Whoa! It’s Been too Long …
It’s been way too long since I last wrote anything here. For a long time, I tried to make frequent posts, but I have to admit, I’ve just been slacking lately.
Well, as usual, all of us really enjoyed Jazz in the Olympics. It was nice to catch up with musician friends from all over the country, and to get a chance to hear some really great music. For trad jazz lovers, festivals just don’t get any better than this one. Nice venues, well-organized, and simply one of the best lineups of trad jazz you’ll find anywhere.
I’m delighted to announce that we have been invited back for 2008. To quote one of the guys, “I look forward to that weekend all year.” So do I, guys, so do I.
It was also nice to see some of our dancer friends there, too. Brett & Lucy, nice to see you two there. Hope you had as much fun as we did.
Since I went so long between posts, I’ve got a little catching up to do. Now that the good weather is here and folks are out looking for something to do, we’ve been having very nice crowds on Tuesdays at the New Orleans. The hallmark of a good band is one which always tries to put on the best possible performance. That said, the adrenalin factor from playing for an especially good audience usually brings out a little extra from the band, often creating something special. A packed house is terrific; an aisle full of dancers is frosting on the cake.
We love that the swing dancers have discovered us. You folks put such a nice energy into the room, which feeds the band, which then puts more energy into the room which feeds the crowd … Well, you get the picture. It’s a very symbiotic situation which sets up a very enjoyable evening for everyone in the room. If you’ve not yet been a part of this scene; come on down and check it out. Anyway, it’s nice to see some of you on a frequent basis. Thanks, Travis, Sarah, Freddie, Robin … and the others whom I recognize but haven’t yet had a chance to meet and chat with.
Last Tuesday (May 21st) was kind of a special night at the New Orleans. Like … Ladies Night or something. No, it had nothing to do with cover charges or anything like that. There’s never a cover charge on Tuesday. This was more about some really neat people … of the female persuasion … adding a special touch to the ambiance of the evening.
Christine,
(our regular Tuesday bar tender) and her family are moving from Seattle. We were honored that she picked Tuesday night to have her going away party. With all her friends, family, and co-workers there, the evening had a nice feel from the very start. Thank you, Christine, not only for sharing your evening with us, but for being there on Tuesdays for so long. Good luck in your new life. We’ll miss you.
With Christine celebrating, the New Orleans work schedule got juggled a little and our friend 
Samantha Haggerty ended up working Tuesday. That was a good thing for us and for the audience because when Sam works on Tuesdays, we always get a few Billie Holiday-esque numbers from her. This gal can really sing, and audiences love her. It’s always a treat to have Sam do a few tunes with us. Thanks, Sam.
As the topper to our Ladies’ Night, we had a pleasant, totally unexpected surprise. As we launched into the old Louis Armstrong tune “I Wish That I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate”, Robin and a friend whom I haven’t yet met, started into a dance routine. I recognized that we were watching a spontaneous, mini-performance from part of the dance troupe Sister Kate, a group of six or eight young women who perform dance routines to vintage jazz. A special thank you to these two who certainly captured the attention of a surprised, but delighted, room full of people.
All told, it was a great evening at the New Orleans. It’s very rewarding to see folks coming out in such nice numbers. It’s good for us, it’s good for the New Orleans, and it seems to be good for you folks. Thank you. See ya next Tuesday, OK?
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