When it rains it pours.

Tom Saunders also passed away over the weekend. Won't mean much to people who aren't from the Detroit area but Saunders was somewhat of a jazz legend around Detroit. He was a fantastic trumpeter and formed a band called the Surfside Six who performed all over and had a regular gig at a Detroit area club called the Presidential Inn.

My parents were children of the Big Band era and were fans of Saunders. They used to take me to see him when I was a kid. In addition to being a great trumpeter and band leader, Saunders was also very generous with aspiring young jazz players providing opportunities for them to learn the ropes with his band. A lot of great jazz guys from the Detroit area owe a debt of gratitude to Saunders. He will be missed.