Mic Gillette

His father Ray Gillette was a trombonist, playing with acts such as Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Stan Kenton, and other big bands. A child prodigy, Gillette picked up the trumpet and was reading music by age four. == Career ==

At age 15, he joined the band that would later be known as Tower of Power, playing various brass instruments for the band including the trumpet, trombone, baritone horn and tuba. In addition, Gillette appeared on hundreds of recordings as a session player. In 1984, Gillette quit touring to be a full-time father to his daughter Megan. replacing Mike Bogart; but he left the band again after just more than a year and a half on February 14, 2011. == Personal life ==

In the last years of his life, Gillette continued to do session work as well as live appearances; fulfilling a long-time dream to assemble his own band, he brought together Megan Gillette McCarthy (his daughter), Greg Barker, Dave Hawkes, Clint Day, and Matt Martinez to create the Mic Gillette Band (the MGB). The final version of MGB included Megan Gillette, vocals, Andres Soto, Tenor Sax, Jason Stewart, Guitar, Mark Foglia, Drums, Ryan Habegger, Trumpet and Keys, and Clinton Day on Bass and vocals. Gillette spent much of his time teaching doing clinics at middle schools & high schools. He raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for music departments in schools across the United States. ==Death==

Gillette died on January 17, 2016, of a heart attack, aged 64 in Gold Beach, Oregon. ==Discography==

Band Albums He was featured on "Hip Li'l Dreams", a disc of originals released by the Sons of Champlin in 2005 and appeared on the Doobie Brother's Live at Wolf Trap DVD. Gillette worked on various side projects. After a chance meeting with Tony Adamo, Gillette wrote the horn arrangements for Adamo's albums, Straight Up Deal and Dance of Love. His arrangements can be heard on Adamo tunes "No Strings", "Up in It" and "Groove Therapy". He is included on the Cold Blood album, Sisyphus (1970) playing trombone, trumpet and flugelhorn. Solo albums • Mic Gillette, Newvo Kids (1995), Dancing Walrus Music • Mic Gillette, Ear Candy (2005), BKA Records • "Funky Good Time" [Intro] (1:05) • "Tell Mama" (3:47) • "I Like That" (3:51) • "Before I Go" (4:55) • "How Was I To Know" (3:57) • "If Only for A Moment" (4:22) • "Abaco" (4:12) • "I Don't Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing (Open Up the Door, I'll Get It Myself)" (4:21) • "If" (6:42) • "It Had Better Be Tonight" (3:50) • "Funky Good Time" [Complete] (4:13) As sideman With John Lee Hooker • Free Beer and Chicken (ABC, 1974) ==References==