BUNK "Sweetpants" GARDNER

(John Leon Gardner)

"A Cleveland Ohio native, born to Thelma & Charles Guarnera

(why Dad changed it to Gardner I'll never understand).

Started musically at age 7 with piano lessons from Elmira Snodgrass for 50 cents a lesson.

Until the age of 12 I sucked my thumb and then replaced it with a clarinet, tenor sax, bassoon and finally flute.

In 1954 my professional career started by being featured on Sax & Flute on Roulette Records Western TV themes.

I then recorded and toured with

Ertha Kitt,

Tim Buckley,

Frank Zappa,

Little Richard,

Van Morrison

and The Four Winds Ensemble.

From bassoonist with the Cleveland Philarmonic in 1950 to all the woodwinds with the GRANDMOTHERS in 1998 with a few stops in between, like playing experimental music in 1962 with Don Preston, Frank Zappa and my brother Buzz in Don's studio to Geronimo Black with Jim in 1970.
Also the Montage Trio & Quartet, and one year of culinary cooking at L.A. Trade Tech.

I delved into musical forms starting with Boogie-Woogie and Dixieland to classical and Jazz to Latin and Fusion and finally Avant-garde.
But I still love spontaneous improv and I'm secretly joined at the hip with room-mate Don Preston... (VEGETARIANS TO THE END!!!!)"

"A Little Hit For The Chef....."