We will miss you, Robert & Katy Sanger! Dexter & Oliver too!

Serotonic w/ Mark Lettieri of Snarky Puppy

I was intrigued one day reading about a band scheduled to play at The Dunedin Brewery. They played funky jazz, or jazzy funky. Either way, it sounded like it was right up my alley. That would be an understatement.

The show was in July of 2012. I saw Serotonic at least a dozen times before asking them to play my daughter’s wedding in October of that year. I’ve had the opportunity to see these boys three dozen times, and I’m looking forward to more.

Serotonic is: Jordan Garno, guitar; Bryan Lewis, keyboards; Jon Tucker, alto saxophone; Andrew Kilmartin, drums; and Robert Sanger, bass.

Now, however, it has come time to say au revoir (NOT goodbye) to one of the quintet. Robert Sanger, bass player extraordinaire, is moving to Raleigh NC with his wonderful wife Katy and their two furry children, Dexter and Oliver.

Rob has been in the bass chair as long as I have been associated with this band, and he and Katy have become true friends, even to the point where I crashed on their couch after the New Year’s Eve 2014 show at Dunedin with Freekbass, with Serotonic opening, of course. I have delighted in playing the music of Serotonic on WMNF 88.5 on The Colors of Jazz and on In the Groove. They also played live in the studio on In the Groove as my guests.

In addition to playing with Serotonic, Rob became a member of the Dunedin Brewery House Band as the group coalesced from the weekly Wednesday night jam session attendees. Several weeks ago, Joe Marcinek brought a stellar all-star group to Florida for four dates. The band included Jason Hann (String Cheese Incident), Jim Wuest (The Heavy Pets), Juanjamon (The Juanjamon Band), and Tony Hall (Dumpstafunk) on bass. Hall is acknowledged as one of the true heavy hitters on the scene. And Rob sat in for him at the beginning of the second set, and later Hall called him back up to play another tune. RESPECT!

Rob has another great talent: he builds basses. Beautiful basses, works of art. More importantly, they are great instruments. If you’ve seen Serotonic, then you’ve seen his handiwork. Check out Sanger Custom Basses.

And, of course, there is, for me, that signature Serotonic song, “Rhinobelly.” The one the band kindly plays for me over and over again. The one where Jordan Garno solos on guitar and Rob blows it up with his bass. That one.

You can catch Rob live three more times:

2/06  Serotonic @ The Independent, Tampa

2/08  Serotonic w/ shoeless soul & The Hustle, Fat Tuesday @ Dunedin Brewery

2/10  Dunedin Brewery House Band @ Dunedin Brewery

Robert and Katy: our musical community, your Serotonic family and I will miss you like crazy. Don’t even THINK about not staying in touch. Because we will hunt you down.