Making It! with Terry Wollman

REAL. TIMELESS . BEAUTIFUL . STORY TELLERThese are the words that describe radio personality Keri Tombazian.Keri Tombazian is one of those chicks. Born and raised in Southern California, she is growing her garden in the spot where she was planted. Keri's passion is people and she brings a deep love of humanity to every relationship and every script.Through her diverse experience in narration, commercials, and promos, Keri has developed a tuned ear and keen ability to carry the heart of the writer’s intention to the microphone. Technically, she is a human stopwatch - nailing times, matching music-beats, and shaving tenths of a second off a read.Keri Tombazian enjoys dual success as a voiceover actress and radio personality... she began tickling the ear of Southern Californians on late night radio as a teen and built the foundation of what would become a long-standing relationship with So Cal folks. At home in the booth, and on stage, she emcees concerts and live events, is a keynote speaker, and above all, counts her devotion to her husband and three thriving kids the key to her success. So make yourself comfortable and listen to Keri's stories of her life as a trail blazer on Los Angeles radio and of growing up in the epicenter of the American cultural/music revolution. 

2014 Grammy® Award Winner, ‘Peace Ambassador’ and US Billboard #1 artist Ricky Kej is an internationally renowned Indian Music Composer, Producer and Conservationist. Ricky's Grammy® winning album "Winds of Samsara" was based on the ideals of peace by Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. Ricky was also a featured musician on a Grammy Winning album and 2 Grammy Nominated albums at the 2015 Grammy Awards.Ricky Kej composed and produced his latest album ‘SHANTI SAMSARA’, which was launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande in the presence of World Leaders at the United Nations COP21 Paris Summit. Ricky went on to performing music from this album at the United Nations General Assembly, NY among other venues worldwide.His repertoire of work consists of 15 studio albums released internationally, over 3,500 commercials and 3 feature films. He scored music for the opening ceremony of the Cricket World Cup 2011, held in Dhaka-BangladeshRicky was recently awarded the United Nations "Global Humanitarian Artist" Award. Among other awards to his credit, he has also won Producer of the year at the South African Music Awards (S.Africa), Album of the year at the Zone Music Awards (New Orleans), GIMA and Mirchi Music Awards in India. Ricky is also conferred with the title "Pride of Karnataka" and “Youth Icon of India".Ricky Kej is a Conservationist, Animal Rights activist and an Ambassador for “Save the Children”. He is also a musical ambassador for Project Peace on Earth, a Los Angeles-based organization and Artistic Ambassador for EMMA for Peace (Europe). He actively works for raising standards of music education in India and to set up a pension fund for old and infirmed musicians. He also promotes Gender Equality in Workplace through various forums.

Kenny James is one of the most sought after entertainers around the globe. He debuted at the world famous Apollo Theater in New York at the age of nine, and began his professional career during his senior year in high school performing in his hometown of Waterbury, Connecticut. After moving to Los Angeles in the 80’s Kenny was hired as the lead singer of the group The Hues Corporation known for their #1 smash hit “Rock The Boat. He toured extensively with the group throughout the world. As a solo performer Kenny has performed on television shows including The Gong Show, The Arsenio Hall Show, The Rick Dees Show, You Write The Songs and The Merv Griffin Show. Kenny is best known to television audiences for his amazing 13 consecutive winning appearances on the hit syndicated show Star Search, for which he won the grand prize for Male Vocalist. Kenny went on to record and perform with saxophone great Tom Scott on his award winning album “Target” for Atlantic records. Kenny’s versatility as a singer, songwriter and actor has taken him to venues around the world as a featured artist at Radio City Music Hall, The Roxy Theater, The Tropicana, and the Las Vegas Hilton… opening for Joan Rivers and Don Rickles. Kenny is currently headlining on Royal Caribbean’s 21 ship fleet taking him literally around the world.  

Robert Thomas Jr. is an American jazz percussionist and hand drummer. He is known as an innovator in Be-bop and has been nominated for two Grammy awards. He is also a visual artist. Born in Miami, he was encouraged by his fifth-grade teacher to play music, and not having an instrument, Thomas learned to play percussion on his desk. He sang in the choir at Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church, and at age sixteen, began playing percussion with the Broomfield Family, a local group that performed in churches and nightclubs.After graduating from high school, Thomas studied at Miami-Dade Community College. During this time, he discovered jazz, and began to play with an array of artists including Jet Nero, Ira Sullivan, Billy Marcus, Zoot Sims, Thad Jones, Monty Alexander and Mel Lewis. In the late 70s, Thomas played at a benefit with Jaco Pastorius. Soon afterward, Thomas auditioned with Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter's jazz fusion group Weather Report at a live performance in New Haven, Connecticut. Thomas said afterward that they were looking for someone to play Be-bop, rather than Latin-style percussion. He settled in France, and continued to play with Weather Report until 1986. After the group disbanded, Thomas resettled in Miami, and shortly afterward released “In the Dreamtime”, a solo CD of his own music. He continued to work with Zawinul until 1994.In addition to Weather Report, Thomas has performed with The Zawinul Syndicate, Jaco Pastorius' Word of Mouth Band, Stan Getz, David Sanborn, Carlos Santana, Eddie Harris, Branford Marsalis, Herbie Mann, Ahmad Jamal, Roberto Perera… and world artists including sitar player Amitava Chatterjee and African artist Vinx. Thomas maintains an extensive discography on which he plays an eclectic mix of instruments including conga drums, wind instruments, guitar and the African bow harp.Thomas is married to Jane Thomas and has a son, Spencer.

Two-time GRAMMY nominee Mindi Abair has made her mark as one of the most recognizable saxophonists in the US. You may know her as the saxophonist on American Idol, or the only saxophonist to tour with rock legends Aerosmith since 1973. You may have seen her on stage with Bruce Springsteen for a historic night at the Beacon Theater, or tuned in as she joined Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra on the Late Show with David Letterman, sat in with The Roots on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, caught her recent appearance at The Grand Ole Opry, or recognized her as Al Pacino’s sax player in the movie Danny Collins. Her eight solo CDs have garnered ten #1 radio hits, seven top 5 spots and two #1 spots on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz album chart. Abair received a 2014 GRAMMY® nomination in the Best Pop Instrumental Album category for Summer Horns, a #1 recording with her friends Dave Koz, Gerald Albright and Richard Elliot, and more recently received a 2015 GRAMMY® nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for her solo cd Wild Heart featuring friends Gregg Allman, Joe Perry, Trombone Shorty, Booker T. Jones, Keb’ Mo’, and Max Weinberg. She authored the book “How To Play Madison Square Garden - A Guide to Stage Performance” and serves as a National Trustee for the Recording Academy. The artists she’s toured with and/or recorded with are a testament to her talent: Aerosmith, Gregg Allman, Keb’ Mo’, Joe Perry, Bobby Rush, Lalah Hathaway, Duran Duran, Adam Sandler, Lee Ritenour, The Backstreet Boys, Booker T. Jones, Jimmy Webb, Mandy Moore, Max Weinberg, Bill Champlin, David Pack, Mocean Worker, The Ides of March, Rick Braun, Teena Marie, Bobby Lyle, Jonathan Butler, and Peter White.

Two-time GRAMMY nominee Mindi Abair has made her mark as one of the most recognizable saxophonists in the US. You may know her as the saxophonist on American Idol, or the only saxophonist to tour with rock legends Aerosmith since 1973. You may have seen her on stage with Bruce Springsteen for a historic night at the Beacon Theater, or tuned in as she joined Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra on the Late Show with David Letterman, sat in with The Roots on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, caught her recent appearance at The Grand Ole Opry, or recognized her as Al Pacino’s sax player in the movie Danny Collins. Her eight solo CDs have garnered ten #1 radio hits, seven top 5 spots and two #1 spots on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz album chart. Abair received a 2014 GRAMMY® nomination in the Best Pop Instrumental Album category for Summer Horns, a #1 recording with her friends Dave Koz, Gerald Albright and Richard Elliot, and more recently received a 2015 GRAMMY® nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for her solo cd Wild Heart featuring friends Gregg Allman, Joe Perry, Trombone Shorty, Booker T. Jones, Keb’ Mo’, and Max Weinberg. She authored the book “How To Play Madison Square Garden - A Guide to Stage Performance” and serves as a National Trustee for the Recording Academy. The artists she’s toured with and/or recorded with are a testament to her talent: Aerosmith, Gregg Allman, Keb’ Mo’, Joe Perry, Bobby Rush, Lalah Hathaway, Duran Duran, Adam Sandler, Lee Ritenour, The Backstreet Boys, Booker T. Jones, Jimmy Webb, Mandy Moore, Max Weinberg, Bill Champlin, David Pack, Mocean Worker, The Ides of March, Rick Braun, Teena Marie, Bobby Lyle, Jonathan Butler, and Peter White.

Rick Turner has been repairing, restoring, and building stringed instruments since his high school days in the early 1960s. He formally apprenticed as a luthier in Boston in 1963, played guitar professionally for several years, and then committed to production guitar making in the early 1970s. He has built and repaired instruments for members of Fleetwood Mac, the Grateful Dead, the Police, the Jefferson Airplane, the Who, Led Zeppelin, the Doobie Brothers, the Youngbloods, Men at Work, Van Morrison, Ry Cooder, David Lindley, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Joni Mitchell, the Beach Boys, Ricki Lee Jones, Bela Fleck, and many others. Rick currently runs a small guitar factory in Santa Cruz, California, called “Rick Turner/Renaissance Guitars”. 

An award-winning composer, arranger, vocalist, and jazz pianist of extraordinary range and sophistication, BILLY STRITCH breathes new life into the Great American Songbook, all the while bringing an easy sense of humor and showmanship to his performances.Born and raised in Sugar Land, Texas, Billy Stritch got his start at age 12, playing piano at his neighborhood First Presbyterian Church. Word spread about the child prodigy, and the local country club hired him for a four-year weekly gig in the piano bar. The dreaded requests came in droves, prompting Billy to rush home and learn all the requisite standards, which would subsequently fill his tip bowl! Inspiration came from jazz greats like Oscar Peterson and George Shearing, but his older sister’s love for Elton John and Billy Joel opened up a new world of pop music which informs his playing to this day. After being turned on to singers like Mel Torme, Ella Fitzgerald, Mark Murphy and Carmen McRae, Stritch started to find his own voice to use in conjunction with the piano mastery.Billy Stritch has collaborated with a diverse group of artists including Liza Minnelli, Jim Caruso, Marvin Hamlisch, Michael Feinstein, Mel Torme, Carol Channing, Natalie Cole and currently Tony Bennett. 

Originally trained as a musician, Sam Daley-Harris played percussion instruments in the Miami Philharmonic and was Terry Wollman's high school music teacher. Sam went on to found the anti-poverty lobby RESULTS in 1980, co-found the Microcredit Summit Campaign with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus and FINCA founder John Hatch in 1995, and found the Center for Citizen Empowerment and Transformation in 2012.After receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Muhammad Yunus said: “…. no other organization has been as critical a partner in seeing to it that microcredit is used as a tool to eradicate poverty and empower women than RESULTS and the Microcredit Summit Campaign.” Daley-Harris is the author of Reclaiming Our Democracy: Healing the Break Between People and Government. In 2010, Ashoka founder Bill Drayton said, “Sam Daley-Harris is one of the certified great social entrepreneurs of the last decades.” sam@empoweringcitizens365.org@samdaleyharriswww.citizenempowermentandtransformation.orgwww.reclaimingourdemocracy.orgSuggested Sites:www.results.org - RESULTS, ending global and domestic povertywww.citizensclimatelobby.org - Citizens Climate Lobby www.fcnl.org - FCNL, Ending Mass Incarceration www.americanpromise.net - American Promise, overturning Citizens United

Internationally acclaimed American pianist Althea Waites has concertized extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Asia as a brilliant soloist, chamber musician, and collaborative artist. In addition to performances on concert stages around the world, she has also participated in numerous festivals including Aspen, Tanglewood, the Yale Summer Festival, the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and the Idyllwild Arts Festival.Praised by the Los Angeles Times for “superb technique and profound musicality,” Ms. Waites has a long and distinguished history of recording new music by American composers and has received several honors and commendations for her work. She has also been guest soloist for National Public Radio’s Performance Today, KQED in San Francisco, KCET in Los Angeles, Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Geneva Conservatory of Music in Switzerland, Wigmore Hall in London, Merkin Hall in New York City, concerts for the World Music Program in Jakarta Indonesia, Phillips Gallery in Washington, D.C., and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.Her recording credits include a CD of music by African-American composers, Black Diamonds, which was released in 1993 to rave reviews, and Along the Western Shore, featuring works by California-based composers.Ms. Waites received the Bachelor of Music degree from Xavier University of Louisiana, and the Master of Music degree in piano from Yale University School of Music.  In addition to maintaining her concert schedule, Ms. Waites is currently on the faculty of the Cole Conservatory of Music at Cal State University/Long Beach, and is in demand for recitals, residencies, and master classes throughout the United States. 

JULIE BUDD began her professional career at the tender age of twelve, after winning a talent show while vacationing with her family. In the audience, was renowned Producer/Orchestrator, HERB BERNSTEIN, who recorded some of the greatest artists ever known to music, including singer/songwriter LAURA NYRO. While producing Nyros’ first hit album, Bernstein was also recording the eminent TV Talk-Show Host, MERV GRIFFIN. Herb immediately took Julie under his wing and introduced her to Merv at a recording session, in New York City. And there, as legend would have it and fate would allow, he heard her sing, “This Mini Girl with the Maxi Voice” and invited her to appear on THE MERV GRIFFIN SHOW. What followed as Budd’s career blossomed, were over a hundred more invitations from Merv to guest appear on his show; and over a hundred more show-stopping performances by JULIE BUDD! Soon Julie was guest appearing on such must-see TV as: The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson, The Carol Burnet Show, The Ed Sullivan Show and every other major TV and variety show in the country. In the years that followed, Julie performed and co-starred with some of the most legendary stars in show business history, including: FRANK SINATRA, DANNY THOMAS, JOAN RIVERS LIBERACE – to name just a few. Today Julie continues to perform concerts, nationally and internationally, while adding some of the most prestigious stages to her roster: Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, London Palladium, Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center and many of the finest Las Vegas Showrooms. 

Ray Parker Jr. is an American guitarist, singer-songwriter, producer and actor. Parker is known for writing and performing the theme song to the movie Ghostbusters, for his solo music, and for performing with his band, Raydio, and with Barry White.Parker first gained recognition during the late 1960s as a member of the house band at the legendary 20 Grand nightclub. At 16, he recorded and co-wrote his first songs with Marvin Gaye. Parker was also employed as a studio musician as a teenager and his unique style was a key element on "Want Ads", a number one single for Honey Cone. In 1972, Parker was a guest guitarist on Stevie Wonder's funk song "Maybe Your Baby" from the Talking Book album. He went on to become the lead guitarist for Stevie Wonder when Wonder served as the opening act on the Rolling Stones 1972 tour. In 1973, he became a sideman in Barry White's  The Love Unlimited Orchestra, before creating Raydio, an RB group, in 1977. Raydio quickly scored 2 Top 10 hits, each selling over a million copies. Parker also wrote songs and did session work for artists includingThe Carpenters, Rufus and Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Deniece Williams, Bill Withers,  Jean-Luc Ponty, The Temptations, The Spinners, Boz Scaggs, David Foster, Gladys Knight and the Pips,  Herbie Hancock, Tina Turner, and Diana Ross. Ray Parker is a unique artist, multi talented, and a force to be reckoned with.

Grant Geissman is a popular Contemporary Jazz recording artist, guitarist and Emmy-nominated TV composer. The talents and gifts of this artist are as diverse as The Many (many, many) guitars he owns and loves. As a studio guitarist he has recorded with such artists as Quincy Jones, Burt Bacharach, Elvis Costello, Brian Wilson, Van Dyke Parks, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, Paula Abdul, Ringo Starr, Keiko Matsui, David Benoit, Placido Domingo, Luis Miguel, Julio Iglesias and Chuck Mangione. He has also played on the scores for such TV shows as Two and a Half Men, Monk, Mad Men, Touched by an Angel and Dawson's Creek.  His film credits include Because I Said So, Austin Powers/The Spy Who Shagged Me, The Majestic, and Anaconda.Grant’s discography of 15 solo albums has just a few of his friends playing along with him as special guests, including Chick Corea, Chuck Mangione, Tom Scott, Mike Finnigan, and Patrice Rushen. He writes, arranges, plays, lives and breathes music, modest and humbly happy to be following his first… and only choice of profession for his entire career to date. 

Today we are broadcasting live in Van Nuys, California. I am at the Xotic Guitars Effects showroom with Product Specialist Kenny Echizen. Kenny is a Session Touring Guitarist, Recording Artist, Educator, and Clinician. He is a Product Specialist for both Taylor Guitars and Xotic Guitars Effects. Kenny’s recording credits include The Voice, One Life To Live, Disney, X Factor, True Blood, Hunger Games (TV show), Dominos Pizza, and Sons of Anarchy. His touring credits include performing with an eclectic group of artists including Taylor Dayne, U-KISS, Kamran Hooman, Jake Simpson and many more. Let me tell you a little bit about Xotic Guitars Effects, the company that Kenny represents. For nearly 20 years, Xotic has been a leading innovator in sound, design, and tone. The roots of Xotic go back to a small garage in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California, back in 1996. The one-man company began by producing and designing high-quality bass guitars and preamps. The company grew slowly and steadily over the next 10 years… and went on to release the Xotic AC Booster, RC Booster, and BB Preamp. As Xotic's brand came to be more recognized throughout the market, the demand for its products became too great to stay working out of their tiny garage in San Fernando Valley. To make way for the future, a change was needed and so they moved to its current location in Van Nuys, CA. … where Xotic continues to design and manufacture world class guitars, basses, and pedals. I am excited to be at the Xotic Showroom with my guest Kenny Echizen. 

Tina is an acoustic and electric cellist, recording artist, and composer.  With a multi-faceted career and mastery in a wide range of genres as a live performer, she can also be heard as a featured soloist in many Film, TV, and Game scores.As a classical soloist, Tina's engagements with orchestras around the world include the San Diego Symphony, the State of Mexico National Symphony, the Thessaloniki State Symphony in Greece, the Petrobras Symphony in Brazil, and the Vancouver Island Symphony in British Columbia. This year, Tina toured as a featured guest with blues legend Joe Bonamassa performing at Carnegie Hall and with Hans Zimmer in his first arena tour around Europe.  She was a soloist in Cirque Du Soleil's Michael Jackson "The Immortal" World Tour from 2011-2013 performing in sold out arenas around the world on her electric cello.  The tour performed to over 3.7 million people and is one of the highest grossing tours of all time.   At the Grammy Awards this year, she performed with Skrillex, Diplo, and Justin Bieber.Tina has been featured on the scores of Sherlock Holmes, Iron Man 2, Batman vs Superman, The Monkey King 2, Clash of the Titans, Red Riding Hood, Abduction, Olympus Has Fallen, Escape Plan, CSI:NY, Vikings, The Borgias, Sleepy Hollow, Dominion, Iron Chef, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (as Octavia,) Blizzard's Diablo III and Hearthstone, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Assassin's Creed Syndicate, and Journey, which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack. Most recently she is recording Electric and Acoustic Cello Solo for Pirates of the Caribbean 5 and working on her newest album.