Johnny Case
jc_home_bkgd.jpg

BLOG

Recent addition to albums now streaming: Instrumental Western Swing Album TEXAS BANDSTAND FAVORITES by Herb Steiner

Tunes: All of Me / When I Fall in Love / Westphalia Waltz / Liberty Drive / My Bluest Day / Take the “A” Train / A Thing Called Sadness / September in the Rain / Panhandle Rag / Deep Water.

The personnel is: HERB STEINER, pedal steel guitar; JOHNNY CASE, piano; LEON CHAMBERS, lead guitar (tracks 1-6); JUNIOR KNIGHT, lead guitar (tracks 7-10); DONNY McDUFF, rhythm guitar; MAC McRAE, acoustic bass; PAUL POLISH, drums. Recorded in 1995 at Garland Recording Studio in Garland, Texas.

Thanks to 45ripping78 for providing this full album on YouTube.

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES has new additions: See Entry No. 3 : MEMENTO SUITE, issued in 2022; Entry No. 4: Johnny Case and his Texas Swingtet featuring Billy Briggs, issued in 2016; Entry No. 5: LAST NITES by Johnny Case (solo piano recorded live at Sardines Ristorante Italiano). This was recorded September 19, 2001 - one week and one day after the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center. My notes, dated November 2001, address the circumstances which led me to make this record and how an unsavory business alliance brought about the demise of the original Sardines.

REMEMBERING SUSAN ALCORN: An intelligent, adventurous and uncompromising musical artist and gentle spirit who was also an advocate for politically oppressed people everywhere.

IN MEMORIAM - SALVATORE MATARESE (1941-2026)

Salvatore Matarese was born June 20, 1941 in Naples, Italy and passed away September 6, 2026 in Hawaii at the age of 85. I first met Sal Matarese in early 1980, when I subbed for jazz pianist Al Malacara, who played 6 nights a week at Sal’s recently opened Italian restaurant: Sardines Ristorante Italiano on Camp Bowie Boulevard in Fort Worth, Texas. After Malacara left, I subbed for Ken Boome who was followed by Kelly Durbin. In the autumn of 1983, I became house pianist at Sardines playing modern jazz Tuesday through Sunday every week. Sal Matarese proved to be a trustworthy employer as well as colorful character. He was from the old country and in relocating to America he worked hard and became an exceptional chef. As owner and manager of Sardines, Sal realized his dream of financial success, reaping its rewards in retirement when in the 1990’s he resettled to his new home in Maui, Hawaii. I continued working at Sardines Ristorante Italiano with Sal as owner until its closing in 2011. He was my boss for 28 years!

Sal Matarese was truly a self-made man whom I respected very much. I always knew where I stood with Sal, knowing him to be a man of his word. My wife Kitty and I send our sincere condolences to the Matarese family in this time of great sorrow.

Johnny Case