'Broken
String Theory'.... I was playing a gig that wasn't going well. Very
chaotic onstage and off, just not feelin' it, and then I broke a string
in the middle of a song... had to switch guitars... something was just
'off'. (first broken string in Asia) That night, the thought crossed
my mind, 'Maybe it's time to go home'. Wrote an email to explore that
possibility... Yup we're on the same page... time to reconnect ...
It's been a challenge to be in love and on the other side of the world
from one's partner... Changed my ticket for a week from today. (give or
take). Valentine's Day in Eugene... Hey, who says I'm not romantic?
(OK it took me 60 years... but whatever....)
Rich
Glauber... 'crisis intervention specialist'.... There have now been
three times when I have inserted myself into a voices-raised conflict
between a westerner and a local. I'm drawn to tying to help out in
those situations. The first two were in Chiang Mai when I tried to
mediate a couple of disputes at the guest house between customers and
staff. Last night was something different. I was awakened
by a shout in the middle of the night right outside my door. It was
that special kind of sound that a guy will make when he's very upset and
confused. It was followed by the yelled question 'ARE YOU A LADY BOY?
YOU SAID YOU WERE A LADY!!' followed by 'I WANT THE TOURIST POLICE HERE
RIGHT NOW'. and then, 'YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!' The owner's of the
guest house come out, there are some voices raised in Khmer, and the
young Brit is insisting on getting his money back. 'SHE SAID SHE WAS A
LADY!.... I want the police here right away! and then shouting at the
owners... 'I'll pay extra for the room if you get my money back from
her. She said she was a lady'. (and they couldn't understand him cuz
it was too fast and too upset. (oh but they got the picture).
Enter Glauber, 'eminence gris' who has slipped on a pair of pants and a
tee shirt. I talk to the kid, 'Uh, you don't want the police here...
it won't go well for you.' 'WHY NOT?" Look you made a mistake, you're
not the first, it happens... cut your losses, you learned something, let
her go on her way, relax'. Within thirty seconds, the kid is
apologizing to the owners, asking forgiveness, bowing and scraping...
All in a day's work (in Sihanoukville). Ah these kids today...
Real World Cambodia
I seem to have stumbled
into an episode of Real World Cambodia, that great (and so far
non-existent) reality TV show based in Sihanoukville, on the southern
coast. I'm not a fan of 'reality tv' which strikes me as an oxymoron,
but that aside, this assortment of characters and cultures would make
for some serious entertainment. Perhaps as serious as the murder that
took place a few days ago out at Otres Beach, just down the road. I
don't have the details yet, but there was some big opening of a new
venue that was going to take place and one of the people involved was
some kind of shady character from New Jersey. ('Santino', believe it or
not). The night before the big opening there was a wedding at the new
venue and one of the participants didn't survive
it. So much for the big opening on the following night... uh 'the
grand opening is delayed' ...Police are involved...
Ah
yes the police... I hear they make about $50/month here so clearly they
need to um, supplement their modest income. They run the drug trade
here. That bag of weed that the tuktuk driver offers you.... it's
under the aegis of the cops. Ditto for the 'ice' that is the drug of
choice for the young people, it's some kind of smoke-able meth, yeah the
cops are running that as well. There is a cadre of young Khmer men
who hang out behind a certain bar and it's their franchise. You see
their lower level sellers, white kids, going back there, 'hey have you
seen X? Tell him I
need to see him as soon as he gets here. Lots of burned out young
Aussies and others are staying up late, dancing in the clubs, partying
with their friends.
And
the Russians.... My buddy Simon (Brit) is running the cafe with his
Russian pal Denis, so Denis' friends use it as a hangout, drink coffee,
smoke cigarettes and enjoy the day. They are really nice, big fans of
our music.... which makes me big fans of them. Sometimes they'll
borrow Dennis' boat for a sail around the bay, and I gather it's not the
most sea-worthy craft.
Just last week, they capsized repeatedly.... his passengers caught a
ride back to shore with a fishing boat, but they couldn't safely tow
Denis' craft back, so he spent a 'Man against Wild' night alone on an
island, no water, waiting for help to arrive. The 'coast guard' and
yes, I used quotes for that term, showed up and got him back to town.
He gave them $50 for their trouble. He's quite a character.... sleeps
in a mosquito netting tent on the floor of the place he and Simon
share. It's very run down, dirty and uncared for. When I said, 'Why
don't you pay some Khmer woman a few dollars to clean your place, he
replied, 'Ve Vant to live like this' OK, whatever... And he's a great
guy...
And
the prostitutes....There are lots of them... working out of bars,
walking the strip near the beach, surveying the scene where the white
people go to dance. And there are doubtless plenty of places which I
don't know about that cater to the Khmer traffic. Lots of western men
parading around with their 'friends'. It's definitely part of the
fabric here and it adds that tawdry element to the TV show. As long as
it's not children being exploited, I don't have a strong opinion... but I
keep my distance. And how many times have I heard the same
story....'I fell asleep... too drunk... when I woke up all my money was
gone' (Yeah dude, how would she ever think of looking in your toilet kit
to find that $350? Bad luck, bro)
But
the real reason why I got the feeling this was a TV show was in the
form of Simon's new girlfriend. It's like in season one, Simon, Jelly
and me had some great musical adventures here, and for this season, the
producers felt we needed to add a new cast member. Enter Tiffany.
She's tall, about 5'8", bi-racial and beautiful. Maybe 40 years old,
I'm just guessing, has a 16 year old daughter living with her here. I
don't know her whole story but she has lived in many third world
countries, she and her ex husband were teachers in different third
world locales. Anyhow she's been here for 6 months and she hooked up
with Simon a few months ago. She asked if he wanted her to sing a
couple of songs at his gigs and his initial response was, 'No, it's my
thing'. Yeah buddy, way to go.... And of course once she got in front
of a mic, everything changed. She's fantastic, has that thing that you
can't quantify, but it just lifts the room. Great ear, great stage
presence, not a lot of experience yet, but clearly she should be the
'star of Sihanoukville'. We sat in at an open mic on my first night
here, I played bass for them and this guy Pat Savage (biker music
extraordinaire) sat in on drums. We tore the house down. She's that
good, and with a competent backing band behind her... it was pretty
magical.
She's
really nice.... but don't cross her. Yesterday, the woman who runs the
club next to Simon's cafe played the music too loud, it was hard to
carry on a conversation. Tiffany is like, 'That girl need to be hit in
the mouth, she's a birch' (I guess they had some history. She goes
over there 'asks her nicely to turn it down' and the Estonian owner
yells at her 'Fuck you, get out of my bar' Tiffany responds in kind,
'No fuck you, and turn the fucking music down' And then she goes and
starts unscrewing the speaker from the wall...'What you doing? I call
police' 'Go ahead and call the police'.... The owner eventually
turned it down... and Tiffany came back and said, 'I've been all over
the world, 'NOBODY is going to disrespect me like that'. Yeah, 'home
girl' came out... it was awesome. (and probably not the best idea...
but this Tiffany is made for TV)
So
we've got gigs starting tonight. I went up to Led Zephyr where we tore
it up the first night and had a little meeting with the boss, Andy, and
the manager, Tim and they want us to play there. It's the spot we
played a bunch last year and they like our material and our
professionalism, and now there
is this hot singer out front... KaChing! And Simon, Jelly and Tiffany
have been playing twice a week at the Kong Bar (a girlie bar right on
the main drag and super close to where we are, so I'll be part of that
as well. Hey why not... I hear Louis Armstrong started out playing in
brothels.... Simon says it's a great gig, so here we go. And there
will be more... Once we get a few gigs under our belt, it'll get better
and better...
Here
it is Feb 1, A Saturday morning during Chinese New Year, when the town
is as busy as it gets. Seems like every
Chinese person in Cambodia is here for the holiday. Room prices have
been jacked up, but my friends hooked me up with a monthly rental for a
fine room in a great location. I'm paying $220 for the month, just over
$7 a day, and yeah, that works. Add in the delicious fresh barbecued
fist that's available every night ($3 with baked potato and salad...
amazing!) And our favorite local restaurant is still here.... They have
this seafood amok (local dish) for $2.50 and it is awesome. Good
coffee, good internet, great friends and lots of gigs... Yeah, this will
work for February.
Wait,
we need some fireworks and dragons for the closing credits... Tune in
next week... and drop me a line if you feel like it... I always like
hearing from home... la la la
Snooky
The jaded expat locals call this place 'Snookyville' as if they couldn't be bothered to actually pronounce the real name of Sihanoukville, and I've been guilty of it myself... Whatever, here I am... it was a long and patience-challenging bus ride, especially the first part which was the daily traffic jam of Phnom Penh... it took us most of two hours in stop and stop traffic to get out of town... then another 4 hours to the beach. I was stuck in a lousy seat in the back, next to a nice old Khmer lady, (half of her teeth were still in her head) who talked to me fairly frequently, not seeming to notice my shoulders-up 'I don't understand' expression. It was fine. There was a little girl maybe 7 sitting across from us with her mom, and the mom was in some kind of distress or pain. At one point she asked the old lady to do something with her scalp... and the woman responded by taking little tufts of hair and giving them a sharp tug... as if to stimulate some kind of acupressure points or something related. Then the mom asked the woman behind us if she'd rub some tiger balm on her back and this was done also. Meanwhile the young girl is upset... I figured she was worried about her mom and she started crying and sobbing... People were turning around to see what was up. I didn't quite understand it, but the drama was on.
Arrived at the bus station, happily retrieved my guitar and backpack from underneath the bus... I was a little paranoid that since I was stuck in the back of the bus, someone might just grab my gear before I could get off. But a few people left the bus early, so I was able to move up. No problem. Grabbed my stuff, got on the back of a motorbike who offered me a $3 ride to Serendipity Beach, big tipper me gave him $4. It was worth it. Walked down the beach to find my friend Simon at Cafe Noir, and there he is in the flesh. Happy reunion, we start talking music. Tells me he has a girlfriend who sings, African American woman who grew up in Palm Springs. She showed up shortly after, and wow, what a lady. Beautiful, nice, talented and in love with my buddy... Right away we started singing, I wanted to learn the stuff that was in their repertoire, and I wanted Simon to hear some of my new stuff so he could back me on bass. Hung out, drank coffee, made music and coincidentally enough, there was an open mic that night at our old haunt the Led Zephyr. (best club in town, we played there a bunch last year).
There are the old friends, (some of whom like me, some not so much), and I took my place in line... sang 3 songs, 2 of which were new ones... Got a nice response and it's good to be back. After me was this real good musician named Pat Savage who makes his living playing 'Biker Music' he's done a bunch of recordings, has a 'record deal' is working on a TV pilot.... a marketer... (talked about himself maybe a bit much, but the dude can play... Good singer, great guitarist, great on the bass, and even on the drums as he backed up another act. So at the end of the night, Simon and Tiffany (and me) went up to close out the night, and we asked Pat to sit in on drums... Mad Mike, my buddy from Chiang Mai came up to blow some harmonica and off we went. It was OFF THE HOOK! We blew the doors off the room. And why? Because everyone can play well, listen, make it happen, and when that kind of band is behind a great singer, it just lifted the whole room up. Tiffany is a huge talent, the kind the just keeps getting higher and higher as the song develops. Pat, the drummer said he had goosebumps the whole time. I was swaying and dancing with the bass. Andy is the owner of the club and he rolled some video which he says he will post. Hope so.
Hey not bad for my first day in town... What a great entree. And this Tiffany had stayed in a guest house on the beach for a few months when she came to town, and she hooked me up with the owners, yes there is a room available, it's perfect, the right location and vibe... only $220 for the month, about $7/day. My plan is to just immerse in music... get into a teaching thing, I really want to help my friends get better and they're into learning... it's part of the process. And I'll make some money here, not sure where yet, but there are gigs ahead... Happy to be in my second Asian home away from home...
Arrived at the bus station, happily retrieved my guitar and backpack from underneath the bus... I was a little paranoid that since I was stuck in the back of the bus, someone might just grab my gear before I could get off. But a few people left the bus early, so I was able to move up. No problem. Grabbed my stuff, got on the back of a motorbike who offered me a $3 ride to Serendipity Beach, big tipper me gave him $4. It was worth it. Walked down the beach to find my friend Simon at Cafe Noir, and there he is in the flesh. Happy reunion, we start talking music. Tells me he has a girlfriend who sings, African American woman who grew up in Palm Springs. She showed up shortly after, and wow, what a lady. Beautiful, nice, talented and in love with my buddy... Right away we started singing, I wanted to learn the stuff that was in their repertoire, and I wanted Simon to hear some of my new stuff so he could back me on bass. Hung out, drank coffee, made music and coincidentally enough, there was an open mic that night at our old haunt the Led Zephyr. (best club in town, we played there a bunch last year).
There are the old friends, (some of whom like me, some not so much), and I took my place in line... sang 3 songs, 2 of which were new ones... Got a nice response and it's good to be back. After me was this real good musician named Pat Savage who makes his living playing 'Biker Music' he's done a bunch of recordings, has a 'record deal' is working on a TV pilot.... a marketer... (talked about himself maybe a bit much, but the dude can play... Good singer, great guitarist, great on the bass, and even on the drums as he backed up another act. So at the end of the night, Simon and Tiffany (and me) went up to close out the night, and we asked Pat to sit in on drums... Mad Mike, my buddy from Chiang Mai came up to blow some harmonica and off we went. It was OFF THE HOOK! We blew the doors off the room. And why? Because everyone can play well, listen, make it happen, and when that kind of band is behind a great singer, it just lifted the whole room up. Tiffany is a huge talent, the kind the just keeps getting higher and higher as the song develops. Pat, the drummer said he had goosebumps the whole time. I was swaying and dancing with the bass. Andy is the owner of the club and he rolled some video which he says he will post. Hope so.
Hey not bad for my first day in town... What a great entree. And this Tiffany had stayed in a guest house on the beach for a few months when she came to town, and she hooked me up with the owners, yes there is a room available, it's perfect, the right location and vibe... only $220 for the month, about $7/day. My plan is to just immerse in music... get into a teaching thing, I really want to help my friends get better and they're into learning... it's part of the process. And I'll make some money here, not sure where yet, but there are gigs ahead... Happy to be in my second Asian home away from home...
Sweetness and then the road...
Well
last night couldn't have been much better... Super vibe both at the
restaurant and at the club... many friends, much kindness and good
feeling, I definitely belong here (in the winter). And I'm packed and
ready, traveling super light, I'm gonna try and not check any bags, as I
just have a 3/4 size backpack and a guitar... It would be so cool to
just walk on. Last night a 15 year old Chinese
girl came up to tell me that she played guitar. Of course I invited
her to play a song. 'Oh no, too shy' But then 5 minutes later, up she
comes at the urging of her older sister and she sang and played
something nice. (I think it was in english... a little hard to tell,
but of course everyone paid attention, and many recording devices were
engaged). (and Chinese tips were forthcoming, if one cares about that
stuff... (one does:-) Mostly it was nice to have that cross cultural
connection and appreciation. I spread a bunch of money around to the
folks who work at the guest house, some solid tips for their kindness
over the two months and a bunch of tips and kindness came back to me... I
guess that's what they call the 'flow'. It's flowing big time and I
continue to be one of the luckiest characters that you may know... Off
to Cambodia this morning, a night in Phnom Penh, then a bus to
Sihanoukville where I have some good friends and good musical
opportunities... Thank you Chiang Mai, you are a dream!
Packed up this morning, had a final cappuccino (on the house since it was my farewell coffee) and was given a gift by Linda who is the sister of La, the cafe owner. It was an herbal spray that she made from some kind of plant, to be used for muscle ache. (she took a course and shared the result with me). Grabbed a tuktuk to the airport, everything went smoothly into BKK and then into Phnom Penh. Had to 'gate check' the guitar, but it came through unscathed, so we're still on a roll.
Made it to Phnom Penh... the $7 tuktuk ride from the airport into town was totally worth it from an adventure standpoint... Basically every intersection is a game of chicken and the folks who can make it across the busy streets are to be commended... (I don't think they know the word 'Huevon' here, but that's what it takes to get through some of the busy spots) (it's 'balls' in Spanish) The driver took me to the place where he'd make his little commission, but it was kinda creepy, the guy working there quoted a high price, quickly came down when I refused, then said he'd throw in a free condom (wink wink) Uh no, dude. I directed the driver to the place I had stayed last year, couldn't remember the name, but wonder of wonders I honed in on it without a wrong turn. (is it the savvy traveler, or merely the creature of habit?)... whatever, here I am at the Okay Guesthouse, the price is right, got a bus ticket to Sihanoukville in the morning and it feels like nap time. Good timing in that I'll get there two days before Chinese New Year when the place goes nuts for 3 days and rooms are hard to come by. But my man Simon has arranged for me to have a room by the beach... and it all looks promising... (We're not in Chiang Mai anymore, Toto)
So now I'm very tired, not enough sleep last night, but I'm only a 5 or so hour bus ride to Sihanoukville, and we'll just see how it feels there this time around. I loved it last time, but you never know...Gonna lay down at 7pm and try to sleep a bunch... I have zero desire to go out and about in Phnom Penh... maybe if I come ack through... I'd rather hang out with a book and fall asleep..So I will....zzzz
Packed up this morning, had a final cappuccino (on the house since it was my farewell coffee) and was given a gift by Linda who is the sister of La, the cafe owner. It was an herbal spray that she made from some kind of plant, to be used for muscle ache. (she took a course and shared the result with me). Grabbed a tuktuk to the airport, everything went smoothly into BKK and then into Phnom Penh. Had to 'gate check' the guitar, but it came through unscathed, so we're still on a roll.
Made it to Phnom Penh... the $7 tuktuk ride from the airport into town was totally worth it from an adventure standpoint... Basically every intersection is a game of chicken and the folks who can make it across the busy streets are to be commended... (I don't think they know the word 'Huevon' here, but that's what it takes to get through some of the busy spots) (it's 'balls' in Spanish) The driver took me to the place where he'd make his little commission, but it was kinda creepy, the guy working there quoted a high price, quickly came down when I refused, then said he'd throw in a free condom (wink wink) Uh no, dude. I directed the driver to the place I had stayed last year, couldn't remember the name, but wonder of wonders I honed in on it without a wrong turn. (is it the savvy traveler, or merely the creature of habit?)... whatever, here I am at the Okay Guesthouse, the price is right, got a bus ticket to Sihanoukville in the morning and it feels like nap time. Good timing in that I'll get there two days before Chinese New Year when the place goes nuts for 3 days and rooms are hard to come by. But my man Simon has arranged for me to have a room by the beach... and it all looks promising... (We're not in Chiang Mai anymore, Toto)
So now I'm very tired, not enough sleep last night, but I'm only a 5 or so hour bus ride to Sihanoukville, and we'll just see how it feels there this time around. I loved it last time, but you never know...Gonna lay down at 7pm and try to sleep a bunch... I have zero desire to go out and about in Phnom Penh... maybe if I come ack through... I'd rather hang out with a book and fall asleep..So I will....zzzz
Wistful thinking
Had just a great night playing in the restaurant yesterday. I was totally on my musical game, voice good, playing well, great response. At one point these two little Dutch boys came up with their mom and started break dancing to my music. The kids were like 5 and 2 years old. I let them do it for a couple of songs but eventually asked them to stop because they were blocking the way of the wait staff who were busily trying to bring food to the diners. But it was pretty cute.
Had some fans in the audience which meant I got to deliver some originals to an appreciative audience. Once again Noi said, 'We're really gonna miss you, Rich' The feeling is mutual. Three more nights at the restaurant, one more night jamming with Apple at CU Corner (tonight), then it's on the road next Tuesday morning to Phnom Penh...
Spread it around...
I feel like I've come through a period of being super focused on money, how much I have, how much I made, how much will I have by next week etc. Something about the ability to make money here, pay my way on this retreat has been very compelling and I'd go back to my room after a gig and count it up, enjoy knowing right where I stand... OK enough of that... because the down side is that I was feeling kind of selfish about it all... and compulsive.
So yesterday I took a toke with my buddy and got a different perspective... wanted to just spread it around, share with the women who clean my room, with the folks who work the front desk at the guest house, with the waitress at CU Corner who needs the money. They all need the money, they work hard and long and for not too much... So today is a day to spread it around, balance the ledger, share the wealth, as it were. Feels right.
Along those lines I took JF out for breakfast today and he rolled some video of my latest tune. The bossa nova. It was a really good performance, but the wind wrecked it... too bad, we'll have to redo... Darn, but no bid deal, I've got the song in my voice and fingers so it's just a question of rolling video... But wow, we shot it at a chedi and it looked really nice... oh well.. next time..
So yesterday I took a toke with my buddy and got a different perspective... wanted to just spread it around, share with the women who clean my room, with the folks who work the front desk at the guest house, with the waitress at CU Corner who needs the money. They all need the money, they work hard and long and for not too much... So today is a day to spread it around, balance the ledger, share the wealth, as it were. Feels right.
Along those lines I took JF out for breakfast today and he rolled some video of my latest tune. The bossa nova. It was a really good performance, but the wind wrecked it... too bad, we'll have to redo... Darn, but no bid deal, I've got the song in my voice and fingers so it's just a question of rolling video... But wow, we shot it at a chedi and it looked really nice... oh well.. next time..
Just like life
Twelve thirty on a Tuesday afternoon... did my walk across town for yoga, this time I met up with Irish John who's been doing a practice for years and I followed along on his routine. Nice, challenging and worth the visit. Back through town for a bowl of food from the lady at the halfway point. In other words, just another day in paradise. And I'm starting to feel the stirrings that it's time to go. Haven't had much of a response in the restaurant the last couple of nights, so that thrill is wearing off a bit, but hey, it's been a hell of a run. 4 more gigs there and that's it.
I'll arrive in Sihanoukville exactly two days before the Chinese New Year hordes show up and I'm slightly concerned about finding lodging, but I'll work it out. I wrote Jelly asking if he'd be willing to rent me a room at the guest house he's staying at, and I should hear back before too long. It's no big deal, something will turn up, I might have to be up on the hill for that first week, but I'm hoping for the convenience of being on the beach. When I'm on the beach, I can leave my stuff locked up in the room, do the beach thing without having to keep an eagle eye on stuff. it's better that way.
I'm thick with Thai baht at the moment and I'm going to change them to dollars today or tomorrow... (They use dollars in Cambodia as opposed to the local currency) With the troubles in Bangkok, the baht has been dropping, so maybe now's the time. I spent about $500 in the first couple of weeks here but since then I'm actually about $200 ahead of my expenses and that will be up to about $300 by the time the week is over. Kind of nuts to make money on the road, rather than spend it... Pretty lucky, no doubt about it... It's been a majorly happy part of the experience here... feeling like I've got the best gig in town. (I had the same feeling in Cambodia last winter)
Now's the time to say farewells, make some final appearances, give thanks for a great couple of months. Noi has been an outstanding friend here, she's the boss and the decision maker and the grande dame, so I think she appreciates the fact that I will tease her some and just be normal, rather than subservient. She's a smart, opinionated woman, very giving and a good friend. Without her support, this would have been a very different couple of months. And I know that she gets a lot out of the friendship as well. Last night she was saying, 'I'm really gonna miss having you here'.
And that's part of the story in Chiang Mai, people coming and going, farewells and welcome backs all the time. Something sad about it, but so it goes. We meet, we connect, we say farewell.... just like life.
And what remains? The same things that get us through any day... breath, thoughts, something to eat, a place to sleep, music, friends and appreciation of the gifts...
I'll arrive in Sihanoukville exactly two days before the Chinese New Year hordes show up and I'm slightly concerned about finding lodging, but I'll work it out. I wrote Jelly asking if he'd be willing to rent me a room at the guest house he's staying at, and I should hear back before too long. It's no big deal, something will turn up, I might have to be up on the hill for that first week, but I'm hoping for the convenience of being on the beach. When I'm on the beach, I can leave my stuff locked up in the room, do the beach thing without having to keep an eagle eye on stuff. it's better that way.
I'm thick with Thai baht at the moment and I'm going to change them to dollars today or tomorrow... (They use dollars in Cambodia as opposed to the local currency) With the troubles in Bangkok, the baht has been dropping, so maybe now's the time. I spent about $500 in the first couple of weeks here but since then I'm actually about $200 ahead of my expenses and that will be up to about $300 by the time the week is over. Kind of nuts to make money on the road, rather than spend it... Pretty lucky, no doubt about it... It's been a majorly happy part of the experience here... feeling like I've got the best gig in town. (I had the same feeling in Cambodia last winter)
Now's the time to say farewells, make some final appearances, give thanks for a great couple of months. Noi has been an outstanding friend here, she's the boss and the decision maker and the grande dame, so I think she appreciates the fact that I will tease her some and just be normal, rather than subservient. She's a smart, opinionated woman, very giving and a good friend. Without her support, this would have been a very different couple of months. And I know that she gets a lot out of the friendship as well. Last night she was saying, 'I'm really gonna miss having you here'.
And that's part of the story in Chiang Mai, people coming and going, farewells and welcome backs all the time. Something sad about it, but so it goes. We meet, we connect, we say farewell.... just like life.
And what remains? The same things that get us through any day... breath, thoughts, something to eat, a place to sleep, music, friends and appreciation of the gifts...
Everybody's Got Someone But Me (bossa nova)
Well you can't hear the chords, but it's a jazzy Jobim style bossa nova. Gonna record it ASAP
Stayed until the very end
Walking home alone again
Everybody's got someone but me
See them walking arm in arm
Eyes alive, bodies warm
Everybody's got someone but me
All my love was in the past
Only sadness seems to last and last....
If I could find another chance
To have that kind of true romance
What a different man I'd be
Or is that idle fantasy?
Everybody's got someone but me
Instrumental....
When I thought the die was cast
Sweetness came into my life at last
Thank God I got another chance
To take a turn in the lovers' dance
Our romantic rhapsody
Oh what a blessing it would be
If everybody had someone like me
All my love was in the past
Only sadness seems to last and last....
If I could find another chance
To have that kind of true romance
What a different man I'd be
Or is that idle fantasy?
Everybody's got someone but me
Instrumental....
When I thought the die was cast
Sweetness came into my life at last
Thank God I got another chance
To take a turn in the lovers' dance
Our romantic rhapsody
Oh what a blessing it would be
If everybody had someone like me
Ten or so days to go here...
Still chugging along in Chiang Mai, feeling quite peaceful (for me), maintaining the rhythm of yoga in the morning, music at night. The music continues to nourish my soul, as I am blessed to connect with lots of different people, audience members and fellow musicians. I'm just so at home in front of a microphone, waving to the kids, finding the right song to play for the adults, getting some laughs, earning some tips. Feels like the best gig in town as I average about $50 each time I play at the restaurant... plus the great dinner and drinks if I want them. (maybe one drink per show). It's better than I could have imagined...
I bought a ticket to Phnom Penh for January 28, which is the last day of my visa, and that feels like the right choice. (have I written this before... can't remember). But I'll just scoot out of here and start the next chapter without a lot of travel in between. Quick and surgical and on to the next.
The people that you meet... I was having a great night, having played a three hour gig, then hanging outside of CU Corner with friends, popping inside occasionally to sing a harmony with Apple. There were plenty of musicians playing so I didn't need to sit in... just sing a bit. A couple walk by on their way someplace else and they were going slow, looking into the bar, slightly intrigued at the good vibe scene going on there, but they were on their way. I said, 'This is a really cool place...it's like an expat hangout, folks have been coming here for years, lots of old friends, you're welcome to come in and check it out' or words to that effect. They seemed nice and they were. Markus and Barbara from Austria, they had just come in from a month traveling around Myanmar and were kind of shell shocked to be back in the 'west' again after a very eastern month on the road.
They came in, ordered a couple of beers and we got talking. Turns out they are theater professionals in Salzburg, Austria who offer drama workshops with different populations, prisoners, migrants, students etc. They get them playing theater games, they break down inhibitions and help the groups create works of drama. Their work is based on Stanislavski, Brecht, Grotowski (sp?) etc, and I found myself extremely interested. We had a great conversation and ended up making a coffee date for tomorrow 11am and I'm going to learn a few of their techniques, a few of the games. I just got the feeling that they are high level teachers, we had an instant rapport and it was one of those not-so-chance encounters that one can have in Chiang Mai. I have a real good feeling about coffee tomorrow...
PS they didn't make it to coffee.. likely couldn't find the place because they were pretty turned around last night... No matter, it's still a great interaction... And now it's Friday evening, a night off from the restaurant, but I'll show up at CU with a guitar and who knows what happens? Apple will be there and we'll be making some joyful noise...
I bought a ticket to Phnom Penh for January 28, which is the last day of my visa, and that feels like the right choice. (have I written this before... can't remember). But I'll just scoot out of here and start the next chapter without a lot of travel in between. Quick and surgical and on to the next.
The people that you meet... I was having a great night, having played a three hour gig, then hanging outside of CU Corner with friends, popping inside occasionally to sing a harmony with Apple. There were plenty of musicians playing so I didn't need to sit in... just sing a bit. A couple walk by on their way someplace else and they were going slow, looking into the bar, slightly intrigued at the good vibe scene going on there, but they were on their way. I said, 'This is a really cool place...it's like an expat hangout, folks have been coming here for years, lots of old friends, you're welcome to come in and check it out' or words to that effect. They seemed nice and they were. Markus and Barbara from Austria, they had just come in from a month traveling around Myanmar and were kind of shell shocked to be back in the 'west' again after a very eastern month on the road.
They came in, ordered a couple of beers and we got talking. Turns out they are theater professionals in Salzburg, Austria who offer drama workshops with different populations, prisoners, migrants, students etc. They get them playing theater games, they break down inhibitions and help the groups create works of drama. Their work is based on Stanislavski, Brecht, Grotowski (sp?) etc, and I found myself extremely interested. We had a great conversation and ended up making a coffee date for tomorrow 11am and I'm going to learn a few of their techniques, a few of the games. I just got the feeling that they are high level teachers, we had an instant rapport and it was one of those not-so-chance encounters that one can have in Chiang Mai. I have a real good feeling about coffee tomorrow...
PS they didn't make it to coffee.. likely couldn't find the place because they were pretty turned around last night... No matter, it's still a great interaction... And now it's Friday evening, a night off from the restaurant, but I'll show up at CU with a guitar and who knows what happens? Apple will be there and we'll be making some joyful noise...
Into the air...
Well it's 7:07pm and I have no gig, so I'm kind of at a loss... my life seems to be largely oriented around my performing schedule... when I get those 3 hour shots of performing, I feel alive and involved and focused. On the off days, things are a little more vague. Not that I'm complaining, I feel great, just want to be playing. Or writing, so what the heck, I'll write.
After talking to my friend John about some Cambodia particulars, I decided to check into flights, check availability and schedules, and boom, there it is, a perfect connection through Bangkok that gets me into Phnom Penh at 2:30 in the afternoon. Leave Chiang Mai at 10am, nice transfer in BKK, arrive in Cambodia at a good time. Maybe even time to catch a bus down to Sihanoukville on the same day. Sweet. All I have to do is CLICK... so I did. Decision made, no big overland journey, no new sights, just a direct shot over the border into the next chapter. Feels right. If I travel with Julie next winter, I'll be more open to discovering new places, finding new travel modes etc. But on my own, I'd rather just get there and get set up. So I will.
I got some visa photographs taken so that is covered, got my reservation for a week from Tuesday, which is the last day of my Thai 60-day visa allowance. And coincidentally I get to do my last week at the restaurant, end on Monday night and be in the air on Tuesday morning. Perfect! Couldn't be easier (he said hopefully). And what a visit it has been! Between the dentistry and the gigs, the friendships and the yoga, the Buddhist reading, the mindful walks, it's been just a perfect retreat for the likes of me. And the bonus is that I'm feeling incredibly connected to my sweetheart back in Oregon, lots of writing and skyping and wonder of wonders, it feels like we're even closer than when we left, if that's possible. There's something miraculous about that, as I had carried the notion that if I were to go off on a 100 days journey, what are the chances that I'd have a love to come back to. It didn't seem possible, but now it does, and that's a revelation. Sweet revelation... like I might actually deserve to have love? Never quite felt that way before... I do now.
I have a fairly consistent sense of well-being on this trip, and why not? The weather is great, the food is great, I'm healthy, not a toke in a month and a half, the occasional drink, consistent yoga, consistent swimming, zero television. It's like maximizing the good things and minimizing the energy suckers, so sure, why not feel great? Maybe it's close to that 'miracle' state that I 'discovered' when I was about fifteen or sixteen and had my first revelation that 'life is a miracle' and the more I remember that, the happier I will be. It was a powerful jolt of spirit back then, I knew it at the time, even wrote my future self a letter to remind me what I had discovered... and it feels like it's close to the surface again, that sense of wonder and gratitude for the gift of life. I read this article in the Buddhist book about someone asking the Buddha if we should think about 'death' every day. And the answer was that we should think about death with every breath. Not in a maudlin way of course, but with the appreciation that this life is SO PRECIOUS and the more we remember that, the more conscious we become... Hmmm maybe I was a Buddhist way back when. I certainly feel like one these days. I wear my Buddha around my neck every day. When I take it off, I put it at the head of my bed, so my feet don't point at it. It's a tradition and I respect it. Just bought another installment of the 'Best of Buddhist Writing' and I love digging into the articles. It's exactly the right time.
So now I can look forward to 8 more evenings in the restaurant, a bunch more jams at the CU Corner, a dozen or so more walks crosstown to yoga in the park, friendship, sun, reading, music. And then farewell Chiang Mai for this year. I've been learning how to be in a different way this year. Instead of going to my default pattern of 'where are the women, how can I meet one?' I've been searching for a new mode. I've got real love on the other side of the world, and it's just a much higher value than the perpetual chase for 'connection', whatever that means. It's an adjustment for sure, but it feels like a necessary and worthy pursuit, to find 'connection' inside myself, with my heart and mind. And the more I do, the more the illusions can fade into the air, circle back into the ether. Good times...
After talking to my friend John about some Cambodia particulars, I decided to check into flights, check availability and schedules, and boom, there it is, a perfect connection through Bangkok that gets me into Phnom Penh at 2:30 in the afternoon. Leave Chiang Mai at 10am, nice transfer in BKK, arrive in Cambodia at a good time. Maybe even time to catch a bus down to Sihanoukville on the same day. Sweet. All I have to do is CLICK... so I did. Decision made, no big overland journey, no new sights, just a direct shot over the border into the next chapter. Feels right. If I travel with Julie next winter, I'll be more open to discovering new places, finding new travel modes etc. But on my own, I'd rather just get there and get set up. So I will.
I got some visa photographs taken so that is covered, got my reservation for a week from Tuesday, which is the last day of my Thai 60-day visa allowance. And coincidentally I get to do my last week at the restaurant, end on Monday night and be in the air on Tuesday morning. Perfect! Couldn't be easier (he said hopefully). And what a visit it has been! Between the dentistry and the gigs, the friendships and the yoga, the Buddhist reading, the mindful walks, it's been just a perfect retreat for the likes of me. And the bonus is that I'm feeling incredibly connected to my sweetheart back in Oregon, lots of writing and skyping and wonder of wonders, it feels like we're even closer than when we left, if that's possible. There's something miraculous about that, as I had carried the notion that if I were to go off on a 100 days journey, what are the chances that I'd have a love to come back to. It didn't seem possible, but now it does, and that's a revelation. Sweet revelation... like I might actually deserve to have love? Never quite felt that way before... I do now.
I have a fairly consistent sense of well-being on this trip, and why not? The weather is great, the food is great, I'm healthy, not a toke in a month and a half, the occasional drink, consistent yoga, consistent swimming, zero television. It's like maximizing the good things and minimizing the energy suckers, so sure, why not feel great? Maybe it's close to that 'miracle' state that I 'discovered' when I was about fifteen or sixteen and had my first revelation that 'life is a miracle' and the more I remember that, the happier I will be. It was a powerful jolt of spirit back then, I knew it at the time, even wrote my future self a letter to remind me what I had discovered... and it feels like it's close to the surface again, that sense of wonder and gratitude for the gift of life. I read this article in the Buddhist book about someone asking the Buddha if we should think about 'death' every day. And the answer was that we should think about death with every breath. Not in a maudlin way of course, but with the appreciation that this life is SO PRECIOUS and the more we remember that, the more conscious we become... Hmmm maybe I was a Buddhist way back when. I certainly feel like one these days. I wear my Buddha around my neck every day. When I take it off, I put it at the head of my bed, so my feet don't point at it. It's a tradition and I respect it. Just bought another installment of the 'Best of Buddhist Writing' and I love digging into the articles. It's exactly the right time.
So now I can look forward to 8 more evenings in the restaurant, a bunch more jams at the CU Corner, a dozen or so more walks crosstown to yoga in the park, friendship, sun, reading, music. And then farewell Chiang Mai for this year. I've been learning how to be in a different way this year. Instead of going to my default pattern of 'where are the women, how can I meet one?' I've been searching for a new mode. I've got real love on the other side of the world, and it's just a much higher value than the perpetual chase for 'connection', whatever that means. It's an adjustment for sure, but it feels like a necessary and worthy pursuit, to find 'connection' inside myself, with my heart and mind. And the more I do, the more the illusions can fade into the air, circle back into the ether. Good times...
That's right, I skipped yoga... everything is different...
Well well well, I feel the changes a comin' on. Looking at the calendar, I see that my 2 month visa is up in two weeks and it's time to start formulating a plan for the second half of my trip. I broached the idea of extending the stay here in Chiang Mai to Dash and Noi last night, wondering about keeping the run going and remaining a restaurant musician. They were supportive if that's what I wanted to do, but the fact is, things slow down, it might not be as interesting for me, and February is mostly about Chinese people celebrating their New Year. They're happy to have me stay on, but then I'd feel like even more of a 'Court Musician' than I already am, so I got the sense that it's time to bust a move. Glad I broached it, now I can start to plan the next phase.
I could buy a plane ticket to Bangkok and then on to Phnom Penh, and from there catch a bus down to Sihanoukville where I have friends and musical opportunities. That's a pretty good option and probably the leader in the clubhouse at this writing. (assuming there are tickets available, which I suspect there are). Or I could give myself a chance to see something new, make my way into Laos, head overland to Cambodia.. lots of time and travel in that option, not sure if it's what I'm looking for, but it's a possibility. I really enjoyed the boat trip to Luang Prabang I took 3 years ago, and that city is awesome. But I've already seen it, so there is some desire to take a new route. And Vietnam is also a possibility, either in the north or the south with friends in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). But then again, I've been two months in the city, it sounds good to be more rural... or more on the beach. Hmmmm.
One thing in favor of a road trip is the fact that I'm traveling real light... it all fits in my mid-size backpack, and my guitar has a good case... So anything is possible. Time to imagine what I want to experience in late January and early February. I'll start asking around and doing whatever meager research I might initiate... it's not exactly my style... But tis time...
In the meantime I've got gigs to play, money to make, laps to swim and asanas to practice. And Dash turned me onto a GREAT song in Spanish that I'm learning. La Camisa Negra. super groove, just my style, even if the subject matter isn't. It's called the black shirt, about a guy who wears a black shirt to match his black soul that he's had since his lady fell out of love with him... But since it's in Spanish and folks won't understand the lyric, it's all good. (my lady loves me anyhow:-) right? thought so...
I could buy a plane ticket to Bangkok and then on to Phnom Penh, and from there catch a bus down to Sihanoukville where I have friends and musical opportunities. That's a pretty good option and probably the leader in the clubhouse at this writing. (assuming there are tickets available, which I suspect there are). Or I could give myself a chance to see something new, make my way into Laos, head overland to Cambodia.. lots of time and travel in that option, not sure if it's what I'm looking for, but it's a possibility. I really enjoyed the boat trip to Luang Prabang I took 3 years ago, and that city is awesome. But I've already seen it, so there is some desire to take a new route. And Vietnam is also a possibility, either in the north or the south with friends in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). But then again, I've been two months in the city, it sounds good to be more rural... or more on the beach. Hmmmm.
One thing in favor of a road trip is the fact that I'm traveling real light... it all fits in my mid-size backpack, and my guitar has a good case... So anything is possible. Time to imagine what I want to experience in late January and early February. I'll start asking around and doing whatever meager research I might initiate... it's not exactly my style... But tis time...
In the meantime I've got gigs to play, money to make, laps to swim and asanas to practice. And Dash turned me onto a GREAT song in Spanish that I'm learning. La Camisa Negra. super groove, just my style, even if the subject matter isn't. It's called the black shirt, about a guy who wears a black shirt to match his black soul that he's had since his lady fell out of love with him... But since it's in Spanish and folks won't understand the lyric, it's all good. (my lady loves me anyhow:-) right? thought so...
Forty days and forty nights
Well out of a hundred days in Asia, I'm cruising into the forties, and it's been remarkable for how predictable, unexciting, repetitious and absolutely wonderful it has been. I suppose each trip is a discovery about where I'm at at a particular time in my life, sometimes it's about putting on the miles, seeing lots of different things, and sometimes it is the opposite. This time it's about routine, breathing, yoga, music, friends and a looking inward. I'm a 'terrible tourist', don't do the tourist things, don't care about the elephants or the hilltribe folks or the tigers. I don't want to go trekking with a bunch of Europeans, don't want to go 'white water rafting' (allegedly) or do the zipline through the jungle canopy. I did a little of that my first year here, it was ok, not interested anymore. Don't want to rent a motorbike, maybe a bicycle once in a while. Don't want to get on the minivan up to Pai, or go down to the islands and sit on the beach. Don't want to smoke and drink and chase women (or ladyboys). I'm a terrible tourist.
Instead I'm just super content to go for the morning coffee, read an article or two in 'The Best of Buddhist Writing 2011', walk through the old city to the park, rent a straw mat, do a yoga practice for an hour or more, have some water, maybe grab a bowl of noodle soup on the way back through town, go to the internet place and do some reading and visiting with friends, head back to the guest house for an afternoon swim. Head up to the room for a nap, since I can't seem to stay asleep more than 5 hours at night. I might work on some music in the room, and then I'll head off to some kind of gig or other most nights. I'm up to 4 nights a week at the restaurant, and that gig is financing my stay here. I play about 3 hours, include a lot of originals, try to meet the needs of the diners... sometimes I'm in the background, sometimes I 'perform' more, get some interaction going, get some laughs. Every night is different, but what's the same is going there early, getting a meal, getting set up, plugging in and playing music. Routine.
My visa is up on January 28 which means I need to be leaving the country by then, or else applying for a one month extension, which is available for about $55. It's undecided at this point... My friends really want me in Cambodia, I'm kind of the meal ticket because with me there, we can earn pretty good money... (plus we're friends). But there are a few factors, one of which is the precarious state of the Thai political situation. This coming Monday there will be an enormous rally by the opposition party whose goal is to shut down Bangkok and drive the caretaker government from power. Force their hand. It's a very complicated situation and very fluid as well. The main interest seems to be what the response of the military will be. There is lots of talk about a military coup and takeover, and there is much potential for violence. So any transit through Bangkok is potentially problematic in the near future, though it's likely that the airport will be spared. It would be stupid to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs (tourism). So if I go to Cambodia, I'll likely forego the night train to Bangkok, bus to the border option, in favor of flying above it all to a landing in Phnom Penh. No decisions yet, I'm watching carefully... especially on Monday the 13th D Day.
As far as staying in Chiang Mai, there are things that favor that option. For one, I'm in a stellar healthy groove, feeling good, got my Asia body on, I've dropped the usual 10-15 pounds which I carry in Eugene, I'm making a ton of music and paying my way here, which is a thrill. And I've been connecting with some of the best musicians in town, and there is talk about maybe recording some of the Asia tunes I've written over the years. That would be fun and I'm looking into what it would take in terms of personnel and money. I got called up onstage the other night at a big jam at Yummy Pizza, and the players loved what I did, they friended me on Facebook, and we're getting together on Sunday for a different jam. Turns out the drummer, Rod, (who is excellent) has a home studio and the capability of recording well, and the bass player Randy is great, there's a good lead guitar player who I'm gonna rehearse with this afternoon, and even some fantastic horn players available. The trumpet player is local legend Roddy Lorimer, 60 from Glasgow who has played with the Stones, the Who, the Waterboys and others. He and his sax playing buddy jammed with me the other night at Yummy, wrote horn lines on the spot and it just lifted the music. It would be SO COOL to record with them. I'll know more soon...
I guess the main theme of the first 40 days is the yoga and the Buddhist reading and reflecting. I'm quite calm, even centered, happy on a daily basis, just really pleased to be in the sun and the warm, eating good food, talking to interesting people, making music with some great players and some not-so-great. So happy to have my good guitar here, with the good case, the case gets a lot of compliments and attention. It's a backpack style tan affair, real solid and comfortable to carry around. Thank you Parkwood Company (a subsidiary of Guitar Center). Between the music and the meditation, I don't seem to lack for anything, well there's one thing, but that can wait until I get back home. It's just a blessing to have this great city of Chiang Mai which feels like a second home to me. My dental work is done, I have many friends and associates, people to hang around with, a place to swim and to do yoga. And as the young French woman said in a conversation about how lucky we are to be in this part of the world during the winter, 'I choose to be lucky'. And apparently so do I. 'I choose to be lucky'.
Instead I'm just super content to go for the morning coffee, read an article or two in 'The Best of Buddhist Writing 2011', walk through the old city to the park, rent a straw mat, do a yoga practice for an hour or more, have some water, maybe grab a bowl of noodle soup on the way back through town, go to the internet place and do some reading and visiting with friends, head back to the guest house for an afternoon swim. Head up to the room for a nap, since I can't seem to stay asleep more than 5 hours at night. I might work on some music in the room, and then I'll head off to some kind of gig or other most nights. I'm up to 4 nights a week at the restaurant, and that gig is financing my stay here. I play about 3 hours, include a lot of originals, try to meet the needs of the diners... sometimes I'm in the background, sometimes I 'perform' more, get some interaction going, get some laughs. Every night is different, but what's the same is going there early, getting a meal, getting set up, plugging in and playing music. Routine.
My visa is up on January 28 which means I need to be leaving the country by then, or else applying for a one month extension, which is available for about $55. It's undecided at this point... My friends really want me in Cambodia, I'm kind of the meal ticket because with me there, we can earn pretty good money... (plus we're friends). But there are a few factors, one of which is the precarious state of the Thai political situation. This coming Monday there will be an enormous rally by the opposition party whose goal is to shut down Bangkok and drive the caretaker government from power. Force their hand. It's a very complicated situation and very fluid as well. The main interest seems to be what the response of the military will be. There is lots of talk about a military coup and takeover, and there is much potential for violence. So any transit through Bangkok is potentially problematic in the near future, though it's likely that the airport will be spared. It would be stupid to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs (tourism). So if I go to Cambodia, I'll likely forego the night train to Bangkok, bus to the border option, in favor of flying above it all to a landing in Phnom Penh. No decisions yet, I'm watching carefully... especially on Monday the 13th D Day.
As far as staying in Chiang Mai, there are things that favor that option. For one, I'm in a stellar healthy groove, feeling good, got my Asia body on, I've dropped the usual 10-15 pounds which I carry in Eugene, I'm making a ton of music and paying my way here, which is a thrill. And I've been connecting with some of the best musicians in town, and there is talk about maybe recording some of the Asia tunes I've written over the years. That would be fun and I'm looking into what it would take in terms of personnel and money. I got called up onstage the other night at a big jam at Yummy Pizza, and the players loved what I did, they friended me on Facebook, and we're getting together on Sunday for a different jam. Turns out the drummer, Rod, (who is excellent) has a home studio and the capability of recording well, and the bass player Randy is great, there's a good lead guitar player who I'm gonna rehearse with this afternoon, and even some fantastic horn players available. The trumpet player is local legend Roddy Lorimer, 60 from Glasgow who has played with the Stones, the Who, the Waterboys and others. He and his sax playing buddy jammed with me the other night at Yummy, wrote horn lines on the spot and it just lifted the music. It would be SO COOL to record with them. I'll know more soon...
I guess the main theme of the first 40 days is the yoga and the Buddhist reading and reflecting. I'm quite calm, even centered, happy on a daily basis, just really pleased to be in the sun and the warm, eating good food, talking to interesting people, making music with some great players and some not-so-great. So happy to have my good guitar here, with the good case, the case gets a lot of compliments and attention. It's a backpack style tan affair, real solid and comfortable to carry around. Thank you Parkwood Company (a subsidiary of Guitar Center). Between the music and the meditation, I don't seem to lack for anything, well there's one thing, but that can wait until I get back home. It's just a blessing to have this great city of Chiang Mai which feels like a second home to me. My dental work is done, I have many friends and associates, people to hang around with, a place to swim and to do yoga. And as the young French woman said in a conversation about how lucky we are to be in this part of the world during the winter, 'I choose to be lucky'. And apparently so do I. 'I choose to be lucky'.
Off the charts!
Still buzzing from last night's party at Yummy Pizza. It was some kind of anniversary of the business so they had a big band on hand, including some American guy on keys and squeeze, along with the best of the local players. I was purely audience last night, eating pizza, visiting with friends. But then after the set I was told they were calling me up on the stage, so what the hell, sure. Didn't have a guitar with me, had to borrow Tony's, got it plugged in, ran over a few chords with Randy Fournier (bass) and Oliver (lead) and off we went on Same Same. It went well, swung into Bhang Lassie, it went well and then onto the next. I asked the horn section if they would join me for the next song and up they came from their break to return to the mic.
I don't know the sax player's name, but the trumpet player is local legend Roddy Lorimer, 60 from Glasgow who had a long and very distinguished recording career in Europe, appearing with the Stones, The Who, the Waterboys and many more major acts. He's incredible, he and the sax can just improvise harmony lines on the fly, and WOW! what a sound!. So when we played Boom Boom, it was a total party. The accordion guy jumped up on stage as well, so it was a 7 piece rocking groove that the audience loved. And I got to band lead from the microphone, signalling breaks, calling solos, bringing down the volume as needed. Totally fun and entertaining. I was jumping up and down, pizza belly notwithstanding. Somebody called out Jambalaya and I sang lead and conducted that one as well and it was just incredibly satisfying. For me the best part is that these professional musicians loved my stuff and wanted to be there That's a great feeling. And since my ride was wanting to go back to town, I had to scoot out of there and get on the road. (Not a bad idea, actually, better leave them wanting more rather than less). The same crew gets together on Sunday at some hotel on the river and I'm gonna make it this time.
Oliver Benjamin (aka The Dude) is an excellent player and very talented writer. He developed a website called Dudeism.com which is a hysterical tribute to the Big Lebowski and it's just funny start to finish. He has asked me a few times if I've recorded these Thailand tunes and I say no, but now that I've hooked in with a bunch of great players who like them, hmmmm I could see making it happen here. I'm gonna look into that when I meet with them on Sunday. Wouldn't that be something! And if I do that, then I'd probably stick around Chiang Mai, extend the visa which I can do by a month... To be determined. But it is powerful to play with a great rhythm section, horn section etc.
The fun onstage more than made up for the bad headache I had all night. I wonder if I've officially gone into the 'gluten intolerant' phase of my life. I get headaches occasionally, but this one was bad and I ate a bunch of pizza. Got kind of gluttonous and paid the price. No more of that, surely. But my morning coffee, a great yoga workout in the park, and I feel great again. Ready for some food now, and I'll go to the place round the corner from my guest house, the one that caters to the high school students on their lunch break. I get a nice plate of rice with veggies and pork, along with a bowl of consomme for $1. Tasty, healthy and good. Can't beat it. Have I mentioned that I love Chiang Mai? And then I get to play 4 out of the next 5 nights at the restaurant, make some money, make a bunch of music... Heaven!
I don't know the sax player's name, but the trumpet player is local legend Roddy Lorimer, 60 from Glasgow who had a long and very distinguished recording career in Europe, appearing with the Stones, The Who, the Waterboys and many more major acts. He's incredible, he and the sax can just improvise harmony lines on the fly, and WOW! what a sound!. So when we played Boom Boom, it was a total party. The accordion guy jumped up on stage as well, so it was a 7 piece rocking groove that the audience loved. And I got to band lead from the microphone, signalling breaks, calling solos, bringing down the volume as needed. Totally fun and entertaining. I was jumping up and down, pizza belly notwithstanding. Somebody called out Jambalaya and I sang lead and conducted that one as well and it was just incredibly satisfying. For me the best part is that these professional musicians loved my stuff and wanted to be there That's a great feeling. And since my ride was wanting to go back to town, I had to scoot out of there and get on the road. (Not a bad idea, actually, better leave them wanting more rather than less). The same crew gets together on Sunday at some hotel on the river and I'm gonna make it this time.
Oliver Benjamin (aka The Dude) is an excellent player and very talented writer. He developed a website called Dudeism.com which is a hysterical tribute to the Big Lebowski and it's just funny start to finish. He has asked me a few times if I've recorded these Thailand tunes and I say no, but now that I've hooked in with a bunch of great players who like them, hmmmm I could see making it happen here. I'm gonna look into that when I meet with them on Sunday. Wouldn't that be something! And if I do that, then I'd probably stick around Chiang Mai, extend the visa which I can do by a month... To be determined. But it is powerful to play with a great rhythm section, horn section etc.
The fun onstage more than made up for the bad headache I had all night. I wonder if I've officially gone into the 'gluten intolerant' phase of my life. I get headaches occasionally, but this one was bad and I ate a bunch of pizza. Got kind of gluttonous and paid the price. No more of that, surely. But my morning coffee, a great yoga workout in the park, and I feel great again. Ready for some food now, and I'll go to the place round the corner from my guest house, the one that caters to the high school students on their lunch break. I get a nice plate of rice with veggies and pork, along with a bowl of consomme for $1. Tasty, healthy and good. Can't beat it. Have I mentioned that I love Chiang Mai? And then I get to play 4 out of the next 5 nights at the restaurant, make some money, make a bunch of music... Heaven!
'I choose to be lucky'
Yup another day of yoga and music and coffee and mindfulness. I think I love the familiarity of it, the predictability and the rhythm, the sweat and the callouses, the 2pm coffee with the grey haired guys, the comfort of knowing the sound system at Dash restaurant, getting efficient with the tuning up, the transition from recorded music to live music. I tend to start the same way each time, with a couple of instrumental pieces that make a seamless transition into live music. There are some tables that are close to where I play, and I want to give the diners a smooth entree into my set, don't want to come on too strong. It's a ritual, I suppose, and I'm drawn to ritual. So I start with a couple of mellow songs I wrote some years ago, each one has a time and a place (to me) and there's something satisfying about that as well. It's the fact that this music is cumulative, it keeps building over the years and now I have an opportunity to express the sounds of a lifetime in this particular moment. Hmmmm that's kind of a Buddhist thought, though I can't quite put my finger on why, just yet. But we have this moment and it's a moment in the context of the vastness of the universe, the eternal now, and I get to make a soundtrack of it 4 nights a week.
And the longer I do it, the more things are coming out, the more memories, thoughts of friends, some departed, they're all here when I play the songs associated with them. My soul brother, Howie Lawrence from the Keys taught me 'Island in the Sun' and that one came out the other night, along with his memory. Katie Hunter from Tallahassee taught me 'Paper Moon' at a singalong on her land cooperative, so I think of her departed spirit as I sing the song. I pulled out 'There's a Place for Us' the finale of West Side Story, the other night, and that song was my absolute favorite composition ten years ago. And that's the spirit of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, two giants. So these memories are flooding my spirit as I sing into the mic and try to touch the crowd. They're not just songs, they're little universes.
It was 9pm last night and I had finished two hours, there was some crowd but not huge, so I asked Dash if he wanted me to stop or keep going. He said it was up to me. If I keep going, that's an extra ten bucks, so sure I want to play that next hour, but I wanted to give him the option to say, 'That's good for tonight'. But he turned it back to me so I kept playing and a few parties showed up to be part of the music and it turned into a great final set. Made some tips, some folks were singing along, making requests, we had some laughs. What a great gig this is!. Made close to $50 between the pay and the tips and that's a nice 3 hours of work here, where my room costs $10 and I can get a good bowl of soup for $1.
Then I headed around the corner to play some at CU Corner, my former (and present stomping ground). Ended up on the stage there, got a great response and a lot of appreciation, invited Noel up to sing a few songs, he's an older Irish gent, very funny, fluent in Thai, loves my tunes and sense of humor, one of the good connections I've made this visit to Chiang Mai. It was his last night in town so it was fun to give him the spotlight, and he's got an amazing voice (for a heavy smoker). Just one of those gifts, I suppose. We sang, Bye Bye Love, What a Wonderful World and I Can't Help Falling in Love With You. People didn't really know what a great singer he is so there was surprise and appreciation. And then Billy (Aussie guitar player 62 years old) asked if I could play that song 'One Little Glance' from that Oregon songwriter chap (me). It was the first time anyone requested that one and I happily obliged. It's a really solid jazz tune that I'm proud of and folks dug it a lot.
And then Pavel and Daniel, the gypsy jazz guys showed up to play at 11:30, so I switched to bass and anchored their virtuosity, read through the charts, and once again it was a great and well appreciated hour of jazz and swing, Django Reinhart style. It's such a thrill to get to play with great guys and great players, to earn their respect and appreciation and to provide music for the customers. I played 5 and 1/2 hours of music last night, was fed a great meal, got my drinks paid for. What a gift it is to make music!
And the title of this piece, which seems to fit the way I'm feeling was uttered by a young French woman who I met this morning as she and her friend were waiting for the minivan to arrive and take them up to Pai, in the north. I was having coffee at Noi's (different Noi than the restaurant owner), and we had one of those, where ya going, how's your trip type conversations. We agreed that we are so fortunate to be spending the winter in SE Asia as opposed to the States or France and she said, 'I choose to be lucky'. I love the sound of that... it's got that little bit of whimsy that captures well this moment in time. I choose to be lucky too.
And the longer I do it, the more things are coming out, the more memories, thoughts of friends, some departed, they're all here when I play the songs associated with them. My soul brother, Howie Lawrence from the Keys taught me 'Island in the Sun' and that one came out the other night, along with his memory. Katie Hunter from Tallahassee taught me 'Paper Moon' at a singalong on her land cooperative, so I think of her departed spirit as I sing the song. I pulled out 'There's a Place for Us' the finale of West Side Story, the other night, and that song was my absolute favorite composition ten years ago. And that's the spirit of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, two giants. So these memories are flooding my spirit as I sing into the mic and try to touch the crowd. They're not just songs, they're little universes.
It was 9pm last night and I had finished two hours, there was some crowd but not huge, so I asked Dash if he wanted me to stop or keep going. He said it was up to me. If I keep going, that's an extra ten bucks, so sure I want to play that next hour, but I wanted to give him the option to say, 'That's good for tonight'. But he turned it back to me so I kept playing and a few parties showed up to be part of the music and it turned into a great final set. Made some tips, some folks were singing along, making requests, we had some laughs. What a great gig this is!. Made close to $50 between the pay and the tips and that's a nice 3 hours of work here, where my room costs $10 and I can get a good bowl of soup for $1.
Then I headed around the corner to play some at CU Corner, my former (and present stomping ground). Ended up on the stage there, got a great response and a lot of appreciation, invited Noel up to sing a few songs, he's an older Irish gent, very funny, fluent in Thai, loves my tunes and sense of humor, one of the good connections I've made this visit to Chiang Mai. It was his last night in town so it was fun to give him the spotlight, and he's got an amazing voice (for a heavy smoker). Just one of those gifts, I suppose. We sang, Bye Bye Love, What a Wonderful World and I Can't Help Falling in Love With You. People didn't really know what a great singer he is so there was surprise and appreciation. And then Billy (Aussie guitar player 62 years old) asked if I could play that song 'One Little Glance' from that Oregon songwriter chap (me). It was the first time anyone requested that one and I happily obliged. It's a really solid jazz tune that I'm proud of and folks dug it a lot.
And then Pavel and Daniel, the gypsy jazz guys showed up to play at 11:30, so I switched to bass and anchored their virtuosity, read through the charts, and once again it was a great and well appreciated hour of jazz and swing, Django Reinhart style. It's such a thrill to get to play with great guys and great players, to earn their respect and appreciation and to provide music for the customers. I played 5 and 1/2 hours of music last night, was fed a great meal, got my drinks paid for. What a gift it is to make music!
And the title of this piece, which seems to fit the way I'm feeling was uttered by a young French woman who I met this morning as she and her friend were waiting for the minivan to arrive and take them up to Pai, in the north. I was having coffee at Noi's (different Noi than the restaurant owner), and we had one of those, where ya going, how's your trip type conversations. We agreed that we are so fortunate to be spending the winter in SE Asia as opposed to the States or France and she said, 'I choose to be lucky'. I love the sound of that... it's got that little bit of whimsy that captures well this moment in time. I choose to be lucky too.
Deeper....
I seem t be getting deeper into the spirit groove of this winter retreat, and it's a beautiful thing. I used to say that Chiang Mai was an artist's retreat for me, and that may still apply, but more than the art, I'm finding that it's about the breathing, the mindfulness, the interior landscape. My book is really helping in this shift. Every day I read a few chapters from 'Best Buddhist Writing of 2011' and the cumulative effect of it is permeating my awareness. Like today I was reading the piece by Thich Nhat Hanh, who among other things is known for his meditation walking, and it got me more tuned into the walking, the breathing, the seeing, the peace. It was a lovely stroll over to the park for the daily yoga practice.
And in yesterday's yoga convergence, three of us got together and Satia, who claims to be a yoga teacher, led us. She was great and the thing that she said which I hadn't quite internalized before is that yoga is not about a workout or a competition. It's a coordination of the breathing with the movement of the body. So this pose is on an in breath and this pose is on an out breath and it brings the breath and the body together. I kinda knew that on some level, but hearing it now, it totally made sense. And of course the more I do it, the more it becomes second nature, and the deeper we go.
Which is not to say that I'm turning into some kind of guru dude, far from it, but I am acquiring some very useful tools along the path of (hopefully) wisdom. That's what it's about, right, this 'getting older' thing? It's not about consuming more or eating more dinners at fancy restaurants, it's about becoming more wise, and more compassionate, both inside and out. It's not about controlling the thoughts, or squelching the impulses. Those are going to come, we couldn't stop them if we wanted to. It's about accepting them, making peace with them, allowing for them, letting them pass.
I never thought that I could 'meditate'. It seemed so foreign, like you had to say these esoteric words and sit forever, and it just isn't me. But the idea of sitting and observing what my mind does, without judging it, learning how to do that... yeah, I could do that kind of meditation. And I seem to be doing it more and more... Yup it's official... I'm definitely Jubu now. (jewish-buddhist), maybe going all the way over to purely 'bu'.
On a more mundane note, I'm finding myself quite obsessed with keeping track of my money, counting it at least a few times each day, it's sort of comical. (not that I'm judging it, of course). But ever since I went to 4 nights a week at the restaurant, I've been able to live in Chiang Mai without going to the ATM. I have the exact same amount of money I had when I last went to the bank machine 18 days ago...15,000 baht, about $500.00. And that calculus of earning my keep here is kinda thrilling for a person like me. Such a gift to have found a way to pay my way in this lifestyle by doing something I adore doing, making music. It's almost of too good to be true, but it's true for now. (of course I didn't pay for the dental work out of my playing, but the regular day to day of living here, yup, that's from music)
And speaking of music, I've been busting out lots of tunes from the recesses of my brain. They're in there, and now they get to come out and get sung into the microphone. Last night I played 'There's a Place For Us' from West Side Story, always LOVED that song, and now that I haven't had a toke for over 5 weeks (but who's counting?) I can hit the high notes easily and it sounds good. (And Noi likes it, which is always a consideration). She's been so supportive of what I'm doing there, best boss ever. I get to do it again this evening, make my next 1,000 baht, keep the music and the lifestyle flowing... Dreamy....
And in yesterday's yoga convergence, three of us got together and Satia, who claims to be a yoga teacher, led us. She was great and the thing that she said which I hadn't quite internalized before is that yoga is not about a workout or a competition. It's a coordination of the breathing with the movement of the body. So this pose is on an in breath and this pose is on an out breath and it brings the breath and the body together. I kinda knew that on some level, but hearing it now, it totally made sense. And of course the more I do it, the more it becomes second nature, and the deeper we go.
Which is not to say that I'm turning into some kind of guru dude, far from it, but I am acquiring some very useful tools along the path of (hopefully) wisdom. That's what it's about, right, this 'getting older' thing? It's not about consuming more or eating more dinners at fancy restaurants, it's about becoming more wise, and more compassionate, both inside and out. It's not about controlling the thoughts, or squelching the impulses. Those are going to come, we couldn't stop them if we wanted to. It's about accepting them, making peace with them, allowing for them, letting them pass.
I never thought that I could 'meditate'. It seemed so foreign, like you had to say these esoteric words and sit forever, and it just isn't me. But the idea of sitting and observing what my mind does, without judging it, learning how to do that... yeah, I could do that kind of meditation. And I seem to be doing it more and more... Yup it's official... I'm definitely Jubu now. (jewish-buddhist), maybe going all the way over to purely 'bu'.
On a more mundane note, I'm finding myself quite obsessed with keeping track of my money, counting it at least a few times each day, it's sort of comical. (not that I'm judging it, of course). But ever since I went to 4 nights a week at the restaurant, I've been able to live in Chiang Mai without going to the ATM. I have the exact same amount of money I had when I last went to the bank machine 18 days ago...15,000 baht, about $500.00. And that calculus of earning my keep here is kinda thrilling for a person like me. Such a gift to have found a way to pay my way in this lifestyle by doing something I adore doing, making music. It's almost of too good to be true, but it's true for now. (of course I didn't pay for the dental work out of my playing, but the regular day to day of living here, yup, that's from music)
And speaking of music, I've been busting out lots of tunes from the recesses of my brain. They're in there, and now they get to come out and get sung into the microphone. Last night I played 'There's a Place For Us' from West Side Story, always LOVED that song, and now that I haven't had a toke for over 5 weeks (but who's counting?) I can hit the high notes easily and it sounds good. (And Noi likes it, which is always a consideration). She's been so supportive of what I'm doing there, best boss ever. I get to do it again this evening, make my next 1,000 baht, keep the music and the lifestyle flowing... Dreamy....
One of the exceedingly rare blues tunes I've ever written. (not a jazz chord to be found)
The groove is like Wilson Pickett's 'Midnight Hour' (old school R and B)
I gave you what you said you wanted
So I thought we would be OK
Girl I'm not the kind who can read your mind
But I sure listen to what you say
And now that look in your eyes is haunted
I gave you what you said you wanted
I gave you what you said you wanted
Yes I followed the recipe
I must have been a fool for stickin' to the rule
Because you up and turned your back on me
I may be down but I'm still undaunted
I gave you what you said you wanted
chorus
Guess we're gonna find out what we're made of
No better teacher than the one we're most afraid of
Don't have to fear it, no we don't have to hide
Can't wait to see you on the other side
I'm sure not saying that I'm any better
In fact I think we're just about the same
We could let it be, or we could set each other free
And neither one should take the blame
Not gonna front, and I ain't gonna flaunt it
But I gave you what you said you wanted...
I seem to have...
I seem to have a yoga practice these days, and I know this because even though the teacher is off on a 5 day break, I've been continuing to do the postures, focus on the breathing, work on the alignment and flexibility. My body and my mind want to continue this, so I do. And it's been a lovely adjunct to life in Chiang Mai. My ritual this week has been to have my morning coffee, then walk through town to the park on the SW edge of the old city. I rent a woven mat, take off my shirt, roll up the legs of my workout pants (hey, I'm multi-tasking, getting some sun) and then do about a 50 minute session. It's not cool to walk around without a shirt (except in the park), so it's a nice way to work on the tan, work on the breath, work on the body. Work work work, (he said with a laugh).
And what a beautiful walk it is to get where I'm going. Past the temples, including my favorite one which is just before the park, down the lanes, hearing the birds, avoiding the fried chicken and other grease which calls to me...mellow stroll a mile through town and it gets me in the mood to do yoga. And afterward, another jaunt home, or to the internet like today, stop off for a bowl of soup from a friendly woman who smiles and is happy to have the farang customer. I carried on the most rudimentary of conversations today, and for the first time, I regret not being able to say more. My contribution was this, 'Happy New Year, noodle soup with rice, thanks, not cold today, nice nice, delicious, thank you, see you later'. I've accustomed myself to the notion that I won't be learning Thai... too hard and I don't really need it in the life I'm living here.... but I think I'll learn a couple of phrases for the next time I stop in for the meal. 'I'm happy here, the people are so nice, I love Chiang Mai' Yeah, I ought to be able to say those things...
Today is January 2, and I am officially one third of the way through my hundred day visit to Asia. It's been anything but adventuresome, or even 'travel' for that matter. I simple arrived here, went back to the place I was familiar with, started living. And it's been great, and what makes it great are friends, yoga, dentistry, music, more music and the ability to earn my keep here, reading, sun, Buddhism, no weed, I've been totally straight since I've been here. The Buddhism piece has come to the fore in the past several days. I've been reading a book I enjoy a lot, 'Best Buddhist writing of 2011' a series of short pieces from different authors, and it's been a wonderful way for me to learn and to try and apply the lesssons to my life. The main thing seems to be to realize that the stuff that goes on in your mind isn't 'you'. You are bigger than that, that stuff is just a movie, and if it's a fearful movie, or a covetous movie or a selfish movie, I have the ability to transcend that script, let go of the fear and the want, and just enjoy the big picture. I'm working on it these days, seeing my fears for what they are... not reality, just a not-useful script and the more I maintain that awareness, the better off we'll all be... So I keep on that path...
New Year's Eve was just great. Played a fun couple of sets at Dash Restaurant, was in a very good groove at different points, great response, accompanied Dash himself as he was in a singing mood at the end of the night and he really appreciated it. Made some tips and salary, always nice, then walked down to watch the fireworks which don't really do anything for me (except make me wonder 'why'?). But the highlight of the night was cruising into CU Corner after midnight as Pavel was taking the stage. He's a great player, sings in English and Spanish, plays excellent electric guitar, good material, total pro. Billy from Australia was sitting in for a few songs on bass, and I said, 'Hey Billy, when you get tired, I'd love to play a few'. He said, 'Last one, Richard' and then it was my turn. Pavel does this thing where he tunes his guitar down half a step, so he can hit the high notes in a couple of vocals. Seems dumb to me, and it drives people nuts who are trying to jam with him. you either have to transpose, or else tune your own instrument down a half step. Why, dude? But anyhow, I can handle that... my musician brain can do the calculations and I was in good form, and he was digging the support. His buddy Drew from Hawaii was playing Cajon (that wooden box you can play rhythm on) and we were sounding GREAT!. There was a big crowd of friends, including a bunch of regulars who had just arrived back in town, so it was like old home week.
I had been feeling blue earlier in the day, missing my girlfriend in particular, wanting to be with my loved ones, and this party was a pretty good antidote. There's Coco, queen of the lady boys, there's John, Irish guy living in Majorca, just back in town, there's Keith, big biker dude from the Isle of Man, hadn't seen him until this night. There's Matt and Debbie just back from Maui. Oh was very nice to me, setting me up with a couple of drinks, a hug for the new year, it feels like we're friends and that's a great thing. She was in full-on Oh mode, charging through the crowd, keeping the drinks coming, smiling, dancing her way through, she's an unbelievable waitress, everyone loves and appreciates her and it was something to see her doing what she does. She's supposedly off to France sometime this month when her visa comes together, off to be with her 'fiance' Michelle (guy) sp? who everyone says is great. I'm very happy for her.
So we're playing song after song, the people are loving it, toasting, dancing, celebrating and then it's time to finish so others could play. Pavel picks, 'I'm a joker' a song I've always really liked. And the combination of seeing the old friends, seeing Oh, feeling like a part of something over here, jamming hard on the bass, feeling the teamwork with the musicians, singing harmony for 'I'm a joker', it just lifted me into some kind of altered state, (that plus a couple of rum drinks, but I digress) and I was filled with joy, really lifted up. Gratitude for that and for all of this life...
And what a beautiful walk it is to get where I'm going. Past the temples, including my favorite one which is just before the park, down the lanes, hearing the birds, avoiding the fried chicken and other grease which calls to me...mellow stroll a mile through town and it gets me in the mood to do yoga. And afterward, another jaunt home, or to the internet like today, stop off for a bowl of soup from a friendly woman who smiles and is happy to have the farang customer. I carried on the most rudimentary of conversations today, and for the first time, I regret not being able to say more. My contribution was this, 'Happy New Year, noodle soup with rice, thanks, not cold today, nice nice, delicious, thank you, see you later'. I've accustomed myself to the notion that I won't be learning Thai... too hard and I don't really need it in the life I'm living here.... but I think I'll learn a couple of phrases for the next time I stop in for the meal. 'I'm happy here, the people are so nice, I love Chiang Mai' Yeah, I ought to be able to say those things...
Today is January 2, and I am officially one third of the way through my hundred day visit to Asia. It's been anything but adventuresome, or even 'travel' for that matter. I simple arrived here, went back to the place I was familiar with, started living. And it's been great, and what makes it great are friends, yoga, dentistry, music, more music and the ability to earn my keep here, reading, sun, Buddhism, no weed, I've been totally straight since I've been here. The Buddhism piece has come to the fore in the past several days. I've been reading a book I enjoy a lot, 'Best Buddhist writing of 2011' a series of short pieces from different authors, and it's been a wonderful way for me to learn and to try and apply the lesssons to my life. The main thing seems to be to realize that the stuff that goes on in your mind isn't 'you'. You are bigger than that, that stuff is just a movie, and if it's a fearful movie, or a covetous movie or a selfish movie, I have the ability to transcend that script, let go of the fear and the want, and just enjoy the big picture. I'm working on it these days, seeing my fears for what they are... not reality, just a not-useful script and the more I maintain that awareness, the better off we'll all be... So I keep on that path...
New Year's Eve was just great. Played a fun couple of sets at Dash Restaurant, was in a very good groove at different points, great response, accompanied Dash himself as he was in a singing mood at the end of the night and he really appreciated it. Made some tips and salary, always nice, then walked down to watch the fireworks which don't really do anything for me (except make me wonder 'why'?). But the highlight of the night was cruising into CU Corner after midnight as Pavel was taking the stage. He's a great player, sings in English and Spanish, plays excellent electric guitar, good material, total pro. Billy from Australia was sitting in for a few songs on bass, and I said, 'Hey Billy, when you get tired, I'd love to play a few'. He said, 'Last one, Richard' and then it was my turn. Pavel does this thing where he tunes his guitar down half a step, so he can hit the high notes in a couple of vocals. Seems dumb to me, and it drives people nuts who are trying to jam with him. you either have to transpose, or else tune your own instrument down a half step. Why, dude? But anyhow, I can handle that... my musician brain can do the calculations and I was in good form, and he was digging the support. His buddy Drew from Hawaii was playing Cajon (that wooden box you can play rhythm on) and we were sounding GREAT!. There was a big crowd of friends, including a bunch of regulars who had just arrived back in town, so it was like old home week.
I had been feeling blue earlier in the day, missing my girlfriend in particular, wanting to be with my loved ones, and this party was a pretty good antidote. There's Coco, queen of the lady boys, there's John, Irish guy living in Majorca, just back in town, there's Keith, big biker dude from the Isle of Man, hadn't seen him until this night. There's Matt and Debbie just back from Maui. Oh was very nice to me, setting me up with a couple of drinks, a hug for the new year, it feels like we're friends and that's a great thing. She was in full-on Oh mode, charging through the crowd, keeping the drinks coming, smiling, dancing her way through, she's an unbelievable waitress, everyone loves and appreciates her and it was something to see her doing what she does. She's supposedly off to France sometime this month when her visa comes together, off to be with her 'fiance' Michelle (guy) sp? who everyone says is great. I'm very happy for her.
So we're playing song after song, the people are loving it, toasting, dancing, celebrating and then it's time to finish so others could play. Pavel picks, 'I'm a joker' a song I've always really liked. And the combination of seeing the old friends, seeing Oh, feeling like a part of something over here, jamming hard on the bass, feeling the teamwork with the musicians, singing harmony for 'I'm a joker', it just lifted me into some kind of altered state, (that plus a couple of rum drinks, but I digress) and I was filled with joy, really lifted up. Gratitude for that and for all of this life...
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