Accordionist Dick Contino was a childhood idol of yours, and you spent time in your early years playing accordion. How did that instrument lead to your interest and subsequent mastery of the Hammond B3 organ?

We'll that's an interesting question because yes I started lessons when I was nine on accordion but then my sister started piano a few years later and I kind of took a liking to it. But then I heard the primordial sound of the Hammond organ beast on a few songs in the late 60's and that really hit a passionate nerve. I eventually got my first Hammond and was hooked!! As far as mastering it well... let's say I have tamed the beast to a degree to speak for my passions but it occasionally gets out of hand which is what I love and apparently so do my fans.

Have you ever had any interest in or experience with playing a pipe organ?

Yes, I actually took a few pipe organ lessons when I was about 19 or so. When I was musical director for a movie shot on location in Riga, Latvia in 1993 directed by Oscar Award winning writer/director Paul Haggis starring Donald Sutherland, I had the honor of playing the famous pipe organ in Riga Cathedral (Rigas Doms) which is considered the largest medieval church in the Baltic States. This pipe organ is quite famous and was built in the beginning of 13th century. It has 4 manual keyboards and a pedalboard and plays 116 voices, 124 stops, 144 ranks, and 6718 pipes. I think it's the second biggest pipe organ in Europe. I occasionally play the pipe organ in my home town of Erie, Pa at St Peter's Cathederal as well; there's nothing like it - a true spiritual experience! So the pipe organ defintiely had quite an effect on my organ playing. Also, my favorite composer of all times is Bach and so I absolutely love listening to all of his works especially his organ works such as the Tocatto and Fugue in D minor which is a true work of art!

Your new project B3 SOUL is a bit of a change up from your signature approach to the instrument, and, say, the fusion sound of your group Niacin. What led you to moving in a more mellow direction for this project?

Actually believe it or not, Niacin which is a collaboration project with legendary bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer extraordinaire Dennis Chambers was/is a departure from my real roots. Don't get me wrong... I love the project and love burning but I love even more just groovin' in the pocket. When I began playing the B3, I was mostly playing R&B, funk and blues not hard core fusion. I observed that the most basic response to music by most everybody was it's rhythmic element first and foremost! I also became aware that when I was in the "zone of the groove" that I was transported into another time and space where everything was effortless and boy did I love that and so I wanted others to experience that. So in actual fact, B3 SOUL is really about my going back to my roots not about mellowing down. B3 SOUL therefore is humbly intended to make your life groove just a little bit more and God knows we need this right now given the current planetary situation.

The Smooth Jazz format seems to be at a crossroads, and your new sound is a refreshing element that many radio stations are discovering and embracing. In what direction(s) would you like to see Smooth Jazz head as we move forward?

Well thanks for that. I hope more stations start talking chances with new artists and their musical creations. You know, life to me is a gift and so we should splurge on it, not be careful and conservative which is what I think has happened to the Smooth Jazz Genre. Fear makes one be careful and I think this emotion has crept into not only the choosing of radio playlists but even into the choices musicians make when they're writing and performing as after all we all want to make a good living and be comfortable. I think when the corporate "think" and "bean counter" paradigm entered the scene years ago, it helped create this climate of fear - fear of failure ultimately but fear of losing jobs, fear of losing sponsors, fear of trying something new and fresh on and on ad nauseam. I think if someone were to do some real market research they would find that regurgitating oldies and trying to only add artists that all sound quite similar has taken the spice out of the art form and is not only not attracting new audiences but driving others away. Life is about enthusiasm and exhilaration in my opinion. Every human being is completely different and so when it comes to artists this is even more so. I think the way to invigorate the market is to encourage artists to be themselves and say what they truly "feel" inside. If we knew radio and labels had that viewpoint, I think perhaps we'd see a Renaissance in music like we did in the 60's and 70's. So I'd like to see Smooth Jazz move more into taking chances with new artists - more spice, colors, emotion and passion but still keep the music "feel-good-and-groovin'!" When I started this project, I knew it would be risky because what I'm doing is a bit different but what the hell, it "feels" good and makes others feel good and that's enough reason for me to go for it!

What current artists and music do you find to be exciting and inspirational to you these days from a creative standpoint?

I'd have to say Gonzalo Rubalcaba the Cuban jazz pianist is I think one of the greatest musicians in the world period! Chick Corea also continues to amaze me and I am looking forward to his Return To Forever reunion. And let's not forget Herbie Hancock as well. I thought it was fanatstic that for the first time in the Grammy's history the record of the year was won by a jazz artist! Maybe there is a God after all!

What started as a personal tragedy several years ago with your wife Gloria's illness and subsequent passing became an incredibly uplifting story of courage and personal growth, and led to you writing an amazing book, "The Song that Never Ended." Could you tell us about that?

Well that was such a tragic loss - to lose one's soul mate to breast cancer in the prime of her life - on one hand but then on the other hand so inspirational given the spiritual gift of unconditional love and service that we both received from going through the ordeal, that I absolutely had to write the story for others to read. To sum it up I'll quote my dedication in the book which is "This book is dedicated to all those who have lost a loved one. May they, upon reading it, come to believe that the song has not yet ended." To find out more, you just have to read the incredible true story as the answer to your question is really the entire book "The Song That Never Ended!"