In the late 90's my friend Stu called and said that Jimmy McGriff was playing at the Fairmont Hotel's now defunct Oak Room. He was in fantastic form with Zig Modeliste on drums which took the whole gig to a not-so-traditional level. The songs were extended jams that had Jimmy and Zig working in and out of different syncopation rhythms. The gig was nothing like I expected and took me to the intersection of Philadelphia and New Orleans; a strange and magical place where the groove is deep and warm. Finally, as if the night needed any more juice, and after the last note from the leslie died down, patrons were given Jimmy McGriff branded letter openers. I never received a letter from Jimmy, but he opened my heart.