Back in the saddle

This past Wednesday, I had a spring in my step that has been missing for the last month. I've talked to so many friends that also endured a lack of energy for a number of weeks as they dealt with that cold bug that's been going around. People have said that this year has been much worse than usual and I have to agree. I'm blaming it on global warming.

It was fairly timely as I've started getting active again. Last weekend was another Bugs Black Blood gig, this time at 1067. I considered it a victory that I didn't cough up a lung or two after the gig, for the first time in over three weeks. The group played its best that night and there was a decent crowd, with the beer selling out just at the end of the night. That's always a good thing.

Yesterday was a busy one. I had a rehearsal for a gig next week at The Cobalt. Aptly named Primord, this group features 2 bari saxes, one tenor sax/bassoon, me on bass sax, and my personal favourite, 2 guys playing half a drum kit between them. One of the things we are doing is an Iggy Pop/David Bowie tune, Tonight. There's a pretty high skronk factor. Gotta love it.

I've been to the Cobalt exactly twice in my life. The first time was in 1986 for my stag party, at the end of a very long night of double gin and tonics. I have a fleeting visual image, but no clue of how long we stayed there or what we did. I do know that we went home shortly after that and that I passed out embracing the toilet. My bride-to-be did what all supportive partners would do - put a pillow under my head, then took a picture which she gave to my alleged best friend and ringleader on the night.

The last time was earlier this year. We had a homestay student from Belfast with us for a few months and she enjoyed hanging out there with her mates. She would only have a few drinks each night, so she was a teatotaller by Irish standards. One night, somebody put something in her second beer and she was wasted. I got a call from her friends at 3:00 am to come down and pick her up. She was passed out, slumped on a chair on the sidewalk outside the front door. Nobody ever found out how it happened. Fortunately nothing worse transpired and her friends took care of her once they realized that she was in trouble.

I've not been to the Fake Jazz Wednesdays yet, so this should be fun. It's where free improv meets metal and noise. Perfect for the Cobalt.

Shortly after the Primord rehearsal, it was a fairly substantial stylistic shift as I was off to Riverside's new studio location to do the first session for the new cd project with Wanda and the boys. The plan for the first night was to lay down a number of the tunes that we have played at almost every gig we have ever done. All fairly straight forward, we may have five good takes in the can. We didn't spend much time listening to playback, so we'll have to wait for the rough mixes to be done.

I took my camera along, but didn't have a chance to take it out of the bag. We were pretty intent on getting as much recorded as possible. We were working with the same engineer as we've done with all of our sessions there, so things were very relaxed.

The Monday night series is back at The Cellar next week after a two-week hiatus. Featuring the Ben Wilson Quintet and nada, it promises to be a very good night. The dress code is "Tennis, Anyone?".