Following on my last post, I remembered the first time I saw Richie Cole perform. It was at the ‘Inn of the Beginning’ in Cotati, circa 1980. Two things stand out from that night. The first was the sign behind the bar that read, “Cotati – It’s not the end of the World, but you can see it from here.” The other was someone telling me during the gig that Richie was eighteen years old. Immediately, I passed that info on to my friend (a professional flutist who was twenty six). I remember my friend looking at Richie tearing up a solo, then me, then Richie again, and saying “No way, man. NO WAY!” My friend was right of course, because in 1980, Richie was thirty-two.