Hi Ron Bankley&Friends: Yes Ron, I just sent you a friend req on myspace...That whole time with Fred Torak, Rick Whitelaw, Howard Roberts(probably when he was in town doing the seminar at the musician's union), Frank Quinn(Bless), Paul Geremia, and various other bandidos, Frandsen, Koenig, Murdoch, Greenspoon, the whole crowd, was like a meteor shower of some very talented people. Everybody floating back and forth. I met Fred through Frank and Rick while I was studying Jazz Guitar. Anybody who can transcribe John McLaughlin's "Birds of Fire" while it is playing has got my vote. Still remember, although I've mentioned this before...Howard Roberts turns his back on the seminar crowd, strums a chord, and Torak goes Em7Flat5. Howard says, "right".
   During this time I was with Josh Onderisin(Guitar-Ian Thomas) in T.O. and we go to George's Spaghetti Joint/House to hear Barney Kessel. Everybody's chompin' on meatballs and there's a free table up front so I pounce on it, which gets Barney's attention, so he asks, "Musician's?" We move our heads up and down like those plastic German Shepherd dogs you used to see in the back of cars, like bobbleheads. What gets me about all these guys was their humility and generosity.
   I found this thread open just after I visited YouTube and was watching Tommy Emmanuel. He's got some great stuff up... See Y'all...
bob