Bill Connors and Makoto

Musicians: Guitar: Bill Conors; Guitar: Makoto Horiuchi

I happened on to this tape and was really surprised to hear Bill Connors back in the day. He was one of the first guitarist’s who could channel Coltrane. However he was never able to record his les Paul Custom sound like i heard it at the “Hill”. I remember the day we sat down in a room and played like it was yesterday.

The “Hill” was literally a big hill in the middle of San Rafael in Marin County north of San Francisco. It had a hugh victorian on the top of the hill and across a parking lot there was ranch style 50’s house. I never counted but there were at least 20-25 artists, actors, and musicians living on the “Hill”. It was eventually sold to a developer, bulldozed down and now is a large upscale condo/apartment house. Progress?

The “Hill” quickly became a beehive of creativity, musically, acting, and visual art. Many great musicians passed through at various times to live, jam, or just hang. I can remember Paul Jackson and Mike Clark playing sessions for hours and hours even days. lol! Bill Connors would be levitating the house with his playing in the basement. David Ginsberg would be filling the air with his morning trumpet exercises. Ron Stallings lifting the roof off with his wonderful tenor sax. Ron Butkovich playing the Blues and giving us lessons in macrobiotic cooking! In addition, there would be a constant parade of musicians that would come and jam from Jack Walrath to Harry Mann. Then not to mention, all the shlemiels that would be shuffling through including wandering minstrels to drug dealers (along with drugs) to homeless people. It was a wonderful place to live and learn music. Some of us still get together and reminisce about the wonderful experience of living on the “Hill”.

The first tune on this tape is a song Bill had written which I can’t remember the name. The second tune Equinox was written by myself and is on my first album. The third tune is a classic Wayne Shorter tune. I can remember struggling to keep up with Bill at the time, but Bill is a very humble person and was very kind in helping me become a better musician. It seems that the path I am on, the best musicians I meet are also the most humble, gentle, and down to earth human beings I have met. I have been very lucky to meet all these great friends on my path through life. Thank you to all of those who have been so kind and taken the time to help me move on the path toward knowledge. You know who know who you are!!! So join me in the room with Bill on a hot summer day playing the day away.

Again for the Audiogeeks
I converted the files to 24bit 44.1 audio files, but the software used for the internet is only compatible with the 16bit mp3 format so the sound is a little compressed. This session was transferred from a 1/4″ stereo master that luckily hadn’t crumbled, but the tape emulsion was dusting off. I felt that the performance needed to be heard by those who would be interested. For myself even given all these limitations the spirit of the performance and the aura of the times comes through the recording. Close your eyes and travel back to the past and listen to the music. I hope you enjoy it.