Playin'...

Playlist
Richard Williams - New Horn in Town
Bruford Levin Upper Extremities - Same
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Souvenir XIII
Billy Cobham - Many Years B.C.

A quiet day starting off with some jazz in the kitchen...

Bought a Times Atlas of the World - it's too big to go on any shelf, so it's currently propped up against the coffee table, looking for a home...

Texted Jamie and Andy around 6 to make sure they were still ok for the gig and to be there by 8:45 - affirmative for both - Andy was delivering Chinese meals while Jamie was practising at home with the CD I gave him the other night...

Anne and I went out for a meal beforehand to a place I'd read a write up of in Ian Sclater's magazine "Instant" (scroll to page 42) - The Smart City Cafe in Blackfriars St. A generous salad followed by lasagne and veg, accompanied by a cheeky bottle of beer - I won't use the "T" word, but you get the drift....

Then to Out of the Bedroom and a busy night...

My fellow troubadours arrived right on cue and we set things up during the first break. I put the CD player with the bass and drum parts on it at the back of the room next to the mixing desk, activating it from the stage with the remote...

The set went really well with just a couple of minor glitches - we got ahead of the backing track on the third song and Jamie was taken by surprise by a few of the keyboard parts as he'd never heard them before - the only rehearsal we'd had as a three piece was Andy's first run through where he was mostly listening and formulating ideas and, during which, he wasn't playing his own instrument...

Thanks to Ali from Impossible Songs for the pic

Reaction from the crowd (at 9:15 the room was as full as it'd get all night - including a few well known faces - comedian and percussionist Jim Park, John and Ali from Impossible Songs, Scott Renton, Bill Philip and of course Dave O'Hara the soundman) was top notch - perhaps the sound of the full band surprised a few people - and, before I left I sold a few CDs - "Souvenir XIII" will be available from www.crispycat.co.uk next week...

Immediately after we finished, Andy went off to continue his Chinese deliveries, while Jamie and I hung around. (Anne reckoned Andy looked cool on stage with his tattoos, big jeans and beanie hat - while Jamie and I looked like "two old men" - I think she was joking...)

Back in the house by 11 in front of the fire watching the end of "Question Time" and then "This Week" - ah yes, Rock'n'Roll...



Highlight of the Day : Playing live to an enthusiastic crowd