JMood Records...A Sound Choice...The intersection of art and audio!™

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RELEASING DATE - SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

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RELEASING DATE - MARCH 1, 2023

It is with great sadness that JMood Records reports the loss of Alonzo "Scooter" Powell. 

Scooter worked on the 2010 JMood Records "Cannonball Funk" project in Kansas City, Missouri with Roberto Magris. 

Scooter was instrumental in helping our young artists on this project navigate thru some complex rhythmic patterns, while adding a feel of jazz funk and credibility to the session. 

Scooter was also a part of our first 2006 "live" recording project at the famous Catalina's Jazz Club in Hollywood, California performing and recording with the famous and legendary bassist Dr. ART DAVIS, Tony Lakatos on sax from Germany, and Roberto Magris on piano from Italy. 

On this date, we were scheduled to record 2 nights, a total of 4 sets of recorded music. However, only remnants of the recording and video survive due to an unusual audio/video snafus experienced by the mobile recording engineer. This was frustrating and disappointing and an expensive mistake. 

The "live" recording date was very special to us since Catalina's was not keen on booking us or spreading the red carpet as it were for "new" jazz acts like ours at the time. 

I worked with Jason Parson (Jay McShann’s grandson) and asked if he would help us book the date at Catalina’s, which he did. Even though we had stellar artist like Dr. Art, Tony Lakatos and Scooter who had performed there before, they still made it difficult for us to be successful, in addition to the technical difficulties we experienced. This would have crushed us from the start, however, it made me more determined to keep moving forward. Remembering the advice of the late Jay McShann who told me to keep starting a spark here and there until things get started. 

The show in Hollywood, CA at Catalina’s was dedicated to the legend Jay McShann and family from Kansas City who were very supportive of my efforts in jazz. 

A funny story now, but, not at the time, is when after securing the gig at Catalina’s and I began putting the unit together, Dr. Art was interested in who would be on the gig. I knew for sure it would be Roberto Magris and Tony Lakatos but was still trying to secure the drum chair with someone Dr. Art was familiar with (Jack DeJohnette, Idris Muhammad, and the like). I contacted Jack DeJohnette who was not interested in working with us. Time was slipping away from me when my wife suggested her cousin “Scooter” Powell, drummer who lived in Los Angeles, CA at the time. 

We mentioned our cousin “Scooter” to Dr. Art, and he exploded…! He thought we were trying to sneak our cousin on to the gig and did not like it one bit. On the verge of losing the opportunity to work with the legend, Roberto wanted me to try and salvage the opportunity. So, I booked a flight and arranged a person-to-person meeting with Dr. Art in Hollywood, CA at a Greek restaurant at the time (about a block away from Capitol Records). Dr. Art had eaten there before either before or after a recording session at the famous Capitol Records studio. 

I remember my wife was very terse with Dr. Art and calmed him down and we were able to work out a compromise. One night of the gig we would work with John Alessi on drums and the next night we would work with “Scooter” on drums. Somehow peace prevailed… 

“Scooter” has worked with several Grammy Award winning artist such as Sting, James Ingram, Stevie Wonder, Patti LaBelle, Bruce Conte, Kashif, and Norman Brown just to mention a few. 

I remember we would always inquire of Scooter where he was in the world and at times who he was performing with if he could talk about it. We were very proud of him! 

Scooter had a beautiful spirit and was always available to us if we needed him musically! Will truly be missed.