I used to study with Victor when he was with TOP in the late
70's. And he is Bruce's cousin?? Victor used to give lessons from Bronstein's Music in S.San Francisco many years ago- '78-82?? if I remember correctly as I was going to college. And one my friends was studying with Bruce at the same time.
For awhile Bruce & Victor were playing with Lydia Pense (Cold
Blood) and then the band broke up: Lydia was expecting her first child at the time and dropped out of the Bay Area music scene for awhile. I saw Sheila E. sit in for a couple of tunes
one nite.
One of the tunes I had to learn was 4 AM from Herbie's Mr.
Hands album on Columbia, recorded in 1980 or so. Jaco was
playing bass on that cut so Victor had to learn the lines for
the tour. And then he used have me & other students learn
the tune & slapping stuff.
Victor used to tell me how he tried Jaco's bass and how dead it sounded when he played it. He tried my Lobue Bass (Alphonso's fretless 4 string in the 70's) and how much he liked it more than Jaco's bass.
Years later ( '86) I lent my rig to Jaco & tried out his bass and liked it. I don't know if it was the same bass or not. As
Victor did say it was a '61 or 62' Jazz stacked. The one I
tried was similar tho. Jaco also tried the Lobue bass and
liked too but felt it was too"wierd" to use on the gig that nite.
At that time Victor was playing 70's Jazz and don't remember what year it was- but it did have the square inlays.
I graduated from college in '80 and lost contact with Victor after that. He did mention he was pretty disillusioned with the music business and was going to try something else. I heard
heard from other friends he was selling vitamins door to door.
Nowdays; I just read the news about Victor.
I think Bruce still lives in Reno or Vegas and plays locally.
5 years ago one of the bands I was in, opened up for Lydia in San Jose and I chatted with her about the good old days.
Dave- the sax player in the band I'm in now, sometimes plays with Cold Blood, and currently with TOP alumni.
Tom Politzer (TOP current sax player) is our sub in case Dave
can't make the gigs.
www.bumpcity.com
My band's web site is
www.fortesmoothjazz.com
if you see a few photos of Dave & Tom.
