LOS ANGELES (January 21, 2022) – The California Jazz Foundation is pleased to announce “52 Years of Jazz and Baked Potatoes,” the latest episode of its podcast series “Sonic Tonic,” which is available on the CJF website at californiajazzfoundation.org/sonic-tonic/ and via Facebook, Google, Twitter, and Spotify. “Sonic Tonic” is produced and hosted by guitarist, composer, and bandleader Greg Porée. A veteran of the Los Angeles studio and broadcast scenes, Porée has mentored and worked with many of California’s top jazz and blues musicians.
The latest episode features Porée’s in-depth interview with Don Randi, the renowned composer, arranger, music director, and keyboard musician. As part of the legendary Wrecking Crew group of studio musicians, he played on hundreds of hit records in the 1960s and 1970s including The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations" and "God Only Knows."[
Randi also founded LA’s iconic jazz club the Baked Potato in 1970 and has released 20 jazz albums of his own. After more than 60 years as one of the most important keyboardists in Los Angeles, Randi has many great stories to tell. Plus he still plays with the energy of an 18-year-old.
Through personal stories and rare music tracks, “Sonic Tonic” gives listeners an insider’s view of celebrated musicians and how they have shaped the sound of jazz, blues and pop music made in California and heard around the world.
ABOUT GREG PORÉE
Greg Porée broke into the music business in 1969 as music director for Sonny and Cher. He went on to work with a diverse group of musicians ranging from Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin to Diana Ross and Sting. He can be heard on landmark albums from artists such as Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Stanley Turrentine, Randy Crawford, Albert King, Ahmad Jamal, Donald Byrd and Ozomatli. Porée has been a CJF board member as well as its music director since 2012.
ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA JAZZ FOUNDATION
The California Jazz Foundation is a nonprofit organization created to aid and assist California jazz musicians in financial or medical crisis. CJF is committed to providing access to quality social and economic services for all eligible applicants through a team of caring, knowledgeable professionals in collaboration with community partners.
Since its founding in 2006, CJF has touched the lives of hundreds of jazz musicians, providing rent and mortgage payments, housing relocation, arranging for medical and dental care, in-home nursing, discount prescriptions and helping with emergencies as they arise.
The California Jazz Foundation is also committed to raising musicians’ awareness of the importance of prevention and early treatment of disease through free public education and community outreach programs.
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