It’s rare to find a good friend. It’s even more rare to find a good friend that shares the same passion for music that you do. I’ve been blessed with many such friends, and one of them is Russell Roberts.

Russell was my first band teacher, and my very first formal music teacher. I came to him initially when I was in middle school, wanting to learn the secret behind the shuffle in Toto’s Rosanna. Once he had showed me what was really going on, he proceeded to teach me various jazz comping rhythms on the drums. He opened up my ears to what was going on in jazz, and helped me to develop a sense of rhythm that still sticks with me to this day.

What’s more impressive than his teaching ability is his ability to play. I’ve always said that his playing reminds me of glass – smooth, sensitive, and lacking that bombastic, dry character so often heard in drummers. On the bandstand, he misses nothing, and is always on time. And damn, you haven’t heard anything until you’ve heard him kick a big band around the room for a night.

On top of all of this, he is a wonderful man, kind and giving. My kids love him, too.

When we first started playing together, I was deep into learning Bill Evans. I had a decent version of the ballad My Foolish Heart, and played it that night with the trio. Russell told me that my version of that was his favorite ballad. Now I don’t know if he was saying that to be uplifting or if he really meant it, but it simply doesn’t matter; when a former teacher tells you something like that, it means the world to you.

So for Russell, I give you my humble attempt at Evan’s classic, My Foolish Heart:

My Foolish Heart

Recorded on Ubuntu 9.10 using Ardour. This was a first-take cut. Piano players will note that I dared not attempt playing the first part in A with a modulation to Bb as Evans did.

We love you Russell – Happy Birthday!