From Motown to Soul Mafia: Why I keep playing drums wherever I can

Being a musician isn't just a job title. It's a way of life.

I decided decades ago, when the band I was in got dropped from a contract with Motown Records, that I was not going to earn a living from music.

But I was always, in my heart, a musician.

That’s why I kept playing with bands as my career took me across the country: The Bob Beach Blues Band in Pittsburgh, Cats on a Smooth Surface in New Jersey, and work with singer songwriters like Fran Snyder and Shana Smith in the Tampa Bay area of Florida.

Now, after decades of doing whatever seemed to be popular where I was living, I’ve finally found a great crew of musicians to pull together a dance devoted to R&B, funk, jazz, with a touch of rap and even rock ‘n’ roll. We’re called Soul Mafia and you can learn more about us on the band’s website.

It’s not easy to build a band in this area. Good gigs can be tough to find, which makes it tough to get musicians to take time from an endless flurry of different jobs to focus on one project, rehearse and learn a show. But we’ve done it with Soul Mafia and it is a fun time.

We’re performing Saturday, Dec. 7 at the Arts Annual Hurricane Fundraiser, an event organized by the arts advocacy group Creative Pinellas to help artists affected by the last two giant hurricanes which impacted the Tampa Bay area. Click here for details on how to buy a ticket and join us.

It’s obvious from these clips we’re still a work in progress. But there is no comparison to the joy which comes from watching a great group of musicians play challenging and fun music. It’s why I’m still playing as an eager amateur, 44 years after I first picked up a pair of sticks.

Stop by and see us on Saturday to see how far we’ve come.