Oral History Interviews

Bob Baca teaches trumpet and is the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, where he approaches his teaching from not only the standpoint of a musician but from the prospective of a student himself wanting to learn. Bob has much to offer his students that he learned from several innovative band directors (including William Adam) and has decades of personal experience performing.

Peggy Dahl-Bartunek grew up with four siblings who all took piano lessons – they even had two pianos in their house! Since the fifth grade, Peggy knew that she wanted to be a teacher and more specifically, a music teacher. She ultimately became a high school and middle school music teacher, specializing in choir and general music. After a break from teaching to raise her own children, Peggy and her husband purchased Anderson’s Music in the early 1980s. The store became an authorized dealer for Rodger’s Organs and Peggy found her calling. While still teaching part-time, Peggy start

Daniel Haver was heavily influenced by the music he heard at home as a kid and wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and become an entrepreneur. He combined his love of music with his business skills and began working at Native Instruments right from the start. Daniel recalled in his 2021 NAMM Oral History interview the first NAMM Show in Los Angeles where Native Instruments got their feet wet and set up deals for international distribution. The company started out developing synthesizers, but quickly ventured into other markets such as MIDI controllers, DJ equipment and samp

Dave Hill was always playing with electronics as a kid and also had a great love for music. He played drums in bands throughout high school but was always more interested in the science behind the sound. Towards the end of high school, Dave started working at a local music store doing repairs on various products such as Fender amps and Wurlitzer organs. This was also when Dave started working in studios and attended school for electronics. In 1994, Dave established Crane Song – a company that creates high-quality products for live sound and recording.

O’Lyn Callahan has played the piano since she was eight years old and started on organ at age twelve after receiving a Hammond B3 from her father. She came in third place at a Yamaha organ competition in 1973 (which took place at a NAMM Show) which resulted in her getting a job as a touring organ artist for Yamaha. After her long career playing organ, O’Lyn and her husband opened O’Lyn Callahan’s Piano & Organ Center in Sarasota, Florida. After a fifteen-year run with her own store and experience serving on the NAMM Board of Directors, O’Lyn started working as a touring artist

Gayle Levant is the award-winning harpist who became the first woman to serve as President of the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers (ASMAC) which was formed in 1938!  In the 1960s she followed in her father’s footsteps and began working as a studio musician in Los Angeles.

Dr. Lou Fischer has applied his love of music, his talents as a musician and his vast experiences on the road and in the studio to encourage students of all ages. Lou taught at Capital University’s Conservatory of Music for 26 years, established his own publishing company (which printed charts and method books) and he is the co-founder of the Jazz Education Network (JEN). Each project in his career seems to have been designed to inspire music makers and with publications such as Rhythm Section Workshop for Directors (published by Alfred) and his work with JEN, Lou continues to do

Paul Riser Sr. was given important musical training when he was in school, which helped set the direction of his career as a trombonist and later as an arranger. He was hired as a trombonist to join the famous studio musicians at Motown Records. He soon began arranging charts for the group and assisting in writing songs. He contributed to the Jimmy Ruffin hit “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” and his trombone can clearly be heard on the Temptations' million-seller “My Girl.” He arranged Diana Ross’ “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” as well as the Temptations' “Papa Was a Rolling S

Keith LeBlanc was one of the first drummers who used his funk music background to create beats that helped popularize hip-hop music. Keith was there in the beginning and while working for Sugar Hill Records worked with many of the pioneers of hip-hop including The Sugar Hill Gang, Grandmaster Flash and Force MDs. Early into his studio career, Keith also began producing records resulting in the albums Stranger Than Fiction and Malcolm X: No Sell Out among others. His riffs have been sampled for hit records by dozens of artists over the years and his style is often referenced by dru

John Green began installing pipe organs when he was still in school and fell in love with not only the technical process but in the reaction of the customers. He worked in a music store in Newport Beach, California before being hired by Rodgers Musical Instrument Company in 1976. He was with the company on two different occasions, and in between owned a music store with his wife in Nebraska. Each experience brought him a better understanding of the product line, the customer and their needs.

John Nowland is the noted recording engineer who worked with such artists as Neil Young, Merle Haggard, Dr. Hook Frankie Beverly & Maze, and Jewel, among many others. As a kid playing guitar, young John worked at Peninsula Music Center in San Mateo, California, where he would sell records, stereos and put up posters to promote concerts at the nearby Fillmore and Avalon Ballrooms. In school he was the sound tech for his drama department. After attending seminars by record producer David Rubinson and engineer Fred Catero, he was bitten by the “studio bug” and never looked back.

Steve Savanyu is the founder and executive producer for Buford T. Hedgehog Productions. His passion for providing sound systems for events goes back to his high school days and led to a 20-year career with Audio-Technica. He served as the Director of Educational Services and assisted with special events such as the Pope's United States visit as well as the United States Presidential inauguration in 2009. His own production company, located in Northern Ohio, allows Steve to provide workshops and clinics as well as instruction to non-technical users, which he thoroughly enjoys.

Scott Lombardo worked in the music products industry since he was fourteen years old! His passion quickly developed after hearing The Beatles three years earlier. He would drill holes and attach wingnuts to his sister’s acoustic guitar to make it look like knobs on an electric guitar. Scott’s first job was at Scotch Plains Music Center in New Jersey, where he would sweep the floor and take out the garbage. At age 23, Scott started working at Sam Ash Music – back when they only had six locations. After beating stage IV cancer and simultaneously selling more MESA/Boogie amps in one

Jim Wilson incorporates his experiences as a gigging musician (he formed a duo in college and later played a Fender P-Bass in several rock bands) into the work he does as a piano technician. Being able to understand the needs of professional performers has allowed Jim to relate to and be trusted by such legends as Paul McCartney, Elton John and David Foster. He has worked closely with several musicians for decades including Chick Corea and Jackson Browne. When he formed his own company in the 1980s, LA Piano Services, he not only wanted to tune pianos but also restore them.

Fred Parris grew up close to the Apollo Theater in New York where he was able to see many of the top acts in music. These experiences sparked a passion which led to his singing in several of the popular rhythm and blues groups of the 1950s (Fred prefers the term R&B Groups vs the term Doo-Wop). Among these successful groups were The Scarlets, The Black Satins, The Restless Hearts and The Five Satins.

Marvin Blickenstaff had an indelible mark on countless music students of all ages over his long career. As an educator, he taught at the college level and provided thousands of workshops, clinics, and masterclasses on many aspects of music, especially in the field of pedagogy. As a method book author, Marvin teamed with Louise Bianchi and Lynn Freeman Olson to create the Music Pathways Series for Carl Fischer Music. The series was innovative and created the foundation for many of Marvin’s well-attended workshops.

Mickey Raphael grew up with a passion for music and was recruited to play sousaphone and tuba in his high-school marching band. While this was his excuse to get out of gym class, Mickey realized his love for music and gravitated towards playing the harmonica. He was deep into the folk scene in Dallas, TX and drew great inspiration from Canned Heat, The Lovin' Spoonful and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band just to name a few. Since the harmonica was a prominent instrument in folk music, Mickey had no problem getting gigs and playing many shows. He started playing with Willie Nelson i

Tim Ryan still a student at the California Institute of Technology in 1978 when he and two partners formed a company to produce a highly innovative, all digital synthesizer which they branded the Con Brio. The Con Brio incorporated 5 then state-of-the-art micro-processors – the same processors that would later be used in the Apple II and Commodore computers. After Con Brio, and as a co-founder of Third Street Software and Sonus, Tim continued to use his coding skills to develop a series of Apple II and Commodore music applications including the highly successful Studio One and Stu

Andy Leary bought his first synthesizer when he was in high school and has been hooked ever since. His passion for music and electronics led him to attend a few classes at Stanford University taught by Dr. John Chowning, who is best known for his discovery of FM Synthesis. In 1991, Andy began working at KORG R&D part time while earning his masters degree. He worked on synthesis and audio processing algorithms, discovering his passion for the company’s innovative products and working to provide instruments that assist fellow musicians in crafting their sound.

Dan Phillips enjoyed his experiences playing drums in his junior high school marching band and singing in the choir. He pursued music in college and became fascinated with the quickly developing electronic technology used in musical instruments. In 1989 Dan began writing for Electronic Musicians magazine and went on to write reviews on the latest gear. Charlie Bright at KORG USA hired Dan to write product manuals and soon his role also included designing user interfaces. His first project was to design the interface for the Wavestation, which was first introduced as a vector synth

James Sajeva is the Senior Brand Manager for KORG USA, a firm he has worked for since 1996. His passion and love of music began at a young age and throughout his youth KORG instruments were a part of his musical development. While working for a Sam Ash store, James was approached by a KORG rep about joining the company. His dream job ensued. Already knowing a great deal about the product line, he started as a support technician and was later promoted to managing that same department. With his role in brand management, James enjoys working with several departments within the compan

Kris Tokarski is a skilled jazz pianist who has helped prolong the legacies of several early musical pioneers by not only playing their compositions, but by embracing their techniques and their approach to music. Among his heroes and for whom he also spoke about during his NAMM Oral History interview are Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton and Teddy Wilson. Kris has recorded in early jazz traditions from ragtime to bebop as well as his own style and has been a driving force during several well-known musical festivals including The Montreal Jazz Fest, The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage

Jim LaDiana has developed his love of music in a variety of ways that have touched many people over his career. As an author he has written articles and a book about studio musicians, titled Strings of Memories - Jazz & Studio Guitar Pioneers. This book provides often overlooked details about many of the hit-makers we have enjoyed hearing without necessarily knowing their names. As an educator Jim designed the Music Experience Workshop program to serve special needs students which has benefited thousands of children and given credence to the powers of music.

Joe De Fio has had a long and exciting career in the music industry, especially in the area of piano sales! His career began in 1968 when he was hired as a salesman for Clark Music in New York. A few years later he began working for Bob Popyk, who focused on organ sales while Joe focused on pianos. Those were exciting times with promotions such as a 24-hour sale that was very successful and great fun. He later opened his own store - The Music Center - and ran it from 1981 to 1991. Associations with Hammond Organs and Jenkins Music followed before Joe opened a second store called P

Dr. David Karp grew up with music all around him and with the encouragement of his parents to pursue his passion for music. As a composer, pianist, professor and author of published teaching methods, Dr. Karp has inspired and encouraged countless people to make music! He has been on the faculty of Southern Methodist University since 1975, published a number of works for Alfred Music, Lee Roberts/Hal Leonard, and most recently, FJH Publications. He has also composed a meaningful tribute to the Holocaust for flute, cello, piano and voice titled “Homesick.” His childhood passion for

Rick Anderson was in a MBA program that required he write a research paper about a local business. This was his introduction to the Rodgers Instrument Corporation located in Hillsboro, Oregon, for which Rick was associated with (one way or another) over a period of 37 years. Rick, who became the historian for the company and its many innovative products, began working there in 1973.

Bob Barry is a noted jazz photographer who started his career as an actor, always expressing a passion for the arts! While having a successful acting career on stage and in commercials, Bob developed his skills as a photographer during his down time. In 1997, he was first invited to John Pisano’s Guitar Night in Los Angeles for which he brought his camera. Over the years hundreds of musicians have played with John on stage and for nearly all of them, Bob was there with his camera! Bob’s images have graced the cover of dozens of album covers as he has captured jazz musicians such a

Billy Amendola is the Editor At Large for Modern Drummer magazine whose background as a musician makes him perfect for the job! His passion for music began at an early age and by the time he began working for the magazine in 1997, Billy was already a seasoned studio musician and founding member of the band Mantus. Ron Spangnardi, the founder of Modern Drummer, first hired Billy to help with his drum festival in 1990.

Hal Smith is a drummer deeply rooted in the traditional ragtime and early jazz styles. His performances are often a history lesson not just in sound but in the techniques of creative jazz musicians he admires such as Baby Dodds and Paul Barbarin. Hal’s musical hero is the pioneering pianist, songwriter and bandleader Jelly Roll Morton, whose innovative rags provided clever and sometimes intricate rhythms and tempo changes perfectly fitted to Hal’s interpretations.

Stephen Zelenka has had quite the career in the music industry. His love for music started early while he was growing up and playing gigs in London,  he eventually landed a job working for the band Gentle Giant. This job entailed a lot of tasks associated with touring, and Stephen earned the nickname of “Zoomie Zelenka”  at the tender age of sixteen  by running around with so much to do having been awarded the job title of guitar tech, projectionist and PA engineer all on the same gig! After touring with Gentle Giant, Stephen went on to work with TFA Electrosound in the UK and wen