The Rhythm of Unity: A Jazz Musician's Lifelong Journey Beyond Black and White

Regardless of our race, sex, ethnicity, color, religion or philosophical beliefs, music is a universal tie that binds us as human beings. Every note a nod to history, every tune a step on the trajectory toward a more compassionate understanding of each other. The world of jazz music during the 1950s and 60s was an industry that reflected the struggles of the Civil Rights Era. And when a White musician enters the big stages and “sounds Black,” attempting to unify the culture of society, it can teeter on cultural treason.

From spending nearly three decades as a bandmate and friend to Dizzy Gillespie and four decades as collaborator and “brother” to saxophone great, James Moody; to turning down offers from Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald and the Tonight Show band with Johnny Carson; to teaching hundreds of students in the rhythmic principles of music, professional jazz pianist, Mike Longo dedicated his seventy-year music career to having his ears set on the beat and his sights set on shaping greater unity for humankind. The Rhythm of Unity takes you into a world that is no longer “Black and White,” but one where the scientific rhythms and spiritual truths of music run deep, driving to counter cultural division. Crafted from the stories Mike left behind before his passing and insightful perspective from his wife, Dorothy, this is the story of a man who fought all odds to become a driving force in using music as an uncompromised vehicle for unity, education and awareness.