During this time, late 1974 to 1975, I played with the R&B group Smoke (see above, Part Two, Chapter 12) While I loved John and Huey’s playing, it seemed to me that the guitarist was just fair, and not really adding to the groove. But I thought if I could get Jack Jarnis, the brilliant wah-wah guitarist from Kelly St.John, into the group, we would have a tremendous rhythm section. The leader of Smoke said Jack could sit in the next Friday, but before that Friday came John Kleckley gave us the grim news that next week would be the last time he played secular music: he had become Jehovah’s Witness! So for just one weekend I had the pleasure of playing with a dream rhythm section, and then it was all over. But I will always remember the beautiful living groove that my favorite trio – Jack, John, and Huey – created. Playing on top of their collective sound was like surfing for me – one of my most wonderful moments in music
Life and adventures of a working musician