My Musical Roots: The Unseen Influence of Randy Bernsen
- Kēvens
- Oct 1
- 4 min read
My musical roots: The unseen influence of Randy Bernsen, Bob Zohn & Jaco Pastorius
Every tree has roots. Every mountain has a foundation. Today, I want to share a chapter of my musical journey I've never spoken about publicly: how I met Randy Bernsen, a grandmaster musician, teacher, and friend who was there from the very beginning.
When my Air Force pilot dreams fell apart, I turned to music. Even in high school, I wasn't your typical teenager. While others were at house parties, I was studying the underground reggae , dub and dancehall scene, watching DJs and MCs work their craft. At the Psychedelic, a local reggae bar, I absorbed everything I could from DJs like Santana the Selector, my bredrin Fathead from the Yellowman & Fathead camp & artists like Sugar Minott and Brigadier Gerry. I became a DJ and MC myself, but something deeper was calling me toward expending my musical horizon.
Near the family residence, a club called the Musician Exchange hosted live reggae nights every Sunday with Tishan. I noticed that by the third set, the band leader Lee Milo would invite MCs to jam. I knew I had to get in on that action and was eager to. Week after week, I'd arrive with the band to slip past the doorman without getting carded. Eventually, Lee started calling my name to join the rotating cast of MCs, including Chris, who was brilliant, brother Moses and my brethren Keith Little.
These reggae nights at the Musician Exchange drew musicians from across the spectrum, local and national talents from every genre who were a lot of times booked at this iconic club on different nights. One evening, I was introduced Bob Zohn who invited me to see his band, the Blue Riddim. I showed up that Wednesday and my mind was blown. Here was an all-white band that had been the first to play the 1982 Reggae Sunsplash in Jamaica. Years later, I'd perform at that same festival in Kingston with my own band Le Coup. But that night, I was just discovering these jazz and rock virtuosos who happened to play exceptional reggae. On guitar was Randy Bernsen, that was the first time witnessing a guitar player rock like that.
When Bob Zohn called me to the stage, I seized the moment. There's something about jamming with those level of musicians: you create a bond that time can't break. That's what formed between Bob, Randy and I that night and the respect and love are still at 100% in 2025 whenever I see Randy.
I became a regular at Blue Riddim shows, joining them on stage whenever I could. Their audience included jazz royalty, and unbeknownst to me, one particular fan had taken notice. At the bar one night, while getting water, an older man with an intense, mysterious gaze approached me. "I've been watching you, kid. I really like what you do. When are you getting back on that stage?" I had no idea who he was. I'd just smile and say I'd be ready whenever Bob called me up. Later on, he would pop up at the reggae nights too, watching my longer sets with Tishan, always with the same encouraging words.
I didn't know this mysterious stranger was a musician, let alone who he actually was. I just knew him as someone who appreciated my toasting. I was young, raw, and hungry. Maybe that fire was what he recognized in me. His name was Jaco Pastorius, the legendary bass player.
Shortly before Bob Zohn passed away, they played at Jumping Jack Flash in Fort Lauderdale, where I was the new resident DJ on Monday nights. I finally got to watch Jaco jam with the Blue Riddim. He was playing the bass like he was having a verbal communication, I have never seen anyone do what I saw. I went to the floor where he stood to soundcheck he was talking to me playing in an impossible manner.
After witnessing Jaco’s bass playing, I naively asked him, "How long have you been playing?" He smiled. "Too long."
Here is a kicker for you, around that same time, I got to meet Charles Norkus aka Chuck Doom, the creator of the musical genre SAUDADE, an instrumental based, genre bending music collective and Jaco’s top student. Charles is the only one who comes close to play the way Jaco played, now this is from one who saw them both up close and personal.
Believe it or not, I did some of my earliest recordings with Charles at his house when he lived in Lauderdale.
Now looking back, the whole thing feels like a dream.
Years later. I performed at an event called “Celebration of the Seas” headlined by Steven Tyler. After the show, I ran into Randy Bernsen. He told me how proud he was of me, knowing first hand how far I came from on my musical journey. Those words still echo in my heart & spirit, one of the most meaningful compliments I've ever received, because it came from Randy Bernsen.
Wait until Randy and Charles find out that my latest album "Call To Balance" has been submitted for consideration to the Grammys in Album of the year and Best Global Music Album categories .
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