Michael Pedicin

[Tom Storer]

I just saw the Pat Martino Quintet last night--damn. He's better than ever and his band is hot! Two and a half hours of ass-kicking music.

Anyway, he had a tenor player, a shaved-head white guy dressed in black, maybe 50 years old (an estimate, it was hard to tell) who was just wailing. Guy's name was Michael Pedicin and he was roaring, playing with a full, gutsy tone, fine chops and above all the intensity, concentration and burning lyricism that fits right in with Martino's music. All this devoid of cliché and mannerisms. How come I've never heard of this guy?

Google indicates that he also goes by the name Michael Pedicin Jr. (unless he has a son who's also a tenor saxophonist). There was a reference to "Michael Pedicin of Brubeck and Ferguson fame," which sounds like a fit, but also to a Michael Pedicin "the smooth jazz saxophonist," which doesn't sound like a fit.

Anybody know him?

P.S. If this Martino band comes to a club near you, DON'T MISS THEM!

[Tom Storer]

Found him: click here.

He has a three-layer career: music educator, psychotherapist, performer. Pretty impressive!

[JSngry]

He also cut a disco-"jazz" record for Philadelphia International in the late 70s as Michael Pedicin Jr.

[Tom Storer]

No doubt an error of youth.

[Simplysr]

Hey Tom,

I am not so surprised Michael Pedicin ( Jr. ) made quite an impression on you when you saw him with Pat Martino in Paris. No doubt he has chops. What is somewhat puzzling to me is, he is not better known to the throngs of jazz fans out in the world. I met Michael last year here on Long Island and he is currently teaching my son the Soprano, Alto and tenor sax's. I have to pinch myself whenever I take my son to New York city for a lesson. It's a long story so I'll save some details.

After meeting him and after a number of visits to my home he started touring with the Funk Brothers and Pat Martino. I could not believe this guy was in my livingroom tearing it up my my 14 yr old son !!! So my son's lessons have not been on a regular basis lately but I am not about to give up. I know what this means to my son. Things will be slowing down a little soon so the lessons can get back to some normal intervals. He invited us to BB Kings about a week ago as his guest to see him perform with the Funk Brothers and it was great !! Peabo Bryson and Phoebe Snow were guest singers and all the Motown hits were great! Mike Pedicin is a JR. because his father of the same name was also a musician and had some success in the 50's.

Mike has a website http://michaelpedicin.com/ and there is more info. there.

Also check out http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&u...l=B8kd2vw9va9qk He played with a lot of biggies. He toured with Dave Brubeck for 2 yrs. and was on David Bowies 'Young American' album with David Sanborn. He toured with Lou Rawls too. He played with Frank Sinatra and many other big names. He has several CD's which are pretty damn good. I can't believe he is so layed back too. I don't have the nerve to ask him why his name is not out there more. He is just as good if not better thant the Kenny G's, Grover Washingtons, Toms Scotts and David Sanborn's as far as I am concerned. It is hard to believe with a schedule like his

( Touring with both Pat Martino and the Funk Brothers and Edgardo Cintron at the same time !) he takes the time to teach a 14 yr. old!! To say he is humble is an understatement. No EGO. He was also in the Bahamas two weeks ago at the Bahamas Jazz Festival. He was playing with Edgardo Cintron. Edgardo did the percussions on a few of Mike's CD's. Edgardo has a new CD called 'Hit Men' which has Mike on about every number please buy it...... it is great. This is latin jazz CD. Give it a shot it has a nice sound.

I spoke to Mike yesterday and he is going to get me some guest passes for my son and I and my wife too, for the Pat Martino show at Birdland in May. I cannot wait. Even if he cannot get us guest passes I am not going to miss this show! He also has a band called The Michael Pedicin Quintet. Look on his webite

http://michaelpedicin.com for his new CD Roots it's very good!

As you saw on his www.counselingforthearts.com site he is very well educated. More than any musician I ever heard of.

Anyway check out his site and try some of his CD's and enjoy. He deserevs a following. After all the years in this business he needs to be 'discovered'.

[Jim Alfredson]

Invite him on over here! Sounds like a cool cat!

[CJ Shearn]

listened to a few soundclips on his site. Cat can play, but I definitely hear a Brecker influence, particularly in the little wav that plays when you enter his site.