hɪz fˈɜːst pɹəfˈɛʃənəl ɛŋɡˈeɪdʒmənt wʌz plˈeɪɪŋ bˈʊɡiwˈʊɡi piˈænoʊ wɪð mˈɛl tˈoːɹm ˌɔn dɹˈʌmz fɚɹə tˈɛlᵻvˌɪʒən pˈaɪlət æt ðɪ ˈeɪdʒ ʌv fˈaɪv, fˈɪlmd ˌɔn loʊkˈeɪʃən æt bˈɪmboʊz θɹˈiːhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti fˈaɪv klˈʌb ɪn sˌæn fɹænsˈɪskoʊ.
His first professional engagement was playing boogie-woogie piano with Mel Torme on drums for a television pilot at the age of five, filmed on location at Bimbo's 365 Club in San Francisco.