EVIL MISTRESS: A Lifelong Affair with Music, Part Thirty-One

Photo: Bob Hemenger and his righteous sax!

The saxophone is a sexy piece of plumbing! And way back when, John Coltrane wailed on the radio in a new 1950 Chevy, down at the moonlit lake. He was honkin’ like a horny goose. (And most likely responsible for my conception…)

–DC Duncan

Big Bob Hemenger: “Nasty sax on a Saturday night!”
Bob and I have known each other since 1992. As you know by now, the two of us have played together in a slew of bands, many shows, recording dates, concerts – and survived to reminisce. He knows everything there is to know about me but, thankfully, has chosen not to inform the authorities.
Bob is 14 years my junior, but has always been the adult in the room. (I was more like a juvenile delinquent.)

He’s a true gentleman, an educator and the father of two remarkable young women . . . and, man, can that boy blow a sax! But most important to me, Bobby and I have remained close friends for all these years, and that’s saying something . . . since it’s a well-known fact that I’m totally out of my mind! You know – in a good way. (Yeah, right.)

Before I met Bob, he had worked for Tom Brown, Jr at his tracker school and met bass player extraordinaire Victor Wooten who was a client. That was the start of a longtime friendship. He also met Anastasia Fogelberg at the school who in turn introduced Bob to her famous husband, Dan Fogelberg. Later, Dan would be Bob’s best man at his spectacular wedding. (Of course, our band, Dog @ Large, provided the entertainment into the wee hours.)

In 1992 Bob started his “primitive skills workshop” called Touch the Earth, giving clients a spiritual connection to nature. That year Bob joined Dog @ Large and he and I became fast friends. Later I helped Bob and his wife Collette move into their new home on the Lower Blanco River. (Now that’s a true friend!)

My album, The Adventures of Captain Rumbelly and the Panhead Pirates was released in 1997. The reason I bring this up is the fact that Bob Hemenger played one of my all-time favorite sax solos on the song: “Ain’t No Doubt About It.” It’s a wonderfully composed solo that is perfectly phrased, starting after a dramatic modulation. I’m amazed every time I listen to this solo; it’s that good! Give it a listen and I think you’ll agree…

Ain’t No Doubt About It

The Americana Project: Mr. Hemenger’s popular brainstorm has been a part of the curriculum at the Pagosa Springs High School for 17 years. According to Bob: “The Americana Project is an elective class designed to build student confidence, creativity and self-expression through music and performance.”

Part of the project are a series of concerts held at the impressive High School Auditorium. (Rio Jazz actually performed a clinic for students that was well received.) Bob brings in noted songwriters and entertainers in concert. Tickets are available to the public. Each show is opened with the up-and-coming talent showcasing their own music in a variety of combos and solos. Some headliners such as Gary Morris, Victor Wooten, Joe Cravin, etc. whom Bob usually joins onstage.

Bob has employed me in concerts with singer/songwriter KJ Denhert and more recently Joseph Wooten, keyboardist for the Steve Miller Band. Joseph – one of the famous Wooten brothers – was a delight to work with on the stage.

That night the band included Joseph on piano, Evan Suiter on bass, Bob on saxes and DC on drums. Before the show, backstage, we got together with Joseph and he ran us through the songs we were to play. Prince had recently died, so he decided to include the song “Purple Rain” in the set. None of us had ever played the song before, but we all felt confident that we could pull it off. And that was that; we were on after the Americana kids!

Our set was really good and the audience ate it up. We were paying attention to subtle cues and playing to the best of our abilities. At one point, Joseph signaled for ‘fours.’ (Trading a series of four bars with the drummer soloing every other fourth bar.) It came off perfectly, and brother Joseph was all smiles. (Now that was fun!)

Bob was a founding member of Rio Jazz. The band also included John Graves on keyboard bass and vibes, Lee Bartley on piano and yours truly on drums. We had a lot of dedicated fans that showed up Sunday afternoons at JJ’s Upstream, right on the river. In 2001 we did a live recording called Rio Jazz, Live at the Timbers. Doug Eagle of Eagle Sound did a terrific job and the crowd was quite animated.

Much later we performed a tribute to John Graves at the Center for the Arts in Pagosa. The show was to honor our aging professor, John Graves – his wine at the ready – with a large band and a bevy of singers. Bob played a touching rendition of the jazz standard “But Beautiful.” (A year later John passed away at age 85.)

When I produced recording sessions for Treena B, and Lisa Saunders, I hired Bob to lend his special magic to both projects. The big guy has an uncanny sense to blend into the music, making a statement without overpowering the other musicians. I guess you could call it ‘taste.’ (A virtue some say I know little about. Whatever.)

The Victor Wooten Center for Music and Nature:
Each spring, Bob travels to Tennessee as one of the conscientious instructors at Victor’s camp for musicians of every stripe. (Incidentally, Bob was Victor’s first nature instructor and inspiration for his center, merging music and nature seamlessly.) Please check out this short PBS video to get an in-depth look at what exactly goes on at Wooten Woods…

Bob was contacted by a young man named Jesse White who was planning his wedding and reception. Friends had recommended Bob, but big Bob was a little weary and asked what type of music he desired. Jesse said he’d like “straight ahead jazz, and money is no object, my father is paying.” As it turned out, his father was none-other-than Alan White, the drummer for Yes! Alan also played on John Lennon’s album, Imagine. (Imagine that!)

We didn’t know it then, but we were in for a real treat.

The event was east of town on the way to Wolf Creek Pass. I set up two drum sets; one at the wedding spot and the larger set at the reception site. We dressed up for the ceremony and played softly, then moved over to the party/feast area, dressed down and played some righteous jazz. At one point Alan and his famous bandmate, Trevor Rabin, scooted their chairs closer to the drums and dialed in on my solo in Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five.”

Later, Alan, two years my senior, and I shared some quality time together strolling aimlessly, conversing about not only music, but life in this convoluted world. He definitely left a lasting impression on me. What a sweet guy!

At one point, Bob hooked up with a talented piano man named Jonas Grushkin in Durango. I don’t throw around the word ‘genius’ often, but it would accurately describe this gentleman. He was writing fascinating instrumentals that were beyond description. Jonas evidently had another drummer learning his songs, but the odd time signatures and funky grooves were a little too bewildering for the poor guy. Bob suggested that he call me to give it a try.

The three of us were a perfect fit leading to an ‘invitation only’ house concert at Jonas’ studio high above the Animas River, south of Durango. It turned out to be a great show!

For a while, Bob seemed ubiquitous, what with his local sax gigs and his Friday night radio show, Close Enough for Jazz on KSUT Public Radio. (The guy was a warrior!)

Aurora. Composed by Jonas Grushkin & Bob Hemenger. Jonas Grushkin, piano; Victor Wooten, bass; Roy Wooten, drums; DC Duncan, drums; Bob Hemenger, tenor sax.

Bob Hemenger – when someday is now: Bob’s fabulous album!
Produced by Bob Hemenger
Mixed by Scott Smith, Scooter’s Place, Durango, CO

“This music is the culmination of 40 years of me playing the saxophone. I always thought that ‘someday’ I would like to make a record . . . and that someday is now!” –Bob Hemenger

Bob had been performing with Victor Wooten in concerts and at Wooten Woods for quite some time. In the process he had met many famous players with Victor, and on his own. He played with them and became friends.

Bob has the kind of personality that exudes friendliness. People of all walks of life are drawn to him and easily fall under his magical spell – I know I did. His easy going, magnetic personality had been invaluable as a teacher and as a working musician/entertainer.

And now he would call upon some of these celebrated friends to actually work with him on his new album. Not only did they perform on the recording, they also co-wrote many of the songs with Bob. (Parts were recorded at different studios, around the world!)

Here’s a short list of the notable musicians who offered their services: Victor and Roy Wooten, Steve Bailey, JD Blair, Eric Struthers, Darrel Scott, Chuck Rainey, Pete Kartsounes, and one of my favorite drummers, Danny Gottlieb. I would be remiss if I did not mention Bob’s lovely daughters playing on his song, Stillwater Loons: Hannah & Ella Hemenger.

“It’s not who you know, it’s who you are that matters most.” –Keariene Muiz

Here are the songs: Aurora, Faraway Blue, Downshift, Another Rainy Day, Battle Hymn of the Republic, Angel Eyes, Ferguson, Crazy, Popcorn, Still Water Loons, and Life Ain’t Bad.

Our jazz band: Evan Suiter, upright bass; Ryan McCurry, keyboards; DC Duncan, drums; and Bob on saxes and vocals. We played on Battle Hymn, Angel Eyes, and Crazy. (The last two songs were ‘first takes and rattlesnakes’!) I also played drums with brushes on Aurora with Jonas, Victor Wooten, Bob and my hero, Roy Wooten aka Future Man.

Battle Hymn of the Republic. Traditional. Evan Suiter, bass; Ryan McCurry, keyboards; DC Duncan, drums; Bob Hemenger, tenor sax.

I didn’t know it at the time, but Bob’s brilliant album would be the last recording I would ever do. I had been recording since 1975 to 2015 – that’s 40 years. I’m not proud of every session I ever did, but there were lots of ‘keepers’ that I consider gems. And as we used to say in the biz: “The tape don’t lie!”

I might have been done recording, but I had one more band to play in…