Birthdays

Tuesday was Jesslyn’s 1st birthday.  For her birthday I got her a flat screen TV.  We actually needed to get the TV because our old one will no longer fit in our living room once my birthday present arrives, in the form of a grand piano that will also be every other present we will be getting for me the rest of my life.  Pika and I are a week apart, and we’re feeling very celebratory.  The only thing that could make this week any better is if you come out to my birthday gig at the Blue Whale on Saturday and wish me a happy birthday. But please, no presents.   With the baby last year and the piano this year I’ve gotten the two best birthday presents I could ever hope for.

…yeah ok, the TV is nice too, but that belongs to Pika.

By the way, I’m also playing with saxophonist and good friend Tony White on Friday at the Left Coast Wine Bar.  Birthday wishes will be accepted there as well.

Wedneday Wine Bars, Weekends and Wurlitzers

Thanks to those of you who came out last weekend to see our trio show at Cafe Metropol.  For a last minute booking, we actually brought in quite a few folks, and the owners were happy with both the music and the turnout.  I’m very excited to be doing more shows with Miles and JP this summer, and we hope to keep it rolling!

A few shows of note this week:

On Wednesday I’ll be at the Left Coast Wine Bar and Gallery with reedman Tony White.  Tony and I have been playing here for a number of months now and we’re developing a nice rapport and repertoire.  The LCWB&G has an upstairs loft with a nice piano and very soft couches, perfect for intimate wine drinking and snuggling, if you’re into that sort of thing.

On Saturday I’m at Cafe 322 with my longtime collaborator Roger Cairns, to celebrate the release of our new CD The Dream of Olwen, a project that features just the two of us, an all ballads album that includes some little-known gems along with a few pieces that are more familliar.  It was quite a challenge for me to prepare the arrangements and provide for Roger a capable accompaniment all by my lonesome, but the project was very rewarding and I learned a lot about myself in the process.  At 322 we’ll be doing a lot of those duo tracks as well as some of Roger’s regular fare with rhythm section and saxophone.

The weekend ends for me with another trio concert, on Sunday afternoon in the courtyard behind Vromans Bookstore in Pasadena, as part of the Pasadena Playhouse District Jazz Summer Concert Series.  The Playhouse District is in its 7th year of hosting this free concert series and I’m honored to be included on their roster of esteemed performers.  Once again, Miles and JP are my loyal sidekicks on this.  We’ll be doing music by Vernon Duke, Leonard Bernstein, Stevie Wonder, Gary Fukushima, and of course Fiona Apple.  I am also bringing out for the occasion one of my most prized posessions, a Wurlitzer 140B electric piano which is sounding all kinds of awesome after I had a miraculous epiphany on what was ailing my precious for so many years.

Anyway, another week of interesting music to be made.  Not a bad summer if I do say so myself.