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Jose M. Molina was promoted to the rank of General in the Mexican Army due to his musical contributions throughout the state of Sonora. In addition, he taught all of his children, starting with his first born Alfonso, how to become musicians. Alfonso Molina, a professional musician performing mostly in the 1930s, ?Äô40s and ?Äô50s in the San Francisco bay area with his pianist brother Pablo, also found the time to buy his own night club and to tour with the Xavier Cugart Orchestra. What has this to do with a profile in jazz? Well, Alfonso (Al) Molina Jr., born in San Francisco (North Beach) in 1935 has traveled a musical path laid out for him by ?ÄúEl General,ÔøΩ nourished by his father and his Uncle Pablo (his piano teacher at 8 years), leading to a lifelong love affair with jazz.

Al?Äôs father, upon hearing that (after a 3 year hiatus from his piano lessons) Al wanted to join his junior high school band as a trumpet player (his band teacher told his would-be musicians that ?Äúwhatever you can make a sound with, that?Äôs your instrument!?Äù), set up an instructional regimen for Al every day after school. In addition, the music teacher (Mr. Nava) had his band members meet at lunchtime to play Stan Kenton charts after finishing their sandwiches.

Alfonso Sr. brought exercise books not only for classical music, but also a particular Harry James book that included chords and solos. This was the first time that Al was exposed to the sounds of chords and instructions on how to use them. ?ÄúAlways play from your heart?Äù was a refrain constantly directed from Alfonso Sr. to his son.

Recordings of Louis Armstrong, Rafael Mendez of Mexico (according to the senior Molina, ?Äúthe greatest trumpet player in the world?Äù) and Harry James and Ziggy Elman in the 1939 Carnegie Hall Concert led by Benny Goodman, left an ever lasting impression on Al. ?ÄúIt all seemed so natural. I fell in love with jazz immediately.?Äù

In 1954, Al prematurely exited high school and joined the U.S. (not Mexican) Army and became a member of the 7th Army Band stationed in Korea from 1955-1956. Al also formed a small band which entertained the troops in that part of the world. He got married in 1957. ?ÄúI first saw my eventual wife Chicky at a club in North Beach called The Cellar where I played. She was with a sax player.?Äù

In 1962, Al enrolled at San Mateo J.C. under the G.I. Bill as a music major and joined the jazz band. Every member of that band has distinguished himself throughout the years as a performer (Phil Lesh, bassist with the Grateful Dead), educator, composer, band leader or arranger. Under the direction of Dick Crest, this band won a contest sponsored by radio station KJAZ to perform at the 1963 Monterey Jazz Festival.

Al?Äôs first professional gig paid the royal sum of $15.00 per man at the Tip Top Club on a Sunday afternoon in Daly City. All of the musicians were no older than 16 years, so they set up the bandstand by the EXIT sign so they could hastily do just that, should the gendarmes arrive unannounced (they were too young to legally play at that club). There were no jazz schools or clinics in the 1950s, so musicians had to learn from other musicians at live performances (?Äùthe real deal was in the Fillmore neighborhood at places like Bop City?Äù), sitting in at jam sessions both at clubs and at local muscians?Äô homes (?Äùyou never knew who would be there?Äù) emulating Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan and other Down Beat Magazine Poll Winners.

?ÄúThe Blackhawk was a great place to catch out of town cats and have a chance to sit in with them on a Sunday afternoon. New York musicians such as Miles, Cannonball Adderely, Clifford Brown and Max Roach would play six nights and their sidemen would host the jam sessions which would give us local musicians a chance to blow with them.?Äù

In 1970 while on the bandstand at a gig in Sacramento, ?Äúmy chops went out; nothing but air escaping from my face.?Äù Al was diagnosed as having contracted Bell?Äôs Palsy, a paralysis of the facial nerve that supplies the facial muscle on one side of the face. ?ÄúThat was it for me. I just quit playing.?Äù After one year had elapsed, a close friend bought a used trumpet for $25 for Al and told him to just put it in the closet and that if he ever felt like playing, he would have something to play with (Al had gotten rid of all of his horns). From time to time, Al would take out the $25 trumpet, dust it off and found that he was able to play for 5 minutes at a time, gradually moving up to 10 minutes. However, the enthusiasm wasn?Äôt there. An intervention soon followed. Pianist George DiQuattro (AZTECA, Santana, Cal Tjader) and Gerry Gilmore (Sax and bandmate from college) called Al for a gig at The Hideaway in San Francisco. When Al protested, their reply was, ?Äúwe want you on the bandstand!?Äù Following that gig, while regaining some of his chops, Al was hired for two consecutive cruises (thanks to Gerry Gilmore) where he played practically around the clock. By the end of the second cruise, Al?Äôs chops were at about 90% of where they had previously been and have remained so to this day. Al was forced to change his approach to a song and his technique. It may get down to mathematics: chord notes and scales. Dividing scales that might have an aura about them. Two notes first played might suggest a motif. ?ÄúIt?Äôs like soccer. Keep kicking the ball through and around obstacles until you get it into the goal.?Äù

When asked the question: ?ÄúWhen you hit your final note and move on to that After Hours Club in the sky, which musician would you like to greet you and what would you like for him or her to say??Äù Al?Äôs response: ?ÄúClifford Brown saying good job!?Äù

Straight From The Heart is Al Molina?Äôs first compact disc recording. Go to www.almolina.org for CD catalog.

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