This is a studio album made by Su's New York band. The core quartet is Su Terry (alto & soprano saxophone, vocals) with Saul Rubin (guitar), Leon Lee Dorsey (bass) and Vince Ector (drums). Special guests on this album are Michael Rabinowitz (bassoon) and T. Ice (percussion). The album is comprised of original compositions. Su sings two vocals:

This is a studio album made by Su's New York band. The core quartet is Su Terry (alto & soprano saxophone, vocals) with Saul Rubin (guitar), Leon Lee Dorsey (bass) and Vince Ector (drums). Special guests on this album are Michael Rabinowitz (bassoon) and T. Ice (percussion). The album is comprised of original compositions. Su sings two vocals: The Feel of the Blues, and New Year.

This recording was made as a response to the events of September 11, 2001. Everyone in New York, not to mention the world, was in shock. I personally could not listen to any music that had more than one instrument or voice. After listening to solo music for months (Mark Feldman, Iva Bittova and others) I decided to make my own solo album.

Why

This recording was made as a response to the events of September 11, 2001. Everyone in New York, not to mention the world, was in shock. I personally could not listen to any music that had more than one instrument or voice. After listening to solo music for months (Mark Feldman, Iva Bittova and others) I decided to make my own solo album.

Why "Pink Slimy Worm"? When instrument maker Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone around 1846, he thought the orchestral composers of the day would begin to include it in all their scores. This was not to be. During its infancy only a few composers attempted writing for the saxophone, and many scoffed at it. One famous composer is said to have referred to the saxophone as a 'pink slimy worm', perhaps alluding to the tint of the brass, as well as the serpentine shape and unusual timbre of the instrument.

The saxophone has been my conduit in learning not only about music, but about many aspects of life. It often seems as though my work with the instrument has been a microcosm of all the joy and grief I've ever experienced. But joy and grief, beauty and bleakness, do not belong only to one person; they are shared by many.

Art, science, philosophy, music, people, and the world around me all bestow impressions that are filtered through me, ending up in my compositions and improvisations. Perhaps you will recognize some of your own impressions of life in these melodies and textures, as you follow this single thread of saxophone notes winding its way through a very small piece of a mysterious tapestry. --S.T.

This was Su Terry's very first record date as a bandleader. Clark Terry was the special guest on trumpet. The date was produced by the legendary Helen Keane, who worked with pianist Bill Evans among many other greats. The drummer was Charli Persip, another legend, who played with Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Eckstine and countless others.

The date took

This was Su Terry's very first record date as a bandleader. Clark Terry was the special guest on trumpet. The date was produced by the legendary Helen Keane, who worked with pianist Bill Evans among many other greats. The drummer was Charli Persip, another legend, who played with Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Eckstine and countless others.

The date took place on two days in July of 1993 during a massive heat wave in New York City. The original analog tapes were lost. The recording was rescued by the archived digital files.

Clark Terry was unable to read any music for the date due to his diminishing vision. In order to make it easy for him, Su arranged the 3 tunes he played on so that she and trombonist Clark Gayton played the harmony parts around Clark Terry's melody part.

CT used to call Su "Sis" although they are unrelated. They had many opportunities to perform together over the years, and CT graciously agreed to be the special guest on Su's first recording as a bandleader.