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John Tendy

There was a time when a musician was able to commit to and specialize in one specific area of the music industry. But the dramatic changes that the music industry has gone through over the last decade have scattered us around such that on almost every gig I find myself saying to another musician "Wow - you sound GREAT! How come we've never played together before?" Music on Broadway, in community theater, with R&B bands, and yes, secular and non-secular weddings have placed me in musical situations that I may not have expected to be a part of. But guess what —It's all good. I meet many great musicians in seemingly odd musical situations. And, while the particular style is not always my first choice, with an open mind I can experience some very creative and satisfying musical moments. But still, the setting is rarely jazz.

Two years ago I was talking with my good friend, Jerry Weldon, about how there are so many incredibly talented jazz artists in the NYC area that don't have the opportunity to play and record jazz together on a regular basis. I asked him, what if we organized a "club" - a pool of jazz musicians that could play and record with each other on a regular basis? The next day I began to call the best players I've met over the years and pitch my idea. I told them my goal was simple — to produce jazz that would be honest and fun. The response was overwhelmingly positive and Index Jazz was born.

I started recording jam sessions at my studio to see who would musically hit it off. We played some jazz, ate some sushi and had some laughs. It was a thrill to reconnect with some very good friends from my old "jazz days." And, needless to say, everyone played great. We came up with combinations of musicians for various projects, set up a schedule and began recording some real jazz! The end result is a sound unique to Index Jazz. As we grow we plan to add online jazz tutorials, artist interviews and videos of performances. Be sure to check in regularly for free mp3 downloads.

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Live Review

John Tendy Quartet at Phoenix Musicians Hall

Read "John Tendy  Quartet at Phoenix Musicians Hall" reviewed by Patricia Myers


John Tendy Quartet Phoenix Musicians Hall Phoenix, Arizona Nay 16, 2015 Once again, jny: New York City tenor saxophonist John Tendy brought his energy and style to the stage of the Musicians Hall in Phoenix, performing with jny: Phoenix pianist Armand Boatman and acoustic bassist Jack Radavich, plus jny: Los Angeles drummer Dick Weller. The repertoire was audience-friendly, from “Work Song" and “Sweet Georgia Brown" to “Tea for Two" and “Under Paris Skies." ...

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