Jazz Pianist Hank Johnson Sits in at Carmichael's in Jamaica, Queens

It was a cold snowy Wednesday evening and people came and packed Carmichael's Diner on 1/14/04. The first set went by smoothly and Hank Johnson was waiting in the wings and “put his name on a dollar bill and entered the 50/50 contest and won! (GOT PAID). Then after collecting, he sat in and played a tribute to “Yellow Bird", (a vocalist who just passed). The tune of course was “Yellow Bird" which Hank put some jazz into the calypso tune and lit up the joint! The house bassist for the evening was “Cool Mike" Fitzbenjamin (a regular member of Hank's jazz trio), so it was like being home! Hank Wentz was so impressed after Hank Johnson's performance that he gave Hank a big hug and pat on the back. Hank Wentz plays the tenor saxaphone, and runs the jam session on Wednesdays down in the basement at Carmichael's. Ed Stoute is the regular pianist. -30-