Banjo Jim’s / Alice

Monday 4/14 – Banjo Jim’s – Gordon Webster, piano – Rick Russo, guitar/banjo – Cassidy Holden, Bass – Dennis Lichtman, clarinet – Jesse Selengut, trumpet/vocals.

It was wierd. I was having an off night. So many clams were coming out of my horn. I hate that feeling. Folks are all clapping me on the back, “sounds great!” But I know what’s up. As Bob Marley says, “One good thing about music, when it hits, you feelin’ ok.” The reverse is also true, when it’s not working it feels awkward and lame. It happens.

“Is it random or is there a reason?” asked Kyle Struve earlier today. Well, it seems random but then again I barely got my 24 hours off this week. I played Sunday afternoon, hard. And then again on Monday night. Only 28 hours break. Usually I get a full day off which is to say sleep – full day off – and then more sleep. Not this time.

Now my week has started again and I’m doing a few hits a day.

This morning we were up at the Alice in Wonderland Sculpture around 74th Street. It was a beautiful day and we did above average up there as far as CD sales and crowd. Still my face was troubling me a bit. Gradually the tunes are getting more focused as far as Stefan and I are concerned – playing together, in tune and in harmony. Tuba Joe did a great job today weaning himself more and more of the book. We had Marko Gazic fill in on guitar today as Clifton is intensely training with the Blue Man Group this week.

He’ll be with us again tomorrow and we’ll be back…

Here’s that creepy picture of the Mad Hatter I promised: