Sunday, April 15, 2007

Apres gig


Apres(can't get this American-ass keyboard to do the accent over the e)is of course French for after or following. After the gig.

Spent a full 8-hour day today in conjunction with a basically 3-hour gig an hour away. Okay, 2 hours in transit, 3 playing, leaving 3 hours for dinner. Actually I ended up having dinner twice: at 5pm scarfing down a McDonald's 2 cheeseburger n' fries meal(since I didn't think they were feeding us at the gig)and then again at 7:30 when we found out they were feeding us after all. Steak, baked potato, green beans. I don't think I'll be hungry for awhile.

Well, 2 meals notwithstanding, a fair amount of sitting around. But then again it was a political function(Democratic fundraiser)so there was a lot of talking. Just goes with the territory.

Today's gig was in Beardstown, Illinois- home of the great vibraphonist(nee`marimba player, so one of the residents told me)Red Norvo. I had known that, but forgot until I got there today. There's a sign right as you come into town. Cool. According to my website, I've played there, but don't remember any particulars.

I remember the Red Norvo Trio from my Dad's Jazz Encyclopedias, though am not sure in all honesty that I've actually heard them. But I am familiar with the playing of their guitarist Tal Farlow via a couple of his recordings. Hafta dig up an old Red Norvo Trio recording or two, I'm sure they'd exist on CD. I know also that Tal Farlow wasn't Red Norvo's only guitarist, only I can't think of who the other player was. Damn!

Worked with a singer tonight: vocals, guitar, piano bass & drums. Noisy-ass room. Particularly good piano player, whom I've worked with only once before. I like working with players like this- with, in the Great Jazz Dojo, a few more stripes on their belt(if not a completely different color)-as it challenges me to play harder. Mainly, in that regard, I just tried to let go more in the playing, just avail myself to the music and what was coming out of me in the process.

I guess that's the news of the day. Long-ass day, but enjoyable. I'm normally pretty selfish about my Saturdays, since they normally follow five often stressful workdays, but this has been a vacation week. So this Saturday expedition follows five relatively stress-free days, and is thus much more of a fun ride. Well, it all starts up again on Monday, as far as the stress. But they pay me for it.

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