Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Rationed...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Ten New Songs
Haftor Medboe - In Perpetuity
The Downer Trio - Customs
Brad Mehldau Trio - Anything Goes

Saw in the paper today that Norwegian jazz guitarist, Haftor Medboe was playing tonight at The Jam House, so I decided to go along - free entry...

When I arrived at around 7:45, there were five people in the audience as Hafter played acoustic guitar and loop-machine while a talented young lady sang along...

I heard covers of "Jolene", Bryan Adams' "Heaven" and "Hey You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" and left just as they started "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay"...

Since it wasn't the jazz experience I was expecting, I decided I'd be better off at home practising for Friday...

Good run through tonight, averaging probably just one mistake per song...

The promotor, POL, called me today to say he's fallen out with the owner of the venue and so the gig was moving a couple of doors along the road to his house - a house gig - very popular in the USA apparently and it should be an experience if nothing else. Anne of course thinks it's a mad idea...

Other than that, I heard back from another promoter, the one who insisted on a demo and biog a couple of weeks ago, and I am to play three gigs during the Fringe - three half hour sets - more details soon and, after Friday when I will be playing ten brand new songs, for the Fringe gigs I will probably reintroduce some older songs...

Last night I was updating my "songs played live" matrix which I've been keeping since my return to live playing in January 2003. Since than, I've played a total of 85 different self-penned songs from 26 different albums. Having so many songs is hard when I play so few gigs - just 17 full sets in three and a half years (although, counting short sets at open mics, Friday will be my 72nd outing since January '03...)

Truly, I am rationed...

Highlight of the Day : Securing three gigs at The Fringe

1 comment:

Cloudland Blue Quartet said...

Hey Haftor

Good to know the stars read my blog!! I wasn't disappointed, I thought your guitar playing was excellent - especially your use of the loop machine to create the grooves over which you solo'd - which I notice you also use on your excellent CD which I listened to on the night of this gig.

I just thought it might be more jazz...

I may well turn up on 31/7

Cheers!