Jonathan Butler: Reflections on My Early Days in the Music Business

In a recent post, I reflected on my early days in the music business and credited jazz violinist Noel Pointer for giving me my big break. It was after a week-long stint with Noel and the boys at Sweetwater, a jazz club near Lincoln Center, that Jonathan Butler invited me to join his band on their first U.S. tour. We were to open for Whitney Houston on her "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" tour. Johnathan Butler, a talented singer, songwriter and guitar virtuoso from South Africa, was signed to Jive Records by Clive Davis, the same music mogul who discovered and signed Whitney. Most of the music Jonathan featured on tour was in the smooth jazz genre, infused with R & B. We rehearsed in NYC before hitting the road with Whitney as her opening act, where we played a 30-minute set every night to warm up the audience.

Despite performing in huge venues and stadiums, being the opening act had its downsides.  We had to deal with very short set lists, little or no soundcheck, poor front-of-house sound, and often terrible monitor mixes.  However, it was still an incredible opportunity and an unforgettable experience. Almost everyone asks me questions like, "How was Whitney? What was she like? Did you get to know her?" I'd like to answer these questions, and more, in a separate blog post, where I can dedicate more effort to setting the stage, and adding context and details. Stay tuned!

Around this time, I was living in a less-than-desirable neighborhood at 101st Street and Central Park West, NYC.  My music studio was in another dump, The Music Building on 8th Avenue, near the the Port Authority Bus Terminal.  However, living close to the iconic Mikell's jazz club, and enjoying long lunches near my studio at Hero Boy or Manganaro's on 9th Avenue, were small but much needed rewards.  In a year or so, I would visit a friend in Journal Square, Jersey City, where I would soon be living for many years ahead.  At the time, I had no idea what was to come. 

Thanks for reading!