to South Bend to spend the evening with us. Since they know who they are I don't need to spell their names. They just happen to be our strongest, most dedicated supporters. Their friendship is truly one of the richest gifts I get to lay claim to. Each time they arrive I get such a shot in the musical arm. Thank-you guys! I love you!

Well, all I can say, is if you open your eyes to the beauty of the people in your life, and the wonderful gifts this life offers (like music - HA!), I think what you'll discover is that you don't have to wait around for December 25th or your birthday or any of that to enjoy the magic of Christmas. The gifts are everywhere and your name is written on each one of them! Find one today and open it! I sure plan to.

And, just so you know....there's another gift waiting for you, too. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until Saturday, June 28th before opening it. I guarantee, however, it'll be worth the wait. Kimberly and Demos will be joining my brother and I again at Trio's Restaurant and Jazz Club in South Bend for another night of high energy and very entertaining Chicago jazz. Mark your calendar. Just mark the #28 white block, "Christmas".

You won't be disappointed, either.

There are few gifts to compare to warm, close friendships, delicious food and great music. Come join us for an evening of gift-giving and receiving. I look forward to it with you on the 28th!

Lucchese's Italian Restaurant

Saturday, May 3, 2008

This was our first time performing at Lucchese's Italian Restaurant in Elkhart, IN. Lucchese's is a high quality, highly respected establishment that's occupied a significant place among Elkhart dining establishments for many, many years now. However, in 2007 the family moved to a brand new location in a rapidly developing area on the east side of town. Needless-to-say, their new restaurant is absolutely gorgeous and 2 to 3 times larger than their previous location.

My first contact with the Lucchese's was in talking with Zach Lucchese by phone. Zach is the owner's son and serves as the Executive Chef. I would also include that he is a real gentleman and tremendously accommodating. I met with Zach Lucchese in person at the restaurant about a week before our gig to determine where the band would set up and talk through some logistic details. We decided the most optimal location would be in the restaurant area (vs. the bar) since start time for the band is at 6:30pm and the reservation list confirmed that the room would be already quite full by then.

Well, finally Saturday, May 3rd arrives and, sure enough, the place is filling up fast! As soon as I enter the front door, I am greeted by two young hostesses, Alex and Tracy. They're very gracious and helpful in orienting me to where things are and what I need to know to get things set up before the rest of the trio arrives. Before I even get to see Zach, however, another Zach (a much larger one, indeed!) greets me. He's a towering figure (of course, to an Italian like me, it seems most everyone around you qualifies as a towering figure). Zach sports a light brown goatee, a silver chain around his neck (bearing a cross) and a huge, warm smile. Everything about this Zach is enormous: his warmth, his smile, and when he shakes hands, for a moment you lose all sight of your own as his enormous hand envelops yours! (I found myself praying one of those nano-second prayers: "Lord, please don't let him squeeze too hard - I this hand tonight!". The beautiful thing about Zach is his gentleness and thoughtfulness. He personifies the "gentle giant" image!

Moments later, I'm greeted by the other Zach (Lucchese), who welcomes me and introduces me to his father Greg. Later I meet Kathy, Greg's wife. What impresses me most about Lucchese's is their genuine hospitality and love for people. In addition, every one of their staff members - and I mean every one - is so kind and eager to assist with anything you might need. They couldn't seem to do enough for us throughout the night. Why, we were even asked, "You guys are probably hungry! What would you like to eat?!!" I'm thinking, "Are you kidding? Do you realize who we are?" (If you are a musician yourself, you are well aware that musicians typically do not receive any special treatment, particularly by the owners!) The wonderful thing about working for the Luccheses is that they shatter those stereotypes and treat every one as honored
guests - musicians or not. They truly are beautiful people.

Since I grew up in an Italian family, I do know something about European hospitality. Particularly among Italians, a guest in one's home receives royal treatment - enough food to stop you from breathing and the very best wine in the house. My guess is the Lucchese family is no different. One gets the impression, however, that the Italian hospitality displayed at the restaurant is simply a reflection of how they treat guests in their own home - only in their "larger" home. It was impressive, too, to watch Greg and Kathy enjoy time sitting with their guests and enjoying the evening with them. They didn't appear rushed or stressed that it was a "work" day for them. In fact, if you didn't know them, you would assume they were guests, too!

A real treat for me was having my son Josh visiting from Nashville, TN where he works as a musician himself. Not only was he visiting, he was scheduled to perform with the band. He's a very talented musician who plays, among other instruments, awesome drums. He sounded great the whole night (as usual) - one of my favorite drummers, indeed!

After playing three sets in the restaurant, big Zach asked if we would consider carrying our gear into the bar area to play for the guests gathered in there. Of course, we would! (For that guy, I'll do anything!) Besides, he's too big to say "no" to. Actually, he made us feel like kings - helping us with the set up in the bar and making sure we had plenty to drink the whole night. Again, they just can't do enough for you at Lucchese's. We were scheduled to play until 10:30pm but ended up playing until 11:00pm. Frankly, for these people, I'd play all night long if they asked - they are just beautiful people who make an already fun evening even more fun.

Well, I could go on and on about the Lucchese family and their wonderful staff. But let me just say that the night was such a hit, they asked us to return and consider performing for them twice a month (check the blog for our performance dates at Lucchese's). In addition, we'll be providing the music for Lucchese's during the Elkhart Jazz Festival. They are planning to set up a huge tent in the parking lot of their old location on Jackson Street during Jazz Fest weekend (June 20-22).

In case you didn't catch us last Saturday, our next scheduled appearance at Lucchese's is Friday, May 23rd at 7:00pm. If you are looking for great Italian food and dynamic acoustic jazz, come join us then.(They serve one of best Caesar Salads I've ever had - no kidding!) I must warn you, however. The word is out about Lucchese's. It's an absolutely fabulous place to take your family. It's not unusual for people without reservations to be turned away (or at least wait a very long time) due to the sheer popularity of the place. SO...... be sure to make reservations if you plan to eat at Lucchese's on either a Friday or Saturday night. If not, you simply won't get in.

Do you think it's too early to reserve a table for the 23rd? I don't. Especially if lots of other families are thinking the same thing! So, make that phone call!! look forward to seeing you then!

Arrivederci!
Tom

Great Time At Bonefish!

Last Monday night's gig at the Bonefish in Mishawaka, IN was an absolute blast! The room was alive and exhilarating, too, for lots of reasons. First, as I've said before, the great staff responsible for placing this particular Bonefish Restaurant on the map are consistently professional and accommodating. The moment I arrived, two young ladies, Stacey and Emily, greeted me with characteristic Bonefish enthusiasm. (I had not met them before Monday). Of course, the night manager, Chris, and Stephanie the bartender, can't do enough for us and are always so helpful.

A second reason the evening was so much fun was that we were surprised by some special friends who took time from their busy schedules to come support us. (It's the people we get to play for that often adds so much energy to the music). Many underestimate the contribution they make by simply BEING there in the audience! Several friends came out to whom we are so grateful: Pam and Roark, Mark, Jan, David and Matthew. Their enthusiastic applause not only helped light the room up, but fueled the band, too! Thank-you so much guys!

One final element that contributed to the uniqueness of the evening was the inclusion of two very talented musicians who joined Jim (piano) and me (bass)---- David Hilliker (drums) and Laura Darnell (vocals). They were gracious enough to lend us their talent the entire evening. Though it was David's second time with us at the Bonefish (read his bio at tomhilliker.blogspot.com), for Laura, it was her very first time singing with us. I've known Laura for a long time. Over the years we have talked about the possibility of including her on some of our jazz gigs, but nothing ever came of it. Finally, however, it happened, and there were certainly some special musical moments.

I don't mean to end this on a less than happy note, but we just received word from the corporate headquarters of the Bonefish restaurant chain that live music will be discontinued until the economy picks up. Dinner sales are down and I understand the need to minimize expenses. So, here's my challenge to you: please support Tim Zentz and his outstanding staff at the Bonefish in Mishawaka. Tim very much wishes to see live music return to his establishment. (And that makes me happy). Additionally, he is committed to the music of Tom Hilliker Jazz and assures me that once midweek sales pick up, he wants us back right away. (Now that makes me VERY happy)! So, please support Tim. How? By making midweek dinner reservations ASAP. Who to bring along with you? Your sweetie, your mother-in-law, your boss, your next door neighbor, friends, enemies, your dog - ANYBODY!!

OK---so, there will no longer be live music when you arrive on a Monday night. But the food is still out of this world. (If you haven't had it yet, you MUST try the Bang-Bang Shrimp. You'll be talking about it for weeks!) Tim and his staff will take outstanding care of you and your party. And by supporting Tim, you help Tom, too, by inching us closer to playing there again.

Thanks in advance for doing you part to bring live jazz back to the Bonefish in Mishawaka. We look forward to seeing you there again soon!

Maxine's

Are you looking for a fun way to spend a day (now that summer seems to REALLY be here...I think)? Well...why not consider a day trip to Michigan City, IN? What? You've never been to Michigan City? DUDE! Well, are you in for a treat! There, you can stroll the sandy shoreline of Lake Michigan, bike ride the miles of bike trails and paved roads, visit the outlet mall and the many quaint shops, most of which are within walking distance from each other. After a day of walking the beach, bike riding or just moseying through the charming boutiques, I'm sure your feet will be gasping for a time out. so....how would you like to cap off a long, yet exhilarating day, with a wonderfully elegant dining experience? How would you like to be pampered and waited on in real style in an atmosphere of live jazz and friendly faces? Sound Good? Then let me take you to Maxines' Restaurant on Franklin Street in Michigan City.

At Maxine's, it's always safest to make reservations, but even if you decide to drop in on the fly, you won't be disappointed. When you arrive, you'll be warmly greeted by either Stephanie (hostess) or Karl (owner), both of whom are exceptionally hospitable people. (You'll know when it's Karl---first, since he's not nearly as pretty as Stephanie; but second, his sense of humor is surprising and disarming. He'll have you laughing before he's even introduced himself!) I intentionally watch Karl do his magic every time I'm there setting up to play---he can make perfect strangers feel immediately right at home and glad they came.

Everything abut Maxine's simply exudes "class" and warmth. I look forward to playing there every chance I get. Why? Because of the people who work there. They are the ones who shape the beautiful ambiance of the place and give Maxine's her personality. Why else do guests visit time and time again? Oh, sure...their famous prime rib dinner is just off the charts fantastic, not to mention everything else on the menu----from appetizers to desserts and everything in between. It's all exquisitely gourmet level! But, again, I insist, it's the great staff of Maxine's whom guest enjoy visiting too.

Maryann, the tall (I mean tall) blond who tends the bar, delights her guests with her warmth and friendly personality. There's Kathy and Sabrina, both great servers. (They're both wonderfully accommodating ladies who just can't seem to do enough for you.) Then there's Phil--oh, Phil...the life of Maxine's! He's just one of those rare individuals who is an absolute delight to be around---always cheerful, loves to laugh, enjoys people and is a consummate professional at what he does.

Jim and I were privileged to perform last night to a full house (Jim on piano and I on bass). How good it is to see both the dining area and bar finally teaming with guests eager to say farewell to the long, dark months of winter and hello to the warm sunshine of summer. The walls were alive with laughter and life. I like to think our music contributes to that energy too.

If you're a musician, I think you'll understand what I'm about to say...Do you ever feel this overwhelming anticipation...this excitement...this enthusiasm that comes over you as you anticipate counting off the first tune of the evening? I do. Every time. Without fail. It doesn't matter where I get to play, or how late or early it is. The fact is, I GET to play music again! I think that sense of anticipation is why I love to play so much. Or, perhaps it's because I love to play so much that explains why I feel like a little boy anticipating his first party at Chuckee Cheese's or something! (Now, THAT is a really dumb analogy, but I think you get my drift.)

What only exhilarates that sense of expectancy relates undoubtedly to who it is one gets to play music with. And, for me, I get to play with Jim Steele---one of the best pianists in all of north central Indiana. His creative musical energy is a real gift (along with the many other gifts God has blessed me with). There exists a deep musical compatibility between us that lends itself to certain magical moments within the music. Talk about fun! And, the truly incredible part is that I don't HAVE to do this, I GET to! It should be against the law to have this much fun in life---but I'll take it!

So, many of our guest last night expressed sincere appreciation for our music (the tip jar reflected it too!). Not only were there generous tippers, but others verbally thanked us as they walked by the band on their way out the door. At the end of the night, one gentleman, Dave, introduced himself to us. He couldn't say enough about how much he enjoyed our music. He really seemed to enjoy the fact that I switched toward the end of the night from the double bass to playing my six string electric bass. That shift offers an entirely different sound, too---an element that wasn't lost on him, and he made it known! Most people who come to listen us us certainly appreciate the music, But when someone in the audience actually UNDERSTANDS the music, or some artistic nuance within it---well, that always causes our hearts to skip a beat. Thanks, Dave!

I do hope you make a point to visit us soon at Maxine's (check our schedule to the right). Karl and his staff are good at what they do---and that 's to provide you one of the most memorable dining experiences you'll find anywhere. You'll enjoy it immensely. In fact, I guarantee it will be a fun evening for you and whomever you come with. It always is. You will have so much fun meeting Maxine's warm caring staff, and enjoying their succulent entrees against the background of some of the best jazz in the area. As much fun as that will be for you,---and I guarantee it will be---it probably won't be nearly the fun we have playing for you!
Hope to see you soon!

Tom Hilliker

Last Night's Gig at Bone Fish

Last night we were privileged to perform our second consecutive Monday night at the Bone Fish Bar and Grill in Mishawaka, IN. The Bone Fish represents real class and exists for people with discriminatingly good taste in both food and atmosphere. The sophisticated ambiance of the Bone Fish isn't the result of merely paint and wallpaper, either. I was immediately impressed by the caliber of the Bone Fish staff. They consistently demonstrate their commitment to excellence and refinement in all they do. From a musician's standpoint, I've found that they can't do enough for us. If you happen to be a musician yourself, you probably understand why such treatment comes as a pleasant shock to us in the band!

The moment I walked through the front door with musical gear in hand, Andy greets me warmly with a big smile and shakes my hand. He's the perfect maitre de--so charming and professional. He makes me WANT to be there and thankful I came! Not only that, I needed a screwdriver (not the drink) to replace a battery in a foot pedal I had just purchased. I asked Andy if the restaurant had one. He checked the office toolbox for me and discovered they did not. Instead of simply shrugging his shoulders and returning to his post (and leaving me in a major lurch) , he walked across the parking lot to retrieve a couple of screwdrivers from his car! How sweet is THAT? But it's not only Andy who's such a high-quality person. I could tell similar stories about Chris the night manager, Samantha the bartender and Walker (evidently a member of the management staff). Each one is genuinely warm, professional and deeply accommodating. In short, they are wonderful team who, by their demeanor, reinforce Bone Fish's upscale standards. As great as the food is (and it is). As stylish and exclusive as the environment is (and it is), I really believe people love coming to the Bone Fish because of the great staff who makes every visit the most wonderful experience they possibly can.

You cannot, however, develop a great staff without a great leader. I would be remiss if I fail to mention Tim, the restaurant owner/manager. He wins awards every year at the annual BoneFfish Restaurant convention. Why? Because he's a consummate professional who knows people and how to run his business. What I love about Tim is his enthusiasm for bringing live music to his establishment. And not just any live music, but he knows great jazz when he hears it - like ours! (Hmmm..can I say that? Well, I'm going to anyway...it's MY blog!) He also knows intuitively what his clientele enjoys musically and feels he's hit the bulls eye with our band, something about which I am deeply grateful. As a result, we'll be performing shows at the Bone Fish every Monday evening starting at 8pm. Tim's hope is to expand the performance schedule soon to include Thursdays as well - can't wait for that day!

So, check your Monday night schedule. It's usually a quiet night for most, so why not make it special and come out to the Bone Fish Bar and Grill. Meet this great staff, enjoy their excellent entrees and come hear some of the finest jazz in all of north central Indiana (ooops....I did it again).

Tom Hilliker