Composed for Pharoah Sanders. I was fortunate to play several night-club dates with Pharoah in Little Rock in the 1980s. Pharoah had a composition named "Blues for Santa Cruz." My title is a pun. Pharoah was very kind to me, and I count our relationship as a blessing. I remember the first time I met him. I was playing, eyes closed, with Art Porter, Sr. After I finished my improvisation on Stanley Turrentine's composition, "Sugar," Pharoah started improvising. I knew who it was before opening my eyes. After the selection was over, Pharoah looked at me, smiled, extended his hand, and said, "Hi, I'm Pharoah Sanders. I like your playing."

This live video/concert with an in-studio audience was funded by a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Fellowship (received 1985/completed 1986).

Personnel: Tom Richeson (trumpet, composer, arranger), Gary Topper & Buck Powell (tenor saxophones), Gene Rush (piano), Ken Walker (double bass), Dave Rogers (drum set). Recorded live at Trimble Production Studios by Grady Trimble, Dave Rogers, and Keith Lynch (1986). Remastered by Keith Lynch at Family Life Studios, Little Rock (2005).