Musician/Clown

So what are we here for? as musicians we entertain. Who do we entertain? Ourselves, babies, managers, automobiles, flowers. What I'm getting at is that we did an opening of a big store. One of those giant places where you can get quadruple size versions of anything that you might find at your local place but since more is better in our society this place caters to the upwordly mobile consumer who must have more of the more expensive stuff, whatever it is.

So we arrive ready to play and when we get to the door, the manager says to set up outside. I inquire why on a 35 degree day would he have the musicians outside. He said that is where they always put the clowns, jugglers , and musicians whose purpose is to attract customers.
So as we played in the cold, the four band members in overcoats shivering and attemping to play jazz with frozen fingers, While taking fours with the sounds of the cars and horn honking, I realised that there were no people, only the cars on the main street who while driving by, were probably saying to each other, look at those clowns, playing in the cold.

The Gig at Eddies Attic

It's been a few days and as I reflect on the great time of sunday, my fingers are starting to thaw out from playing an outdoor gig this morning which was although a challenge weather wise, a fun gig.
Back to sunday. It was a blast participating in Berne's extravaganza. So many musicians on the stage, at one point it resembled the stateroom scene from A Night At The Opera. Great sets by Caroline Aiken, Sue Wilkinson, Bo, Kim, and Mike Hinton, Steve Cunningham on Guitar and Lap Steel, L.A. Tuten on Bass and Mark Van Allen Pedal Steel who provided solid support as played through Berne's thoughtful and moving selections from her CD.
For the live debut of the new songs I have been writing with Stephen Kalinich, I was joined by both Kids. Janna on drums and Bill on 2nd keyboard. We did a rousing version of Unsung Heroes that also featured Berne on acoustic guitar and harmony. That was followed by the toe tapper Start Your Day With Gratitude. In the secong set we did a 3 song preview of the upcoming CD with Mike Hinton,L.A. Tuten, Bill Graham and Steve Cunningham forming the band. Bill's 2nd keyboard gave me a chance to concentrate on singing and I was able to play very sparse while Steve's great guitar fills blended beautifully with Bill's and my keyboards. America is You And Me was followed by Alameda Symphony including Stephens poetry reading which comes in half way through the song and was magically mixed in thanks to the great soundman Shalom Aberle who used to work with JellyFish and now does a wonderful job at Eddies Attic. You Can Soar closed out our set. It was a great preview and I had a lot of fun being a part of Berne's extravaganza.

Chris Burroughs Trio

Great gig last night at Churchill. Chris Burroughs re-imagining of The Trio with me and Ramon, but with a different instrument for me. Chris asked me to play Wurlitzer Electric piano and although it was missing an F and the top notes were a little out of tune, I had fun communicating with the vintage intrument and especially the space that we got into with lots of freedom exploration, finding a direction, sitting on it and waiting for the next song to appear. Some of the songs that appeared were-

Norweigan Wood- Beatles
Revolution-Beatles
Just In Time-Jule Styne
Lookin For Another Pure Love-Stevie Wonder
Master Blaster-Stevie Wonder
Sir Duke/Teen Town-Stevie Wonder/Jaco Pastorious
Someday My Prince Will Come in 5/Miles Davis
Seven Steps To Seven-Miles Davis
Dolphin Dance-Herbie Hancock
Sexy M.F./Alphabet Street-Prince
And When I Die-Laura Nyro


The first set ended with a surpise Blues vocal from Jimmy "Junebug" Jackson who played drums with Jimmy Smith for 21 years.

The songs were surrounded by long improvised passages that culminated in a closing piece that all agreed was the highlight of a fun and musical night. Some wondered if we were actually asleep for that last song of the 2nd set, but I said that we were just in another state of consciousness, where the inner nature and musical root of our being speaks the truth.