Trying To Get Good

For 22 years Ross was the pianist for “The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson.” In fact, Ross was one of only a handful of Tonight staffers to move with Carson from New York to Los Angeles. Tompkins was one of the most gifted pianists of our time. He played with Dizzy Gillespie for six years and with Sheldon for over 30 years. Jack and Ross recorded together and performed together in a legendary Los Angeles act. It is hard to name a top jazz artist or singer who did not at some point perform with Tompkins: including Sinatra, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. Ross died of cancer in 2007.