Once upon a time, two bright little boys from North Tonawanda, New York were selected to participate in an advanced educational program for fifth and sixth graders. The Major Progress Program, created by master teacher Norman Schoell in the late 1960’s, was designed to challenge high-performing, creative young minds and stretch the boundaries of conventional elementary school curricula. Students in MPP were immersed in a college-type atmosphere where expectations were high and where they were encouraged to push themselves to their academic and creative limits. It was in MPP that Gregory Opalinski and Paul Swisher first met as ten-year-old boys. The year was 1970 and it was the beginning of a decades-long friendship that continues today.
MPP is donating all proceeds from the sale of this triple album to a scholarship fund set up in memory of their drummer, Ted Reinhardt. Ted was killed in a plane crash in March 2015 shortly after the tracks for this album were completed. Ted was best known for his work with the world famous jazz ensemble Spyro Gyra as well as his Buffalo-based jazz-fusion project, Gamalon. Please visit the MPP web site, majorprogressprogram.com for additional information.
