“How a Catholic Saxophonist Found His Way into Hasidic Weddings”

Hey guys, welcome to the 12th episode of Clappy and Frank. >> Welcome back everybody. It's been a real good journey and rides. Last episode has been tremendous positive feedback. >> And last episode we were speaking to a musician, a child singer who was very successful in his career and Kazanis. And we're moving into the next episode. There's actually a very close connection. We have with us a very famous musician named John Tendi. Hey boys and girls at home, >> beautiful Italian friends who's played at over 5,000 Jewish weddings, >> religious weddings. >> So the Italian, >> what do we call them? Gentile. [laughter] >> Well, my father, his mother was Irish, his father was Italian. My mother's both parents are Italian. They came from Italy. My father's father came from Italy. My father's mother came from Ireland. But all my cousins basically uh were on my mother's side of the family that we spent most of our time. We ate more uh macaroni and meatballs than we did corn, beef, and cabbage. Let's just say that. >> John, how do you end up being the go-to saxoponist? >> Well, first of all, >> for the Jewish world, >> first of all, let's say the way he rolls that >> this is [laughter] my this is my payment. I said for compensation, I need a bottle of Makers Mark. So, thank you uh very much for that. I also have a prepared statement. Shout out. I want to get this out right away. Shout out to my dear friend Claudia Chopek, the guys of the band, V Siri, Jeremy, Eagle, John, Shia, Earl, Ben, Morgan, Craig, Remy, G. Yity, Ross. Let's say uh to the boys and girls that rock Miss Pucka, uh Bobby Shouitz, Kaim Halfinger, the Rascin brothers, >> who? >> The Rascins. Come on. You're from Crown Heights. >> Fish. The fish. >> They're not paying for advertisement. >> No. Cut it. Cut it. Cut. [laughter] >> I'm saying hi to them. Anyway, so Mosha Starfky would like to say happy birthday to you. John, why did you put right in the beginning? What was that? >> Cuz I'm going to forget by the end or we're going to run out of time. So there. No one's mad at me. Can we move on? >> Yes. All right. >> He's our We have a lot of firsts here. He's the first guy to put on makeup before he got on. >> Correct. >> He's the first non-Jewish guy to come out. >> I'm honored. >> And he's the first guest to ever get compensated. And this is not a precedence. This is a oneoff. >> The thing is he asked for he asked for a bottle of Benchmark. What? Makaker Mark with a lipstick on the top of the bottle joking about the makeup. It's like [laughter] trippy Revlon lipstick on the top of it. That's their trademark. The only thing I'm scared is the next guy is going to ask for a Blue Label. You shouldn't have said anything. 22 [laughter] 21. >> You guys don't know how to keep a secret. >> So, how did I get into the Jewish music? >> Should we start? Had you become a saxoponist or how where do we start? Where should we start? >> Uh, let's start. Let's let's cut to the chase about how I got into Jewish music. Okay, >> let's start with that. It was around 1999, maybe 2000. I had never played a Jewish gig before. I didn't know any Jewish tunes. Uh, >> you know any Jewish people? >> I well, you know, neighbors and things like that. Yeah. But, uh, not in the in the Orthodox or acidic community or, you know, outside of, uh, you know, what was on my street. Uh, so, um, there was a Screen Actors Guild strike. I was doing jingle work and so all the jingles in New York, all the jingle houses got shut down. I was also working for a company I produced music for workout videos and he got a cease and desist order. So, he had to stop. So, uh, and the Japanese company I was producing Karoki for went out of business. So, my three clients went out of business like within the same month. >> He he got a cease and desist order. Whose music was he stealing? >> He wasn't stealing music. He was just um Harry Fox just sent him a message saying, "Until we settled this lawsuit, you have to cease and desist." And Harry Fox did lose the lawsuit. But it took about a year and a half. So, I had to find another way to work. So, I was cold calling all kinds of music offices. And a friend of mine said, "Why don't you call Nishama? Ask for Michael." So, I said, "Okay." And I wrote down his name, but I was scribbling all these names. So, I called up the Nishama office, the girl that worked there, I think her name was Nancy. She answered. I said, I looked at my handwriting. I said, "Is Mitch there?" And she said, "Is nobody here named Mitch?" And I said, "Mitch Fulker?" I wrote Michael Soyer, but I wrote it so fast. I thought it said Mitch Fulker. So, she said, "No, um, who is this?" Now, at this point, you would think if it were me, I said, "Look, you got the wrong number." And just hang up. No, not them. She said, "Well, I'll put you on the phone with Ellie Zamik." Ellie answers the phone. He goes, "Hi. What can I do for you?" I said, "I'm looking for Mitch." because there's nobody here named Mitch. I said, 'Mitch Fulkin. No, there's nobody. He said, 'Why are you calling? I said, 'I'm a saxophone player. I'm looking for work.' He said, ' Okay. He said, uh, well, uh, do you, uh, play a lot of Jewish gigs? I said, no. He said, have you ever done a Jewish gig? I said, no. He said, are you even Jewish? I said, no. He knows. So, why are you calling us? I'm looking at the camera. Why are you calling us? I said, because I need a job. So, he said, okay, well, tonight we're playing at Sherid Cion. Just come, you know, on Ocean Parkway. come introduce yourself and we'll talk. So I went to Sharion and I stood outside. I listened to the music. I was instantly in love. I really mean this. I love playing Jewish music. And the first time I heard it, I was hooked. >> So I walked in at the end of the set and >> it was a Syrian wedding probably or no? >> No. No. >> They rent out the bill of the to anybody that pays. >> So I walked in uh at the end of their second set and introduced myself after listening the whole night outside and I overheard some of the guys talk and say, "Well, I'll see you tomorrow at Marina Del Re." Okay. See you tomorrow, Marina. Marina, hey, we're going to Marina del Rey. And I was like, "Okay, great." So the next night, I just put on a suit and took my saxophone and I went to Marina Del Rey and I put a chair on the band stand. And Ellie looked at me and said, "Hey, did put you on this gig?" Dove was their contractor at the time. I hadn't even met Dove yet. And I said, "Yeah, [laughter] I'm serious." And this is the days where there were like seven horns, so you could hide behind everybody and not really get caught not knowing anything. So I brought a little cassette recorder. I recorded the gig and I sat there and I just kind of played along what I could hear by ear. >> Oh, there's no notes. >> Uh, there were books, but back then it was, you know, the book was thick. It was there were no iPads yet and, you know, people were flipping pages and I was just sitting there, you know, just playing some notes. Anyway, uh, at the end of the night, Ellie said, "Okay, well, it was nice working with you." I was kind of flustered and think, "Were you hired for the Marina Delray gig?" >> No. No. He just went there. >> And they let you play along? >> I told him I was on the gig. >> But you weren't paid. No, because I wasn't on payroll. So, it's not like they were like, "Hey, what's who's this guy?" >> So, I got a call. >> But you weren't bad enough that people were saying, "Hey, you're interrupting the music." >> I got a call from Dove Cats the next day. You said, "I I got a really great report about your plan." >> Oh, [laughter] and then I started doing Jewish K. >> You played your way in into the industry. >> I lied my way into the job. >> You played You played your way. >> You played my way. Yeah. >> Literally. >> Yeah. It was fun. >> My memory of Marina Del Rey, I was at one wedding there in my entire life when I was 8 years old. We got invited to a really rich cousin's wedding at Marina Del Rey. >> Yes. >> This is 30 years ago. It must have been a half a million dollar wedding. I remember there just being unlimited amounts of food and liquor. I wasn't drinking liquor, but I was a kid. I was 8 years old. >> Unlimited amounts of liquor, food, bar stations, and the music had like a 20 piece band. I have great memories of that wedding. >> The bands were huge. >> Is it still Is it still go-to place or no? >> It's owned by It's owned by the Italians. >> It's Yeah. Uh, >> a lot of kosher weddings there, >> but uh, Sunday through Thursday it's Jewish >> weekend. Oh, okay. >> First of all, I just want to point out he had no work and he literally picked the phone and did cold calling old fashioned way, you know. Cheers. Not cheers. What's the right word to that? >> He's a hostile. He He >> Incredible. >> I get the shak up. I get the shak up. John, what made you give the idea to just show up the next time you need to reate? What was that? because I I did have >> What made you have the feeling that I should pursue this lead? >> Uh well, two reasons. Uh I knew that it was uh the one corner of the music industry that was still busy, uh where people were still working. And I did have some friends, some call them colleagues, if you will, who uh did some Jewish gigs and I knew they did it. So, I was hoping I'd see some familiar faces on that gig I snuck in on. I did not. Uh, but you know, over two or three gigs I started seeing some familiar faces, people I knew from Broadway because I was doing Broadway that, you know, started getting into some Jewish gigs. Um, and uh, for me it was always fun. And, you know, often there are times where you'll you'll see um, bands with uh, you know, that need three extra horns. That's how it was back then. We got to fill up three seats, you know, and they would get just anybody. And some guys would come in and say, "Hey, wow, this is really great. This is a lot of fun." And other guys would come in like, "Oh, man. uh how can you do this? And and it was great because you knew right away, okay, you're out and you're in. And uh it was really a great litmus test just to see how people do on their first gig. Not playing wise, but attitude. >> How long after did you get your first gig? After that time you just showed up without getting >> immediately. >> The next day. [clears throat] >> Well, the next week. >> Next week. >> I wasn't a regular rotation yet, but I was doing maybe five or six a month >> right away. >> Yeah. And it was it was a big help. But I also, you know, I sat and I learned the stuff. I learned it as much as I could. What's your favorite Jewish song, John? >> My favorite Jewish song has got to be at Adan. >> How does it go? Let's sing it. John, get a little trouble. Who's your f Who's your favorite singer to play with? >> Tough one. >> Just want to get Let me tell you. >> I want to get him in trouble. >> Enemies. [laughter] >> There are so many. I mean, I I love Sim Faliner. I love Barry Weber. Uh I I I love, of course, Ellie Marcus. We call him Charlie Marcus, by the way. Next time he says, "Hey, Charlie Marcus," you get a kick out of that. Uh you know, uh Morty is great. I mean, they're all great. They're all friendly. >> How many different bands you play with now? >> Only one with one band? Yeah. Nama? >> No, I'm Oh, you started off with Nishama? >> I started off in the Shama and worked with them exclusively till about 2010, 2011. >> And who do you now with exclusive >> roleplay? >> Wow. and I'm having a great time. It's probably the best, most comfortable, friendliest working experience I've had in my entire career. And I say that without reservation. >> John, what could a s Jewish a saxophone on a Jewish wedding expect to get paid? >> I can't say that. >> No, not you. You're like sought after people. What other people know what other What other people don't? >> I don't know. >> 500. >> I don't know. I can't There's no way anybody's doing a gig less than 500. >> I will tell you something. I will tell you something. Some guys that are new come on the job, you know, after playing in bars for $150 a night. And I'll say, and you know, a contractor will say, uh, you know, so what's your price? And they don't know. They'll go, well, and it's always like, yeah, man. You know, man, like, you know, some of the cats pay me like this, but this is the first I guess I'll do it for $50 an hour. And they'll go on the job and they'll make like $320 or $300 >> and they're billing at 700 and they're billing at seven. >> I had a guy once that called me up for PURM and he said, "What's your price?" And I told him, he goes, "Well, so and so was going to do it for half that." And I said, "He's," and I wasn't going to say, "You get what you pay for this." I said, "He's great. Why are you calling me? He's a great saxophone player. Call him and said, "Well, we want you." I said, "Well, you know, my price is reasonable. This is for perm." You know how perm is the first night. So, uh, I said, "I really think you should call this other guy who I'll nameless." And I said, "Call him. He's great." And I got off the phone. Then I called up the Nameless Saxon player. I said, "What are you doing? What the what's the matter with you? I said, "It's perm." He goes, "I didn't know. I haven't been doing these gigs long." I said, "Listen, call me next time in the United." >> Yeah. >> Perm is premium. Double. >> Uh I I can't say. [laughter] >> I have I have a question. >> Yes. >> I go to weddings my whole life. Tons of weddings. Thank God. A lot of friends and relatives. And I'm not a big dancer as you can see. I'm just not a big D, you know. >> And I and I watch and I and I watch the I keep a very close eye on the musicians. And I had a few questions I wanted to ask somebody that plays especially what you the instrument you call they're called brass instruments where you have woodwind saxophone is a woodwind but it's made of brass >> blow you have to blow in you have to put a lot of physical activity so unlike a keyboard player you know you mix around you play with your c your tablet >> or other instruments >> like you play guitar or bass you know you move your fingers around you're putting a lot of physical hard work you're blowing your whole energy or you could literally probably have a stroke or a heart attack so how do you do it for hours on end now I know you guys take breaks and I see guys going to the father. >> Why don't you ask your co-host? He actually plays acts. >> Well, we have on [laughter] we have fun we have on a professional. I want to get a real >> Well, first of all, the the the Jewish sets are generally longer than a non-Jewish uh celebration and that's significantly longer. Uh but because of that, like on an American gig, we'll just call it a non-Jewish gig, American gig, uh the sets are shorter and the horn players really don't have much to do. So they just stand there and it's and you see on their face sometimes that they're like >> not having a good time. >> They're bored. >> However, on a Jewish gig, especially the horn players that work with me, cuz I pull these guys hard. Uh we play and we play hard. And because of that, the night just sails by. It just goes by so fast. when we started when I started doing this with my very good friend Ben Holmes who's a great trumpet player. He got into the Jewish business, although he played uh very great Balkan trumpet. Um I said to him, it was his first Jewish gig. I said, "First rule, you're playing poker. Just if you don't know a song, don't show it on your face. Just if you don't know it, don't play and look at me and smile as if you're enjoying my solo." That's the first thing. The second thing, we're going to work out some licks >> before we get to the gig. Then when we get to the gig, we're going to make believe that we're working them out on the break. >> So people will think we're I said, "This is what we're going to do. We are going to change the way the horn uh section strategy is." So we, you know, we call each other up and sing each other licks and we learn. And then we get on the gig. And just before the gig, I say, "Hey, try this one out, Ben. We'll play this one on, you know, go these staccato 70s kind of retro horn lines." And like the bandies would say, "You're just coming up with this stuff now." I said, "Yeah, we got to come up with something different." and they're like, "Oh my god, you guys are amazing." He was a TOTAL SCAM. NOW EVERYBODY KNOWS. >> The first time I discovered John was Facebook Live. I saw this guy. >> He does incred the you know the cocktail style music. >> John does like a live show for about 20 minutes to half hour. How long is it? >> Uh for a good part of the it'll be 20 to 25 minutes. >> 20 minutes to usually the same songs like a little bored lately. I'm just kind of off the record but >> but he interacts with the crowd. He does. He plays it like for a minute then he starts talking. Hey John. Hey. Hey. [laughter] This just talking to the audience from the set and but you never see the he never turns the camera. You never see the wedding. You never see any of [laughter] this. I'm always like curious like what's the wedding look like? John, you don't show it on purpose. >> I usually don't because I just don't know if uh guest would would feel comfortable with that. >> And also >> always so curious. What does the wedding look like? Cuz he talks for a half hour. You hear all this action in the back, people eating, running, and you don't see anything. You just hear him playing and you know talking to the audience. >> Yeah, it's so much fun. It is so much fun. Especially with the band I work with. >> I have I have a very a good question. >> Today a lot of kids go for music lessons. You know the parents have extra money. They want them to stay off the Game Boys and Nintendo Switches. They hire somebody music lessons 50 $75 an hour 45 minutes. They mess around with a saxophone. >> 9 10 12 15 years old. >> If a kid sees he's really gifted at it, first of all, how do you know if they're just messing around and they're mediocre or they're really gifted? But the second question, a leadup question to this is could somebody make music a nineto-five? Like it's gonna be need evening, but could you really make a good living? Could you make could somebody choose this instead of going to dental school or or selling insurance for or you know accounting? >> Uh that's a very good question. Um I've been very lucky. I've been very lucky to make a >> you know what I mean? He's very he's very good. It's not [laughter] >> but I never rely on your saxophone. You know, I had my studio for 30 years and I do some videography and I do photography and I do all these different things for a while. >> We guys that play music or they do the videography at the wedding. You're you're not the videography guy >> as a No, not at weddings. No, but like as a producer in my studio, uh you know, you have people that need that are great at audio that aren't really good at at at video editing, and you have guys that are really great at video editing, and then you put them in front of, uh, you know, an audio board, and they not even sure what a you know, uh what a what a compressor does. So, um, and then you know, people like me, and this isn't bragging, this is a necessity. You guys need to know this. If you're aspiring in the music business, you're not going to make a living in an audio only environment. And I've been saying this for years. You can't make a living in an audio only environment. You need to know other things. You need to know video. You need to know editing. You need to know some mixing skills. You need to know how to tape a wire to the floor just in case someone hires you as an as as an assistant to uh an audio engineer. You need to know all these things. And if you know all these things, you will work. So, you know, >> Bobby on the call earlier today told me that he was doing well enough that his wife didn't have to work anymore. So, that gives you an answer. >> Yeah. What the any lives in Westchester or other? >> Yeah, you had a lot of luck in your life because the the lady the lady from the Shabba didn't slam the phone down on you. >> No, they were so nice to me. >> And then the next guy that I picked up, you still didn't have his name and he still but he he's a realman. How do you say in English? >> He's a real like like he lucky guy type of guy like you know because >> by him listening into the conversation and seeing how do we network with this guy on the phone? you know, people that are real entrepreneurs, anybody they meet as a potential client. I met a big guy in American Express. >> He told me he volunteers a lot of his time to go to like business meetings and young startups and go over the weekends. He only has one condition. >> He said, "No matter where he goes, they have to fly him first class." I said, "If you're trying to be a nice guy and go for free to help young guys starting out in businesses, why first class?" He told me because the people that I sit next to always become my clients. >> Ah, >> so I don't want to be sitting next to some Porsche McGee wrote 39D. That's why he lives in Westchester. [laughter] >> Westchester. >> So that guy that took your call, he realized whoever's on the phone, I'm going to make money off of. >> Well, you were talking I mentioned Westchester before and you said, "Oh, where all the rich people live?" >> So, let me just tell you something right now. You walk past my house, you're not going to look at a rich person. In fact, I had I had said to Mosha before on Halloween, you look out the window, I got all this candy waiting for the kids, and the mothers go walking by with [laughter] their kids. They look at the house, they're like, "Let's go to the next one." And they walk away. I got all this candy and nobody wants it. >> John, what's the three What were the biggest cultural shocks the first time you're doing weddings? Like you're like, "Huh?" >> I mean, you're clearly constantly You jumped on the stage. I mean, that's a great story. >> By the way, is this angle okay? I'm leaning on this pillow. >> You look great, John. You look great. Like a rock. >> See, if I ever write a book, if I ever write a memoir, it's going to be called, "Does this saxophone make me look fat?" What [laughter] do you think? Good one. >> All right. So, biggest shock question, like top three. If you could still remember, >> the first thing that blew my mind in uh in in I'm not going to say Jewish music, but it was through Jewish music was the first time I had Rasin's Herring. I almost collect >> the second time the second time Rasin's getting a shout out. >> Okay, let's cut it. The first time I had herring. >> Yeah, there we go. >> Okay, [laughter] so I was at BJC, you know, across from 770 in Crown Heights, USA, >> and uh [laughter] uh it was like my third or fourth Nishama gig. And so I was still kind of, you know, trying to figure out the whole thing socially, you know, uh, how to conduct myself. And um, they had this big display with all this herring on it. And I looked at some of the fish was red, some of the fish was silver, some of it had pepper on. I was like, "What is this?" So Halffinger, my good buddy Caim said, "Uh, you never had herring before?" I said, "No." So the caterer, and I wish I could remember what his name was. I don't. He came over to me. You never had herring. >> Beny, was it Beny? No. Shak. Everyone has to pay [laughter] that maker in Mark, bro. It's not free. >> No, no, no. It's not on the table. So anyway, he said uh uh the caterer came over. He said, "Wait, you never had herring before?" I said, "No." He goes, "Hang on a second." He poured me a shot of scotch, gave me a piece of herring. I said, "You only have to drink on the job." And he said, "I'm the caterer. You're having herring?" He said, "Have it with some scotch." So I put the herring in my mouth. It was a piece of matcha. I remember because it was red. And I couldn't believe how delicious it was. And then I hit it with some scotch. And he said, "What do you think I said I'm going to cry. I could not believe how good it was. I was amazed. I I really mean that. That was like So that's one of my mind-blowing. >> Do you ever have gapilta fish? >> Uh and okay, I got to say not a gapilta fish guy. To me, unless you rub that purple stuff on it, it just tastes like someone took a paper towel and put it in the food processor. [laughter] >> To the next. What's your favorite What's your favorite Jewish food now? Uh, I >> Is it still Herring? >> I gotta Good challen. >> Good challen? >> Yeah, I love Good Challen. >> Which cater? >> Uh, >> well, John, you let us say your favorite cater. >> Hey, look, I just go. >> John, are you let us say or? >> No, no, no. I'm not going to say, but if I go to a catering hall and the the the the chalant is uh got a little crust on top. >> Yeah. >> Uh, I know it's been bubbling for quite some time. So, you know, and then you go really It's great. Are you kidding? >> You're not You're not going to see your favorite cater on, right? >> My favorite caterer was is me. I mean, you know, >> I go I go to weddings. I go to weddings. And what really bothers me is they're paying these guys, even sometimes these oneman band guys. They're paying these guys thousands of dollars. They act busy. They come with 20 speakers. They're probably all off. [clears throat] And the guy stands there with his fancy shirt and tight suit. And then I look around and the guy sitting next the guy sitting next to me pressing his face and he has like the music playing on a tablet pretending he's there and they're sitting there eating. I have an opinion. If you're paying a guy a few thousand dollar to play at your wedding, go eat a deli wrap in your car. Don't sit there pressing my Does it bother you? I'm paying thousands bother you also. DJs also bother. They just push a button and they walk away. >> No, no, no. They have to act. You want them to have to act. >> Johnny wants you to straight four hours straight. He does. He wants to whip you. >> No, I want him to look busy. >> If he catches you by the the musician's table at his kid's wedding, you're done, John. I'm just letting you know. >> Done. Can you imagine if I filled this up all the way? My gosh. >> You think it's all right a guy's getting paid thousands of dollars to act busy. He has a tablet playing music and he's sitting there eating chicken. >> I [laughter] think if it's worth whatever the consumer is willing to pay for it, >> the consumer's scared, the guy's gonna like walk out the middle of the way. >> I've never heard of anything like that. But I will tell you something. I've worked with some oneman bands and honestly there's a lot of talent there. I'm not gonna knock. >> That was the craziest wedding story you ever had. Like people fighting and looked I'm Yeah. Sure. >> Come on. Give us some. [laughter] >> You really want to hear one? I really not a Jewish wedding. >> Oh, wasn't >> Oh, you want to hear a crazy Jewish wedding? >> I want to hear both. I want to hear at a wedding. >> Yeah. At a wedding. [clears throat] >> Uh, well, first of all, they're all crazy in a fun way. So, >> uh, nothing. Honestly, I I can't think of I feel like Kla Harris at the moment. Nothing comes to mind. [laughter] I thought we're not getting >> I thought we're not getting political boys and girls. >> Uh I was at a wedding once where the two families got in a brawl. That was a It was an Italian wedding. >> Physical physical. >> Oh, cops came [laughter] and Oh my gosh. And uh as they were all fighting and brawling in the street, the cops came to start arresting people. And uh one woman went up to a cop. This is back in the 70s. Woman went up to a cop said, "That's my husband." And she kicked him in the shins. Oh, as she's holding his shin, [laughter] she kicked him in the other one and then she ran away. >> And I was across the street. I was like 17 years old. I was like, "Oh man, can you imagine if there was cell phones back then?" [laughter] >> John, how's how do you notice any changes in Jewish wedding scene from when you started 25? What? >> Absolutely. >> Tell us. >> Uh, okay. So, some people uh are excited about it and other people uh are not too happy about it. But Jewish music has definitely uh evolved in the last 20 years. in the last actually 15 to 12 years uh in that it's much more pop. It's much more uh influenced by so many different cultures, not just American pop, but so many different cultures. And uh there are and I and I we've spoken about this. I think we spoke there there are three in my opinion, this is just my my analysis, there are three types of bands that you're going to see these days. You're going to have the commodity band, which is a guy gets booked and he fishes around for musicians, good ones, and he'll throw together a band that doesn't play together all the time, but if he gets the right guys, it's going to sound good. There's your commodity band. You're having a simka, you know, a month from now, and that's, you know, you're going to do the best you can. Uh, which is great because I've these days so many people interact, so many musicians interact with each other that it usually works out. I've rarely seen it not work out. Then you have um the big prepared ensemble like you know uh you know yeah like Mendy or Fry and what happens is they have big beautiful arrangements and lustrous and it's absolutely gorgeous. I'm not I I like wow and you see their videos and they're absolutely stunning. And for those gigs you don't necessarily have to hire a Jewish musician because it's all scripted. Now when I say it's scripted I don't say that as a criticism. I mean, it's so beautifully arranged and that's what they have to get. To put a guy like me on that, first of all, would be a waste. Uh, >> and he charges like double triple. >> And secondly, I feel like I need to jump around. I I can't sit here in a bow tie and a white. >> You want some attention? You want some attention? You lose your personality there, right? >> And then there's >> Is this how you dress to a wedding? >> No. No. I I wear a black suit. >> Black white. Black. Black or black. White. >> Uh, usually black, black. Black. >> Your black shirt, black suit. >> Yeah, just all black. >> No tie. >> I wear a tie. A bow tie or a tie? >> No, a tie. >> And the shoes are sneakers. Really? >> No, I know. See, I wore these sneakers because I You want to see them? Really? [laughter] They're in bad shape. >> And the third thing, John, >> is uh Oh, the third kind of band. It's like the band I work with is Coldplay. >> We play every night. The same >> play every night. We play with the same guys. We have our own vocabulary worked out. There's no book. >> And I had said to them beginning, once you put a book in front of me, I'm not doing this anymore. I want it to be fun. The vocabulary that our band has evolves and it changes and from month to month, it's slightly different. And if you listen to us now and you hear us a year from now, it's going to be different. And I will say the name of the band, although maybe but that's with Coldplay and that's what we do and we have a fantastic time. >> You're a five towns band, a Lakewood band or Brooklyn. What's usually who's your generally your clientele? >> New Jersey. We do Marina a lot. We do uh >> Who's your crowd? Like Black Hats, Noah Hats. Usually >> uh Modern Orthodox mostly. >> That's most of your crowd. >> Yeah. >> You're not only playing Jewish music, you're doing all types. >> No, it's still >> it's still all Jewish, but like K If they're going to do pop music, if they want a pop set, they'll we'll bring in a DJ. >> Oh, so you don't play It's You play Orthodox, so no black hats. >> Oh, no. We'll do We'll do black hat gigs, but not as many. I would say 15 20% >> mostly T-neck, five towns. >> Uh Five Towns, T-neck. Uh lower new not I shouldn't say lower New Jersey like uh what's that place in Wayne? I can't remember the name of it. Uh >> Orthodox. >> Yeah. Uh we'll do uh Rockley Country Club. I'm finding that a lot of kididic weddings or bar mitzvah, they're sneaking in some gaisha music. Like the mother of the kid is like, "Play his favorite song from the non-Jewish one." And then a lot of PEOPLE START SCREAMING, "NO, NO, NO, DON'T PLAY IT. DON'T PLAY." YOU get >> two weeks ago. Two weeks ago, >> what happened? >> We were at Woodmir Country Club and uh and I actually feel bad about this now. Uh but let me just tell you what happened. The bride and groom wanted to dance to their favorite song. And it was at the end of the wedding. The wedding was over. There was like 10 minutes left. So everything >> it was a separate dancing wedding, not mixed. >> It was separate dancing. There was a you know there's some pizza >> and uh everything was uh you know kosher if you will uh no pun intended. And uh at the very end they wanted to dance together. It's their favorite song and they hadn't benched yet. So it was like okay we got five minutes to kill and we put on the song and all >> a not Jewish song. >> A non-Jewish song. It was like some country love song like you know playing it was it was beautiful. It was when suddenly the two of them are dancing and they're looking in each other's eyes and all of a sudden you just hear the bass only the top speakers went off. What's going on? Some guy went up and just turned off the speakers. [laughter] >> Now this was at Woodmir Country Club. It's not even It's not a sh It's not a synagogue. It's a catering club. Willingsburg. It's It's I'm sorry. >> Not Willingsburg. >> No, it's So >> they really shut it off. >> So he shut it off. So then the band leader Si turns it back on. >> Oh boy. >> So the guy says, "Turn it back on. I got to turn it off." And SP's going, "It's not your party. They want us to play. I don't care what." And so he turned it off again. >> Who was the guy? >> I don't know. So >> probably the rabbi. >> John, what is it? >> Well, let me just tell you what happened. I went up to the guy and I said, "Look, it's not your party. It's not your party. It's not your party." And he and he left. And then I found out later he was like, you know, the brother of somebody. And he was a rabbi, a wellrespected rabbi. And I was like, "Oh, why did I even open my stupid mouth? I should have just let him have his fun. Who am I? I'm the saxophone player." By the way, I want to make mention there's a guy Mr. Simotan of blessed Mary. Remember with the little friend >> used to come to all the weddings. >> Tell them the relationship who were the most you need to guess who's the most generous person at every wedding to Mr. Samote. >> So John, tell us tell us the story. >> It's a real sweet guy. >> He was great. I loved him. He was a good friend. He was uh just a fun loving person. Always had a nice thing to say. But he was very very meticulous when it came to keeping notes about where you were tomorrow guy. We used to call him. >> Uh so anyway, uh he'd come and say, "Where are you tomorrow? Where you going to be? Where are you tomorrow?" >> In case the audience doesn't know, he used to collect stuck up at the wedding. That's correct. So if he knew where a wedding was, he would knew to go there. He can make a lot of money. >> And he would he would ask where you were so that he would go to where you were the next >> including his generous consistent [laughter] donor. >> So every time I saw him, I gave him 10 bucks. I gave him 10 bucks. 10 bucks. So, a couple of gigs, uh, I saw him and I was like, Mai, I didn't know you were going to be here tonight. I I said, "I don't have any money." He goes, "All right, don't worry about it." And then the next time he's like, "You again?" I said, "I didn't know you, don't worry about it." The third night I see him, I said, "Hey, hey, you know what? Here, here's $10." He goes, "You owe me 30." [laughter] >> So, I got him a name tag. I wanted to get a name tag that said, "Where are you tomorrow, guy?" But it wouldn't fit on a name tag. So it just said W guy. [laughter] >> And he used to wear that with pride. >> John, what is Cole plays? How many piece band? >> Uh, generally it's me, violin, uh, piano, who is the band leader, Sev Ra, uh, guitar, bass, and drums. Six piece with a singer. I keep jumping into this. >> Six piece. What does it usually cost? You know, you haven't >> I have no idea. >> No idea. Four grand, three grand. >> I don't know. >> Are you kidding? Way more. >> And a sound guy or a sound guy? You said we >> use a sound company. Yeah. >> And a company. That's uh um uh Mosha Starvki is the engineer and uh >> the name of the company is I can't remember sorry guys but Yitsy Spinner uh is in charge of that company and great the great singer >> former former soloist choir >> and uh a great uh great uh >> when you do a gig you get paid up front before the gig happens. >> No, >> after the gig. >> I have a really relationship with them so I just send a bill every >> I was going to ask questions but I know that you work for the band but if somebody hired you for a perm gig Yeah. And you made up, don't tell me a number, you made up $1,200. Let's say, >> yeah, >> you ask them to sell you half before you get there, the full amount. How do you do? >> Nothing. >> I just say, "Pay me when the gig's over." >> What happens after these thousands of gig? Does anybody ever not pay right away? >> Ever got stiff, John? >> Every single time once >> once I got stiffed. And it was a good friend of mine. He didn't stiff me. He was going through a tough time. >> And after the gig, he said, "I I don't have the money." I said, "Okay, you give it to me when you get it." >> Darn it. >> He did. Like, I have enough. >> Like, like how long later? Uh, four months, five months. >> Thousands of gigs. You only almost got stiffed one time. >> One time. >> He has a good record. You think people are scared? >> No. No. I've never >> Everybody I know gets stiffed all the time. >> I had one guy that, you know, every gig he said to me, uh, you know, I told him what my price was and it was time to pay me. Can you do it for 25 less? Can you do it for 25 less? I would say no. And then one day I said to >> 25 hours worth. >> Yeah. He would he would try and do. So I said to him, you know, everybody's talking about this. Nobody was talking about it. I said, "You know, no one wants to work with you anymore." That wasn't true either. He said, "Why?" I said, "Because you do this to everybody." I didn't know, but I assumed he did. He goes, "Yeah, I do. I want to make a little more." I said, "But you already agreed on the price. I'm talking to people. None of these guys want to work with you. You got to stop doing this." He goes, "All right, all right. I'll stop." Never did it again. And I I lied. Made up the whole thing. [laughter] >> You set him You said him right. >> I did him a favor in my own twisted mind. >> John, what do people not know about religious people? Like, you're Italian, Irish, Westchester guy. What are the biggest misnomers that people think and you know and I want to as a side note John used to have a podcast half of his sponsors were all religious guys. >> Yeah. >> So tell us what are the misnomers that you know you you know you're in both worlds. >> The biggest thing to me as far as uh >> I would say religious more than Jewish you know neighbors. Yeah. >> What are the biggest misnomers? Top three >> uh the most tolerant people and the most open armed people I've met are religious people >> far. I mean, no comparison to non-religious people. And the Jewish community is proof of that because I mean, I started doing Jewish gigs. I made some friends and next thing you know, it's it's also my social life. And I'm I'm not Jewish. I don't I'm Catholic and I'm happy to be Catholic. It's not like I'm looking for a new religion. But the community is so dear to me and the community is has been so good to me that uh I it's overwhelming. I'm I'm actually I'm kind of getting a little >> See, what I'm shocked about is [laughter] >> I'm not joking. I'm It's It means so much to me. The biggest honor of my life. Truly. >> People say like Jews are cheap. You're saying you never got stiffed in 5,000 gigs. You never got stiffed even once. That's pretty pretty honest people. >> Never got stiff once. There was one guy. There's another story. I won't mention his name because uh he's a good guy. He's a good friend. And if if he hears this story, he'll laugh. I This was years ago, 2008, maybe 2009. He asked me to do a uh a name reveal party, you know, kid's name, whatever it was, I don't remember. So, it was like a two-hour gig. I said, you know, I'm coming from one gig going to the other. I got two hours. I go, "Sure, I'll do it." He said, "What's I said, what does it pay?" He goes, " $165." I was like, "You know what? Why not?" Oh, he drive right past. I went there. And then he didn't pay me. So, I used to every So, this is the one time I got stiffed. I actually did get stiff kind of because every Monday morning I would fax him an invoice as a goof. I didn't even want the money. I faxed him an invoice every Monday morning for probably a year and I'd wake up Monday morning and say, "I have to send that invoice out again." And one day he called me up and he said, "Would you settle for $100?" And I said, "Yes." [laughter] I almost didn't want to settle because I >> Jewish guy. >> Yes. >> What gives you the most pleasure of performing? Is it your own enjoyment or or empowering energizing the crowd? That is that right? >> Absolutely. Energizing the crowd and also the interaction between the the musicians in the band with the sole purpose of energizing the crowd. We're musicians, but we're entertainers first. We're putting on a show and people have to feel good when they watch us before they listen to us. So, they're going to take a look at us and then we have to sound good, too. But the first thing that's going to attract them is like, "Hey, come on. We're having a party. >> So people feel the energy of the band. >> Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. >> What percent does the band have effect on the dancing versus the actual crowd? >> I I'd say again that's uh that that's >> if you had a wild crowd. >> Yeah. >> Do they care if you're even playing on tune versus if you're playing the best music beautiful music, everything's in tune >> when >> versus the Do you see impact and difference >> when the band is interactive? No matter how wild no matter how wild the crowd is, when the band is interactive with the crowd, that crowd is going to get wilder and wilder and wilder. And guess what? It makes the band wilder and wild. >> They all feed off each >> goes up. It's like yeast in in dough. Explodes when you just put it in at 450. >> You guys get paid when you guys do a book. Somebody hires you guys. It's for a certain amount of hours, right? >> Uh yes. >> And what happens if everybody's having the time of their life? There's a massive crowd. guys are dancing, the girls are dancing, everyone's having a good time, and it's almost like a shame that they didn't hire you for instead of for 11. Maybe they should have hired you till midnight or 1. >> Sometimes they sometimes they don't spot. Sure, >> but what happens if you're not in the mood? You had a long night the night before and you thought you're doing an 11 gig. You don't mind staying till 1. >> Doesn't work that way. What if you're in a diner and the chef isn't in the mood? It's too bad. You know, this is just the menu here. >> When you go to a gig, it's it's official hours and then if the guy's getting ready to write his check for overtime, then all of a sudden you have to stay three more hours. >> Correct. But I, you know, the the mitzvotants era has kind of slowed down. [clears throat] So those gigs that go to three or four in the morning, that doesn't really happen anymore. At least on the corner of the Jewish music market that I'm in. Uh, and you know, in those old days, you know, the mitzvah and you know, you the gig would end at 11 and then the mitzvah would start at like 12 and then you go till 4 or 5 in the morning and then 5 in the morning >> and you'd be driving home. I'd be like, you know, I'd call my wife. I'd say, I'm on my way home. I've had a long night. When I walk through that door, hand me a martini, we're listening to Schweki. That's [laughter] >> John. Do you ever casually listen to Jewish music now or never? >> Sure. >> You do? >> Yeah. >> So really became >> one of my favorite albums and still is that I listen to probably two, three times a month is Palace of the King. >> What was that? >> That's uh the Carl Bach album that he did with the orchestra in the 60s. It's absolutely beautiful. I listen to Barry Weber all the time. Love him. Love him so much. I listen to Sima. I listen to the people that I work with. Would you Jewish music today? Is it similar to any other genre today in the world or >> Yes. What are the most similar to? >> It's there's a lot of pop in it. A lot of pop. >> Just a lot of pop. >> But just high quality pop, not just, you know, it's a little more, you know. >> So, if someone asks you, one of your Italian friends, say, they ask you, "What is Jewish music?" What would you tell them? I would tell them it's uh it's a a a beautiful mix of different uh American styles, but also, you know, Israeli style and uh there's SOA in it. So, it's like, you know, when we say uh >> Middle Eastern, >> when we say horror, >> horror. Okay. >> Okay. That's got like a SOA feel to it. Now, maybe maybe one influenced the other or the other one is I don't know. But the first time I heard Hora, I heard the word Hora, I thought it was, you know, what we call Freigh. So, you know, a lot of people that are not in Jewish music, they'll hear a Freigh beat and they'll think that's hor. And then you hear a Hora beat and they think that's SOA. >> Don, how does a makita affect a wedding? >> Let me tell you, >> what's the energy? How's energy different with a makita and without a makita? >> Well, if you were one of the women all dressed up nice and everything, would you want to go and dance with those guys over there? I sure wouldn't. We need a makita. You know what? the whole world needs a guys are jumping around and the girls is just like all you know. So, >> so what's the energy different like >> uh nothing it's it doesn't have a negative effect on the party and then when you know when we do uh uh >> uh what's that uh what do they call it uh kad Moroctton and everybody kind of runs to one side it's all fun it's do you remember two years ago this thing where the they put the on a table and they they put him up in the air 20 feet and they dance around and the guy's always shaking and scared >> two years ago why he >> two years ago the kassan in Israel he fell off the table he was unconscious after for a couple of days. And after that, a lot of a lot of bands and musicians put out a statement that if they put the on the table, >> they're going to stop playing. >> They're going to stop playing the music. Were you involved in that? >> No, not at all. >> You guys let them. >> The guy falls and breaks his head. It's okay. >> I don't see it that often. I've never seen anyone fall and break his head. A couple of times I was like, "Please fall." No. [laughter] >> John, you're also a foodie. Kosher food versus non- kosher food. What What are we missing? >> Okay. Well, let's start with sushi. >> Okay. The first time I had kosher sushi was at Yankee Stadium about 20 years ago. Yankee Stadium. >> Remember that kosher stand that was all the way up that spiral at kosher? And there was a line all the way down. Kaam Halfinger took me to Yankee Stadium and he said, "This guy's the only guy that's got kosher food here today. That's why he's doing so well." And we had the sushi and it wasn't that good. >> And then going to a an Orthodox wedding, they had sushi and it wasn't that great. Go 20 years ago. >> Okay. >> Now kosher sushi is second to none. So, I guess it took a little time to figure it all out, but holy cow, uh things like um short rib, kosher short rib just annihilates non-coosher short rib. I don't know why. I don't know what the process is. >> What about Are you into Bodka? >> Uh not really. I don't eat a lot of sweets, so I can't really comment on that. >> This is This is my sugar rush right here. >> Makaker's Mark. [laughter] >> So, the kosher meats are on par with the non-coosher meats. >> Oh, absolutely. And the sushi >> better. >> And the chicken soup >> better. >> We're doing We're okay. Nobody should be hungry in the Jewish community. >> Nobody should be hungry. >> And the wines. What about the wines? I heard the wines maybe not >> I'm not a wine drinker, but let's talk about meatballs for a minute. Italian meatballs. Uh you know, we get we put cheese in them. So, and and the the cheese that cooks in the tomatoes for, you know, three, four hours. It's really amazing. John, whatever Remy say, which which sect should you join if you were if you were converari, how are you? One day he said to me, you know, you'd be a great laborer. I'd say, hey, you know, maybe I just might [laughter] >> you consider the convert? No. >> No. >> No. If we pay you enough, you wouldn't. >> Mhm. >> It's not It's has nothing to do with it's it's purely social. It's it's purely fun and friendship. And uh >> and by the way, I'm just no disrespect to your religion. I mean, when we were in Catholic school, we did the Old Testament before we did the New Testament. We didn't get to Jesus till like third grade. So, we study, you know, we studied your history, you know. >> Want to ask you another question. If you're a musician like you for the last 30, 40 years almost every night, you're a night owl. You're up. You said sometimes you were getting home at 5, six o'clock in the morning. >> Yeah. >> How do you go to sleep and then get up again? Like, doesn't it become a huge mess night after night, week after? >> Well, that schedule No. Well, that schedule, that late night schedule ended about 15 years ago. Now I'm usually working till around midnight. If I get home by 1:00, I'm in bed by, you know, 1:30 and I'm up at 4:30, 5:00 every morning. >> Three hours of sleep. >> Yeah. Because I had a recording studio, so I was always getting up early to set up. >> You don't get enough. You get So how do what your body functions on >> three or four nights a week. I'll do about 3 to four hours of sleep and then the fifth night I'll have to do eight hours. But now I don't have the studio. I closed the studio actually in January. So now I'm just focusing on doing gigs and just having fun. I'm 65. >> I've done this enough. >> You can't tell because I colored my mustache, but it's really white underneath this with underneath his makeup. >> You me you mentioned interesting point that most secular general saxoponist, they get older jobs when and how does that compare to a Jewish wedding musician? >> I'm sorry. Rephrase that. I didn't understand. >> The biggest You said an interesting lifestyle difference between a typical jazz saxoponist. >> Ah, yes. Okay. >> Tell them tell us more about weekend midweek. >> This is so great. You know, and the the the icing on the cake, one of the biggest perks of being a Jewish musician, not I'm not Jewish. I'm a musician that plays Jewish music. >> Half of your sponsors on your podcast are Jewish, right? >> But I call myself a Jewish musician. He's eating herring. [laughter] >> He's basically >> The best part is I don't work on I don't work on Fridays and Saturdays. >> Oh, yeah. I don't because of Charlie Kirk. [laughter] >> Just because I don't work on Fridays and Saturdays. And it's funny because I'll get calls from American bands saying, "Hey, uh, are you available Saturday?" I'm like, "Uh, no." "Oh, you got another gig?" "No." "What are you doing?" I'm like, "I don't work on Saturday." >> An official thing. You will not work on Saturday. >> He doesn't need to. >> Five grand. You're not coming. >> Okay. Well, [laughter] five grand. I'll be there. No, but for g I never ever work on a Friday and I rarely I don't think I've done a Saturday gig probably in five or six years. >> I don't know about this. You had a podcast. Uh we had an internet show. We had it on Facebook. >> Who was we? >> Me and my business partner, my studio partner, Claudia Chopek, and it was called That Jazz Show. And we stopped doing it uh last spring after 5 years. >> So I I when me and Mo started this podcast, we did I did a lot of >> Hey, I'm leaning really far back. >> I did some googling and it's like 99% of people don't get to episode two. People that get to episode two don't >> We were getting 50,000 views a week. >> Wow. Tremendous. And how many subscribers did you have? >> Oh, [sighs] I don't know. A few thousand. People were afraid to subscribe. This was on Facebook. We did Facebook Live. >> Oh, before YouTube was popular. >> No. Uh YouTube was popular before Facebook Live, but we started doing it during uh pandemic and a lot of new people were, you know, getting into social media. Mostly older people, the 60 and older crowd. And since we primarily were a a show about jazz, you know, older people getting on Facebook, the Facebook algorithm, even though we had permission to play all the music we played, they were always muting us. So after spending all this money on >> promotion nonsense and all that >> and and but with music we were allowed to play. So we moved over to but we couldn't >> when are you coming out with your Jewish improv >> Jewish albums? >> When are you going to come up with the money? [laughter] >> Hey I'm out 60 bucks on that makers market. There's there goes the whole budget right there. >> Well, I'll tell you something. I would love to do that one day. I really would. >> So you did it for five years? >> Yeah. >> And what happens? >> Every Wednesday night. Uh it was a promotion. We used it as a promotional device for the studio and it brought in a lot of business. Then I closed the studio in January and we continued the show until like April or May. We moved it over to YouTube and we couldn't get the crowd to move over and it really wasn't worth doing anymore. >> If I go back to Clappy's question, if someone wants to be a saxoponist today, 2025, could you make a living? Yes or no? >> There are areas where you can make a living, but the odds are against you. You have to be you have to have other skills in entertainment. Uh and you have to do self-promotion. I remember when you know when I >> Who's better you or Slammy Cohen? >> Let me Cohen is great. I never say anything negative about Schlommy Cohen. >> We're different. We're different styles. That's like saying what's better. >> Don he came out with an album. You >> his album's great. >> Okay. >> I don't even know who Shwami Cohen is. I work for >> He's still active on the >> Oh, yeah. >> Who gets paid more? You or him? >> I hope him. [laughter] >> You hear that? Schlammy >> cuz there only as far as I know there's only two requested specific saxon players. It's him. But now he told me he plays a one Ben. So I don't know. I know Shawn gets a premium, right? >> I I would imagine. I can't imagine. >> How old is How old does a Shwami Cohen guy? >> Uh he's younger than me and he's also better looking. >> He doesn't have to put makeup on his head. So if you're a saxophone today, if the jazz musicians typically get they don't get paid very well, right? >> As a jazz musician, no. >> Like when you're playing jazz night some background at some bar and they won't even >> I would I >> and you see them have playing on the subway for free. >> I'll do about >> John. They're all playing for free on the subway. It's like >> I do maybe three or four jazz gigs a year >> because they don't pay much and I just do it for fun. When I used to play at Showman's in Harlem, the at midnight I would I would send someone over to White Castle. We get 200 at White Castles, start throwing cheeseburgers all over the place. We And it was fun. It cost me money. I was buying people drinks. I walk out of there, be in the home. My wife said, "How much did tonight cost?" I say, "A lot." But it was fun. You know, that's why you do it if you're going to get into that kind of thing. And it's not even it's beyond self-promotion. It's just about making sure you have fun. People just look forward to it. And you know, you need to have that release a few times a year where you know you're not going to make money, but you're just going to have a blast. And uh the other side of it is that in Jewish music where you are making money, I'm having a blast. I'm having so much fun. >> How did you get into becoming a saxophone player? I don't think we discussed that. >> No, we didn't. >> I studied clarinet as a kid. I wanted >> in the private Catholic school. >> Uh no. Uh this the music store near my house and uh they had a s clarinet teacher. I wanted to play saxophone and my mother said to me, "If you play saxophone and try to move on to clarinet, you're never going to be great on clarinet. But if you start on clarinet and move to saxophone, you're going to be great at both. >> Is that a fact? >> It absolutely is. >> People that play clarinet are good at saxophone. >> No, they will have an easier time learning saxim fingering. >> I don't know. >> It's also just there's a >> whole >> I mean clarinet is a difficult instrument. Saxophone, you know, is it's it's sloppy. >> Didn't Bill Clinton play a saxophone? >> Well, he says he does. [laughter] >> He played night train on Arenio. That's not saxophone. Yeah. No. Yeah, he's great. Sorry. Bill Clinton's great. [laughter] >> John, [clears throat] if people want to hear your music, what do they Google John Tendy? >> Go to that jazz show on YouTube. Go to John. >> Are you playing or you just you're just the >> There are a lot of videos of me playing. >> Were you actually playing? >> Yeah. Just type in John Tendy and Showman's is the name of the club that >> podcast you used to play a lot probably. >> No, I never played. >> Oh, you didn't even play the music. >> And the Jewish Seth, they could only hear you on Facebook Live, right? >> Uh for Jewish music. Yes. And you never publish those on YouTube, those sets. >> I just do that for fun, >> right? But that's John allegedly told me the past week that it's most favorite thing to do now is stream his Facebook lives. Jazz set um is that still true or just for the phone call? Yeah. >> Your favorite? What the the unit part? >> I'm sorry. >> Which part of it did you like do you love so much? The Facebook live >> talking to people. >> Talking to people. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> And what's cool is CL they feel like they're talking to a celebrity because he's playing the saxophone. So he's a celebrity and he's talk he's doing shout outs and call outs and he's people it's I was so impressed with his human side to him on Facebook live and he plays it brilliantly >> and he has his goisha >> touch and his jazz to [laughter] it and he re and he connects to you know >> well that that's you know that's really important um and I know a lot of guys that are that are really that have really captured that that uh element of taking the n a non-Jewish style that you're good at but making it work in Jewish music and a lot of guys just arbitrarily throw in their stuff, >> right? >> And it just doesn't work. >> You're you're playing music. Music is fun. You're entertaining crowds. You're at happy events. Mitzvah, wedding, bus mitzvah. >> What do you tell people that work in a career that they're not h how do could you could you could you do this in any career you're in? Make it fun the way you make music fun. >> Yes. >> A guy is an actuary. He sits at a computer 14 hours a day. How does he make it fun? >> If you're if you're on your job and you say, "I hate this job." >> Guess what? you're gonna find another job and six months later you're gonna be saying, "I hate this job." It's very, very easy. It's so easy to do a great job. It takes a lot of work. It's exhausting doing a bad job. And I say this especially about music. You want to lose weight, you want to get skinny, you want to sweat, uh, do a bad job. It's hard work. [laughter] You want to get fat and you want to just have be jolly and have a good time. Do a good job. It burns no calories by comparison. So >> So deep. >> Quote me on that. >> So deep. >> Takes a lot of work to do a bad job. >> Also want to What are we talking about? >> I have to talk about tonight. Tonight we have a new corporate sponsor >> and this is a corporate sponsor that's very very dear to my heart. FFH is one of the best. It's >> Isn't it dear to your stomach more than your heart? >> One of the best Pesak resorts in the world. It's upstate New York only two hours away from Brooklyn. It's in the uh cat school regions, the Villa Roma Resort, FFH, Table One Catering. It's the best pesak program >> affordable. Ley Fagen, Schwei Feldman, Allison Feldman. Best hosts, Chase Tab, Morai Derman, Gatsy Mark, >> Clappy. >> Um, who do we have? >> So, the real star of the show is Clappy. Obviously, >> I'm I'm going to be working there. Benny Freriedman's going to be there this year. >> Really? >> There's going to be a huge early bird special. I don't know. Early bird special. Early bird special until December 9th. Google FH Resort. >> Early bird special. Mention the show. Early bird special until December 9th. This is going to be a Pesak. You will never forget. It's 55% sold out. Every year they sell out and people call me crying that they would have wanted to come. >> My parents went last year. Really happy. >> Book now. FFH for Pesak 2025. You're going to have the time of your life. Clappy is going to be there. All Pesak. >> Wow. We're also selling this painting. are both separate art dealers, but this we're going to be doing in partnership. So, we have over here a beautiful oil on canvas >> by artist Martha Hoffman from Holland >> and we have >> depicting aid. Did >> you bring another picture? >> That's for the next podcast. >> That's okay. >> And John, can you please try our our bilongton, please? Our sponsor Cer Butcher has a restaurant and a deli in. Here's what we here's what we do. >> I eat it every day. The best food in the world. >> Here's what we do. We take what's called a stage bite. You know what a stage bite is? No. Make believe. Oh my god, that [laughter] is so good. Oh, >> is it co? >> Now, why do we do this? Cuz you don't want to choke on food while the cameras are running. So, you make believe. But I will do. >> Can you please try it? You're a foodie. He makes his own bread. His own Italian bread. >> No way. >> Yeah. I haven't bought a loaf of bread in three years. >> Delicious. >> Oh my god, that is very good. >> CH Butcher, >> our favorite sponsor, right, CL? Your favorite. >> I love their food. I love every flavor. It's so good. CH Butcher and the restaurant on Troy Avenue. CH Butcher has a beautiful, beautiful restaurant. They have a beautiful deli takeout. >> Watch that down with another tablespoon. >> Everything the best. [laughter] >> And if you like this painting, it's beautiful. Price is not too crazy. >> Reach out to either me or Mishi. You're going to get the same price and we're splitting the profits. So, you just [laughter] decide who you want to haggle with. >> He's a lot more fun to fight with. [laughter] And uh so we try a new idea to help raise money for our podcast instead of doing >> before we make a campaign >> gofundme campaigns. We said let's try to bring our paintings to the show and since a beautiful painting almost got sold last week. >> Gorgeous. Gorgeous. >> John, what do you think about the painting? >> What's that? >> What do you think about the painting? >> He just had it. I love the colors. I like that. I don't know why, but the fact that the general uh uh color of the character is blue. Uh there has to be a reason for that. And I think you should answer the artist. >> Brilliant artist. One of my faves. We need to get more. >> It's affordable. No. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Very affordable. We'll work it out. >> Especially if I need money that week, the price goes down, you know. No. Anyway, >> it's beautiful. Really is. >> John, thank you so much for coming on to the show. >> I feel like we didn't cover a lot of uh grand so much more. >> What do we miss? >> Oh, you like the time I went into the pizza joint and asked for pepperoni. [laughter] I had to come from Marina del Rey and I went into Tommy's Pizza on Fremont Avenue and I said, "Let me have a uh slice with pepperoni on it." And he said, "Are you sure?" I said, >> "Yeah, I'm sure." He goes, "You want it with pepperoni?" And I said, "Yes." He goes, "What?" And I said, "What's the problem? Can I have a slice with pepperoni?" And I looked in the mirror on the other side of the wall. I was still wearing a yamaka, [laughter] but at least he was sensitive enough to know that. [laughter] On that note, what percent of the kids do you wear yamas? >> Uh, with co-play, I usually don't. Uh, not because I don't want to, it's just it's not we're there's no uniform. Some of the guys, our guitar player doesn't even wear a jacket, you know. So, >> what percent of the horn players are Jewish? Religious. >> I would say less than half. >> Less than half are Jewish. >> Yeah. Oh, what? Religious. >> All right. Many are Jewish, but uh I would say religious wise less than half. >> John, if you walk down Central Avenue or Cedar, what what percent of the people will recognize you? >> Oh, I don't know. >> What would you guess? Guest estimate. >> I don't know, but I'll say I'll walk down the street and somebody say, "Tendy." [laughter] I say, "Hey, how you doing?" >> On Central Avenue, >> uh >> in five towns. >> Oh, Central Avenue. Yeah, definitely. I got a lot of friends in that area. >> You got people calling your name. >> Well, people that I know anyway, >> right? You go to kosher restaurants in Central Avenue? >> Uh there was one I was at recently that was just fantastic. Uh it's a steakhouse. I'm not going to mention their name. [laughter] Do a little research and say Steakhouse Central Avenue and you'll know which one I'm talking about. >> Sunflower. Sunflower has >> Can you zoom in on that? [laughter] >> You ever go to Sunflower? >> I don't know. I can't say. >> If we saw the painting, we would go to the restaurant. But until then, anyway, thank you so much. Subscribe, comment below, and please tell John how much you want him to make his own Jewish album. Just like, >> by the way, my wife forced me to wear these glasses because she can't stand the plastic frames. She got me these metal frames. Comment if you like these glasses or the one I wore the previous video. >> Tell your wife I humbly apologize. [laughter] >> Comment if you like the glasses. >> Thank you so much. And John, you don't play with any other band, right? You're not allowed. Do you have a contract or it's >> No, it's just a friendly agreement. and they're so good to me and there's no need. If you want to have John at your wedding, you have to hire all your friends together. >> Not necessarily. If I'm available, I might take it if you would consider playing a personal favor. Sure. But uh um do we really have to talk about this? >> Right. [laughter] We try to cover everything. John, >> I the funniest part is he did all his calls right in the beginning. Even though it kills the >> I would have forgotten. You see that? >> Exact. [laughter] Even though it kills the flow because you wanted the first part of the podcast to be interesting to get them involved. So I was like shake that's I was trying to comment as >> you know you can chop it out or you could put it at the end. >> No, it's funny because that's [laughter] part of the the authenticity to see John doing all shout outs like his mother told make sure you do it before you [laughter] bring even though it's totally out of place. Anyway, >> all right. Thank you so much for coming. Thank you gentlemen. Let's shake hands. It's >> been a lot of fun. >> We have to do a picture clap. >> 100% 100%. >> Thank you so much. And when I write my book, Does this saxophone make me look fat? I hope you guys will buy it. >> You do the tener, so it's bigger, right? Yeah.