Happy Birthday 2 DWIKE MITCHELL

A new video posted on my YouTube Channel today, celebrating Dwike Mitchell’s birthday. This piano master of virtuoso elegance, one-half of the world-renowned Mitchell-Ruff Duo (with Willie Ruff on french horn and bass), would have been 87 today.

Born on Valentine’s Day in 1930, he brought epic amounts of love vibrating throughout the world, especially to his beloved students. Honoring him with my solo piano composition and performance entitled “Blues for Dwike.”

It’s a musical birthday tribute from one of his “babies” as he liked to call those of us fortunate to be his students – a way to share the indebtedness I feel for my life-long piano mentor.

Every lesson with Dwike was a transforming experience.  Felt like you were sitting in a safe place, under the protective shade of a tall, expansive tree, watching the sun of his sound shine…and hearing an ocean of sound resonating in a sky of rare beauty and heart-strings of authenticity.