I just realized today that I hadn’t posted a blog for the December 11^th Jatema gig! Oops. That was ten days ago! I’m just too chock full of the holiday spirit, so I forgot. Well, not really. I’m being a bit sarcastic. The more honest excuse would be the winter weather is making my body want to hibernate, and my brain is just following suit. I must have been a bear in a former life or something smaller like a woodchuck or a lemming.

Yep, that even looks like me, but wait, do lemmings hibernate?

 

Anyway, the show was a blast. Turn-out was less than anticipated. Then again folks are out compulsively racking up credit card bills this time of year, so turn-out wasn’t bad considering. Regardless, I had fun. Plus, I had a few special guests play a few tunes with me as well as play solo. That’s right, more solo bassists are making their way out of the woodworks. This is such a good thing. The more the merrier I say.

 

Nick Wegel joined me for a few tunes. He’s maybe the only one of my students to have jammed at one of my shows with me. He’s only been playing a little while, but he knows how to lay it down solid. Sean Dehart also jumped up to play a few tunes. He did a solo piece (on fretless) and traded licks with me on Autumn Leaves and a blues. I think that was his debut for playing solo. Congrates, Sean, you rock! Also sharing the stage with me was another local solo bassist, Alex Landry. We did a bit of looping, and then Alex played a solo loop piece of his. It was very cool. Be on the lookout for Alex’s gigs in the area. In fact I think he’ll be playing Jatema soon. Thanks you guys for playing with me. Oh yeah, I have a  few photos to toss up on the web, but it’ll have to wait for a later date. I don’t have them with me at the moment. Thanks again to the folks at Jatema for letting me play. You folks are wonderful!

 

Well, boys and girls, it looks like that’s the last solo gig for the year of 2004. I was hoping to hit thirty solo gigs for the year, but I was just shy of the mark. There’s always next year. I’d like to thank each and every one of you for a great year. You are the ones that make it possible for me to make a living doing something I love while keeping a plump belly and staying warm in the winter. Thanks to all the folks that listen to my tunes, came out to my shows, bought my CDs, and told a friend. Thanks to every place that let me play. Thanks to the folks that put me and my music on TV, in movies, on the radio, in the papers, and on the web. Lastly, thanks to all the players that I played with this year. See ya next year!