Todd Duke was an amazing person and an incredible musician. I remember him talking about how seriously he took his role as a “sideman.” In the world of Jazz Musicians, a “sideman” is someone who performs in a supportive position to the other musicians and makes them sound good by playing complementary with/behind them in real time. You have got to be humble and a master of your instrument and craft to fill such a role. Todd was every bit of this exceptional talent. I met Todd in the mid-90s while studying at UNO in the Jazz Studies Program. One day, I asked Todd if he would teach me to play the guitar. Todd agreed and came to my house for the lesson. I’ll never forget the first thing he said in the lesson. “Mitch, playing the guitar is like farming.” He then started on how you had to prepare the soil, weed, plant the seeds, water, weed some more, be patient, etc…..

 

Needless to say, that was my first and last guitar lesson. I continued playing the String Bass but had the privilege of performing many musical tours with Todd at my side. We toured Brazil, Finland, Russia, the US, Thailand, Switzerland, and countless gigs in New Orleans and other places abroad. 

 

Todd was funny and cool all at the same time. We lost Todd to Cancer in 2019.

I hope this effort to create The Jazzy Hideaway and raise money for kids to explore music and the farm in his honor will be a gesture that he would be proud of. 

 

Sincerely 

Mitchell Player