Home

Jerry &
The Persuasions
Persuasions CDs
Purchasing Info
Links
Did You Know?
Toubo's Page

Booking
Booking Info

Contact Jerry

Notes From Jerry

February 26, 2007

This is amazing! My own website and I've never even touched a computer… First I just want to say thank you to my wife Julie and my cousin Gita Devi for creating it and making it work. And thanks especially to you for spending time visiting.

Here at the website you'll be able to listen to music samples from 19 of the 22 albums I produced and arranged for the Persuasions and if you like what you hear you can buy some cds too.

There are reviews & audio interviews with the folks at NPR and with Jesse Boggs from his show "Behind the Beat". We've even added some links to other tidbits that you might find interesting.

My last recording project with the Persuasions,"A Cappella Dreams", was released in October of 2004 on Chesky Records. You can click here to hear samples and read more about it.

Remember that there's one very easy solution to staying informed about new CDs & upcoming performances, just click here to sign up on our email list.

Since my Mom passed away I look at life very differently now. I realize that I have a lot of musical dreams left to fulfill and time is marching on. So after 41 years I will no longer be appearing with the Persuasions but I wish them all the best.

I've always wanted to perform with a band. One year I was performing with the Persuasions on the QEII Blues Cruise. There were 10 bands and the Persuasions. Those bands were cookin' ! It just looked like so much fun. I just knew I had to get me a band too. I decided it's now or never. Within 6 months of this realization my wife Julie and I moved to Phoenix. Shortly after arriving, Julie ran into an old acquaintance, Dennis Rowland, who she hadn't seen in twenty years. And the magic began!

It turned out that Dennis is a Persuasion fan and a really great guy. He's got his own jazz trio here in Phoenix and when he's not singing in beautiful supper clubs he's often starring in theatrical productions. I shared my ideas with him and before I knew it Dennis was calling me to see if I could fill in for him on a few gigs while he was starring in a musical. He said that his trio would be mine for those nights!

His pianist, Chris Gough, is a heck of a nice guy and a great musician. So Chris & I got together for rehearsals and next thing I knew, I had my big debut at a very beautiful supper club here in Phoenix known as "A League of Our Own"

Believe it or not I was nervous. I mean, we really only had about 2 hours of rehearsals and boom, there I was, singing with a cool jazz trio in a beautiful supper club. I opened with On The Sunny Side of The Street and continued with: A Rainy Night In Georgia, Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone, Hit The Road Jack, I Wish You Love, Stand By Me, Sentimental Reasons, You Send Me, She was Only Sixteen and several more. It was a ball! I was hooked.

The morning of my debut I was on Good Morning Phoenix. That afternoon I was featured in The Scottsdale Tribune as "Pick of The Week" and was also featured in The New Times.

Meantime, Chris Gough teaches at the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences here in Tempe. He called to ask if I'd be interested in coming in to show the students how a professional recording session works. Of course I was happy to help out. And again, this one session has turned into an ongoing event whenever I'm not on the road with The Persuasions. I really love it and the students are so enthusiastic. Some of them are even Persuasions fans. It's a great experience for all of us.

Thanks for stopping by & for all your support. I hope you'll join my mailing list so we can let you know when my new cds are available & where I'll be performing. You can also sign my Guest Book, send me an email or write me an old fashioned letter ..

I love hearing from you and I answer all my email personally although Julie does the typing. Hope to see you soon! In Harmony, Jerry.