Fred was the original saaxophonist, arranger and conductor with Blood, Sweat & Tears from 1967 to 1971. He also doubled on keyboards. While with the band, he won nine Gold Records plus a Grammy Award for his arrangement of "Spinning Wheel". Fred also arranged and co-arranged, respectively, the hit singles "Hi-De-Ho" and "You've Made Me So Very Happy". In both the Down Beat and Playboy jazz polls he placed in the top ten of the alto sax category. Here is what he had to say about sitting in with the band in 2009:

"A week before Blood, Sweat and Tears performed at the Berklee Performance Center (10/15/09), I got a call from Larry Dorr, BS&Ts' manager, inviting me to sit in with the band on "God Bless the Child". I accepted his offer and thanked him... It was very enjoyable for me meeting some of the band members in the dressing room and hangin' out once again with Steve Katz, after so many years! Later, on stage for the sound check/rehearsal, I was warmly greeted by the other band members. The drummer reminded me that, when he was 21, he came over from Italy to study at Berklee and I had been his teacher in a small group ensemble! Darcel Wilson (a Berklee teacher like myself) had been invited to sing "God Bless the Child" with the band. She sounded great at both the rehearsal and the concert.

Of course, it was a bit strange performing with the band, mostly because Steve Katz and myself were the 'only' founding members on stage with the band. (Back in the early 1990's, Steve and I had performed twice at the "Bottom Line" at BS&T reunions with Al Kooper plus other original BS&T members). The friendliness and respect I felt from all the band members made it very comfortable for me playing with them. Those few minutes on stage brought back scattered memories of being 25+ years old, a young dude, touring with this very famous band!

After performing, I sat in the audience with my wife and my webmaster friend, John Pritchard (who had traveled 3 hours to catch the concert). Later in the show, Roger Brown, the president of Berklee College of Music, came out to present Steve Katz with a Grammy Award (for "Album of the Year" 1969). I had previously been told that 40 years ago, only 1 Grammy Award was presented to the 'Artist'(whether it was an individual or a whole group). So Steve, like me and other band members, hadn't received that particular Grammy Award. I don't know 'who' in the band got it. But recently, I was told that this year I would be receiving my Grammy as well... I'll take it!!!

After the concert I 'hung' once again in the dressing room (looking for food.... just kidding) with some of the BS&T members. Although they had to leave, one of them said to me, "I bet you have a lot of stories." And I do. I felt they would have enjoyed/appreciated hearing me ramble on and on about BS&T stuff... But some experiences are just meant for those who were there, involved in them."

Enjoy the video!