David Rokeach - drummer
REVIEWS - David Rokeach, Drums

"Ink Notes", Pacifica Tribune
June 7, 2008
By Jean Bartlett, Managing Editor

Morning and Jim Nichols complete a circle of stars


Silky vocalist Morning Nichols and Chet Atkins-style guitarist Jim Nichols are just plain damn good.  While Jim finger climbs through guitar maneuvers that have made the famous whistle (Chet Atkins was a fan), Morning serves up vocal morsels with a little layered icing and a deep well of richness.  They’ve got finesse and style and enough fans to burst a room.  This long-time married couple played Saturday night at Pacifica Performances and they invited a few seriously talented friends to join their stage.  Drummer David Rokeach who has played traps for Aretha Franklin, Patti Labelle, the late Ray Charles and other legends including the Nichols – played groove wise, technically virtuosic and personally loose for some serious rhythm poetry.  Grammy-nominated Michael Manring took the electric bass into rich and highly listenable astounding territories where no bassist has gone before.  Vocalist Nate Pruitt, a student of Carmen McRae, and an expert at sweet vocal tease, highlighted songs with his saucy, lovely articulation.  The show met with a lot of standing ovations while the Quintet, all at once, in solo, in duo, in trio or in quartet covered songs by such composers as: George Gershwin, Kurt Weill, Ira Gershwin, Jerry Reed, Sting, Paul Rice, Hoagy Carmichael, Eric Clapton, Buddy Johnson, George Harrison and Rudy Toombs (Chet Atkins style).  Fantastic performances throughout, extra whomping applause belong to Morning and Jim Nichols for highlighting their own shining stars with the high beams of others. Five stars!