Mike Longo’s Memoirs “The Rhythm Of Unity” 

To Be Released Spring 2023

        Regardless of our race, sex, ethnicity, color, religion or philosophical beliefs, music is a universal tie that binds us as human beings.  Every note a nod to history, every tune a step on the trajectory toward a more compassionate understanding of each other. The world of jazz music during the 1950s and 60s was an industry that reflected the struggles of the Civil Rights Era. And when a White musician enters the big stages and “sounds Black,” his steadfast attempt to help unify the culture of society can teeter on cultural treason. 

       From spending nearly three decades as a bandmate and friend to Dizzy Gillespie and four decades as collaborator and “brother” to saxophone great, James Moody; to turning down offers from Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald and the Tonight Show band with Johnny Carson; to teaching hundreds of students in the rhythmic principles of music, professional jazz pianist, Mike Longo dedicated his seventy-year music career to having his ears set on the beat and his eyes set on unity for humankind. The Rhythm of Unity: A Jazz Musician’s Lifelong Journey Beyond Black and White is shaped from the tales, tribulations and teachings of his mission to promote equality, spirituality, and an understanding of the unifying impact he saw in music. Unique from most musical memoirs, this book will change not only the way you see and hear jazz music; it will change the way you see others, and maybe even yourself.  Open its pages and step into a world that is no longer “Black and White,” but one where the scientific rhythms and universal spiritual truths of music run deep, driving to counter cultural division.  Throw in a healthy dose of humorous stories from the memoirs Mike left behind before his passing and insightful perspective from his long-time wife and counterpart, Dorothy, and this book shapes a vivid experience and platform of learning for any music lover.  Welcome to a perspective-shifting journey into the soul of music, driven by Mike’s steadfast dedication to have music become an uncompromised vehicle for unity, education and awareness.