"For the first concert in this series we are presenting an extended solo set by drummer Billy Mintz. With an approach to the drumset and to solo percussion that is fully realized and intensely unique, this concert has the promise of being a very special evening of highly personal music from a musician who is quietly recognized as a master player. Needless to say, it is very exciting to present Billy's music in such a focused setting as it has had a great impact my approach since first encountering it in 2000, and I know that many other people have shared this experience upon hearing Billy play live." - b.e. In an extraordinary career spanning nearly 40 years, drummer Billy Mintz has played and toured the world with some of the biggest names in the jazz and pop. Born in Queens, New York in 1947, and by the age of 15 he was firmly entrenched in several of the show bands of the Catskill Mountain resorts, and as his musicianship developed he would eventually tour with jazz artists such as Lee Konitz, Eddie Daniels, Harold Danko, Mike Garson, Mose Allison, Mark Murphy, and the Kim Richmond Sextet. He also toured and recorded extensively with Bobby Shew. At the same time, his credentials grew in the pop arena, leading to tours with Juliette Prowse, James Darren, Gloria Gaynor, and a stint with the show band for the Merv Griffin Show. Throughout his life, he has continued to study and teach the drums and has written two well known books: Different Drummers, and Advanced Sticking and Sight-Reading.