Maybe it's because I just went to this native style pipe circle evening
that I'm being a little hard on myself but I had one of those little
reminders that one should avoid tooting one's own horn. I'm often in a
position to recommend an artist for a gig - sometimes a high profile gig,
after all I work for a big jazz festival and I've been a Juno judge, even
chair for jazz & blues at the Indie Awards, and every summer I help select
the Subway Musicians - (did I say I was going to avoid tooting my own
horn?). Anyway, I'm talking to RC and we're talking about the election
being called on the 28th and I'm wodering out loud if it will hurt the big
blues show that night. Then I mention casually that that I had suggested
her to open the show and the Artistic Director thought it would be a great
idea until he looked up her itinerary on the web and said she's not
available. Oh well, next...But now she asks me what was the date and I tell
her the 28th and she says "I available on the 28th of June, it's the 28th
of July I'm working!" It seems the tour dates on her website went June 24,
Jun 25, Jun 26, Jun 27, Jul 28 so JG misread. I'm sorry that I didn't check
it myself...I'm sorry I even suggested he check the tour dates on the web
(I should have just let him make the call)...and really, I'm sorry that I
got sucked in to that process. I've been reminded more than once to leave
the programming to the experts.
Anyway, I should be more concerned about programming *myself* into a few
festivals. Tomorrow the Colorblind Support Committee will meet to make a
strategy and timeline to unleash this talent on the world. (meanwhile I
have to find a way to hand over my (desktop) publishing empire to my son
who's not really into it - yet! so that I can plan a full touring schedule).
I've got three brand new tunes to regale them with - the one I wrote
tonight goes like this:
What will they say when I'm gone?
Will they just recall what I did wrong?
Some have their perception - some just don't see.
What will they say about me?
Friday, May 28, 2004
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Other CD launches and showcases - John and The Sisters (April 20) at the Rivoli. Phenomenal playing _ I like the ironing board routine though I hear others were not impressed.
Last Saturday, it was Paul James's 26th Anniversary and he gave a great show at Hugh's Room. A much bigger crowd than Big Bill Morganfield (son of Muddy Waters) two nights before.
Afterwords I headed over to the Dior Lounge for their big final blues blowout. No more fri night blues shows. After this, they're going to have DJs.
I missed the Jaymz Bee CD Launch at the Senator, now I bet that was a great party!
Last Saturday, it was Paul James's 26th Anniversary and he gave a great show at Hugh's Room. A much bigger crowd than Big Bill Morganfield (son of Muddy Waters) two nights before.
Afterwords I headed over to the Dior Lounge for their big final blues blowout. No more fri night blues shows. After this, they're going to have DJs.
I missed the Jaymz Bee CD Launch at the Senator, now I bet that was a great party!
Yes, I do get out and play once in a while. If you're near Orangeville
(hmmmm, don't think I know anybody near Orangeville) I'm playing Friday
Night, June 4 at the Village Coffee House from 7-10pm as part of the Orangeville Blues & Jazz festival
Saturday, June 5 I'm playing the matinee at Ziggy's and I'll be sharing the
stage (or patio, however it works out) with that fantastic harmonica player
Butch Coulter. Butch is coming over from Europe for some family matters and
the timing just worked out. Butch and I toured the Czech Republic in 2002
as a duo and had a great time. It'll be a real treat playing with him again
(hmmmm, don't think I know anybody near Orangeville) I'm playing Friday
Night, June 4 at the Village Coffee House from 7-10pm as part of the Orangeville Blues & Jazz festival
Saturday, June 5 I'm playing the matinee at Ziggy's and I'll be sharing the
stage (or patio, however it works out) with that fantastic harmonica player
Butch Coulter. Butch is coming over from Europe for some family matters and
the timing just worked out. Butch and I toured the Czech Republic in 2002
as a duo and had a great time. It'll be a real treat playing with him again
I did not get any packages out to festivals this year - actually I dropped
off some for various folk festival directors at the OCFF Conference - but
never heard from one of them. (I'm not so good at follow up - I figure if
they like what they hear, they'll get back to me). Anyway, as it turned out
I got a last minute call from a festival that never got a package - the
Orangeville Jazz & Blues Festival and I'm playing it June 4. A couple of
days before that, in the parking lot at Dior Lounge, I ran into Sab, who
puts on the annual Porquis Junction Blues Festival, and he invited me to do
it again - last minute again, but I don't mind. And I just got some
second-hand confirmation I'll be back at the Markham Jazzfest. That's how
festival gigs happen for me. The ones I try don't even get back to me. The
ones that heard me play call me back.
off some for various folk festival directors at the OCFF Conference - but
never heard from one of them. (I'm not so good at follow up - I figure if
they like what they hear, they'll get back to me). Anyway, as it turned out
I got a last minute call from a festival that never got a package - the
Orangeville Jazz & Blues Festival and I'm playing it June 4. A couple of
days before that, in the parking lot at Dior Lounge, I ran into Sab, who
puts on the annual Porquis Junction Blues Festival, and he invited me to do
it again - last minute again, but I don't mind. And I just got some
second-hand confirmation I'll be back at the Markham Jazzfest. That's how
festival gigs happen for me. The ones I try don't even get back to me. The
ones that heard me play call me back.
May 12 - No, the CD is not finished yet...and it looks like the release has
been delayed again. But I haven't been thrown to the wolves yet. FM, as a
form of encouragement, said he'd like to get me up into his studio for a
couple of days to lay down some blues standards with MF and a legendary
rock guitarist, DW, but when I added up the $$$ it didn't seem so practical
and I had to say "later". Still have to find a way to lay down some
hi-energy acoustic tracks. If not solo, then a small combo. I was thinking
resonator guitar, upright piano and fiddle.
been delayed again. But I haven't been thrown to the wolves yet. FM, as a
form of encouragement, said he'd like to get me up into his studio for a
couple of days to lay down some blues standards with MF and a legendary
rock guitarist, DW, but when I added up the $$$ it didn't seem so practical
and I had to say "later". Still have to find a way to lay down some
hi-energy acoustic tracks. If not solo, then a small combo. I was thinking
resonator guitar, upright piano and fiddle.
May 9 Wasn't able to schedule a gig with the first Sunday of May and make
it my annual Mothers' day show, but this year, the best I could do was get
my ancient recording of "Don't Forget Your Mother" played on Steve
Fruitman's radio show Back To The Sugar Camp on CIUT-FM. That recording has
been geeting a lot of attention lately - an American author who is working
on a biography of drummer Jim Gordon (who played on it) was in touch with
me asking for anecdotes about the recording sessions. Jim, for those who
don't know, killed his own mother and was committed to an institution for
the criminally insane as far as we know. Frazier Mohawk, who produced the
session, seems to think we might have put him over the edge. (I've since
found out that it was years after our recording that he committed the
crime, so I don't feel so bad) (and thanks to FM for pointing out that I
was wrong in my previous posting claiming that Gordon died in an
institution for the criminally insane - he is indeed still living) ((I hAte
it when I publish the deaths of people who are not - I remember a few
months after Sandy Denny died I, I referred to the "late" Tracy Nelson.))
it my annual Mothers' day show, but this year, the best I could do was get
my ancient recording of "Don't Forget Your Mother" played on Steve
Fruitman's radio show Back To The Sugar Camp on CIUT-FM. That recording has
been geeting a lot of attention lately - an American author who is working
on a biography of drummer Jim Gordon (who played on it) was in touch with
me asking for anecdotes about the recording sessions. Jim, for those who
don't know, killed his own mother and was committed to an institution for
the criminally insane as far as we know. Frazier Mohawk, who produced the
session, seems to think we might have put him over the edge. (I've since
found out that it was years after our recording that he committed the
crime, so I don't feel so bad) (and thanks to FM for pointing out that I
was wrong in my previous posting claiming that Gordon died in an
institution for the criminally insane - he is indeed still living) ((I hAte
it when I publish the deaths of people who are not - I remember a few
months after Sandy Denny died I, I referred to the "late" Tracy Nelson.))