It was 1970 and The Smiling Dog exploded with music. Weather Report kicked it off with a sellout and from then on, the stage at this converted bowling alley was graced by almost every touring jazz act of the day. Part of the Smiling Dog culture was a Cleveland band playing as the opening act. One of the first house groups was the Bill DeArango Trio.

Bill was known as one of the pioneers of Bebop Guitar, but here in 1970 was a different "D". Bill was not a fan of most Guitarists. Except for Django, and Charlie Christian, he was mostly about horn players and Contemporary Classical composers. In the 1960's he heard Jimi Hendrix and that opened up a whole new approach to the guitar for him. With his beautiful sound, incredible facility, and instrumental imagination, Bill concocted a style that was powerful and entirely his own.

Bill was completely into the improvisational aspect of Jazz. He was not into themes. He just wanted to get it on with the "blowing". Even in the years just prior to his musical revelation, he would play (usually in a duo setting with pianist Bill Denasco) improvisations built on tunes but without the tunes themselves. It was "count it off and start blowing on the changes. In this new incarnation of Bill DeArango, there would be no tunes or set forms. Bill now wanted to express his muse with PURE improvisation. No keys. No starting tempo or feel. It was just begin and we shall see what happens.

Drummer Skip Haden and I were the musicians he chose to help him make his vision happen in a group environment. Because of our musical backgrounds and experiences, we were well suited to make it happen with him. I played Soprano and Tenor saxophones along with flute and vocal percussion. I came out of swinging on tunes, and "getting down on funk" but I also listened to classical composers and was looking for a way incorporate that influence into my playing. Skip initially was a rock drummer but proceeded to listen to and study every modern jazz drummer playing. He was also looking for a format to incorporate and expand his expression.

We developed a way of playing together that was unlike anything else on the scene (and I mean any scene). It was intense and powerful music. It is hard to describe, and I really believe that you must listen to it to understand it. So many influences were presented in a manner where the influences were not necessarily discernable with a momentum that was relentless and perhaps even overwhelming to most ears. Some called it "Heavy Metal Jazz" but that description does not explain the variety of ensemble textures that were present. Besides being the most powerful drummer, you have ever heard, Skip was also an accomplished percussionist and was a student of color and texture in regard to drumming. Exotic percussion instruments were everywhere. I played flute and contributed exotic vocal sounds along with my "Crazed Sax Playing". Bill was just incredible on his instrument that simply transformed into DeArango Music.

Our audience was small, but we seemed to have a major impact on the musicians in the bands we opened for. They carried the memory of what they heard wherever they went. Young music students would travel miles to hear us. Among these young guys were Joe Lovano, Billy Drewes, Kenny Werner, Michael Bocian, and many others... Joe Lovano recently said of that band "whatever you thought of it, it was MONUMENTAL” ...!

E.K.