Le Jazz Cette Semaine ...
Chers Amis,
Please if you have any comments feel free to contact me at <gerard@surfcovejazz.com>. I enjoy hearing your thoughts. This email also appears on our website where you may comment as well. http://www.surfcovejazz.com/blog/
Many new and exciting/interesting things happening here. I have re worked our website. www.surfcovejazz.com Some new features include an MP3 player located at the top of the page that has everything we have released in a continuous loop. If you want you can have our recordings playing in random order in the background as you are working on things at your computer. We are always adding photos from our gigs, road trips and visits from friends in the photo galleries. Please check it out and give us your feedback on how we are doing and how we can improve things.
We had a great night at Chez Papa last Friday. It was all the better because my sister and brother-in-law were in town and able to attend the performance. If that wasn’t enough Carl and Lauren Schmid, friends from O.C., who were in London and were scheduled to fly home made a special trip to Paris for one night just to see us! Leslie and I are still humbled by their wonderful act of kindness. That night at Chez Papa a number of our friends and regular listeners were curious to meet my family so there was a steady stream of people visiting their table to say hello. I’m not sure my sister was expecting that much attention. What can I say, we have made some great friends here in France. It was very cool to have a few days to share the Paris that Leslie and I know with my sister and brother-in-law.
We have been putting in quite a few hours in preparation for our Japan tour which is rapidly approaching. We have thought through all possible contingencies (I hope) and we are in good shape. Packing for a two week tour which includes bringing CD’s and sheet music as well as performance clothes, etc. and still avoid checking bags is a challenge. Any road rats out there with packing suggestions would be welcome. We have been spoiled by traveling by train and for shorter lengths of time where these things aren’t issues.
This bowling thing has gotten a bit out of control! Once word of our bowling nights got out to other musicians many have expressed an interest in joining in the fun. Having spent much of my life around musicians I assume the attraction is the idea of drinking and trying to hit something without fear of being arrested. We have now gone three times! We have a (very) loosely organized team called “The Gutter Balls”. One of our members who is an artist is beginning work on team bowling shirts. It is great fun and a good release from my daily routine of living in my own head with music and whatever else happens to be roaming around in there.
We picked up an after hours job (midnight to ?) for next week. I think the last time I did and after hours job I was in my 20’s. Leslie can’t remember ever doing one! It is nice to live in a town where there actually is a desire for live music during after hours, especially on a Wednesday! Next Friday and Saturday we are back at Chez Papa, this time with bassist Pierre Boussaguet. He works with Michel Legrand and many jazz greats so it is always fun to have him on the gig. It will be a good warm up for Japan.
December is very busy. Aside from the tour, we are working the day after we return from Japan as well as the day after that. I have a performance on a boat that will be cruising on the Seine and that same night Leslie is doing a club date with another band. The next day we have another club date. We do another weekend at Chez Papa and after Christmas we travel to La Baule on the 29th-30th to do a hotel job and return on the 31st and work New Year’s Eve at the hotel Georges V in Paris. On New Year’s Eve there are close to thirty musicians booked to perform in different rooms in the hotel that night. They are renting white tuxedos for the guys in the bands! In France they know better that to trust a musician to dress well for a formal job.
For those of you who live in France, Leslie and I are working after hours (Midnight to ?) at Speakeasy on Wednesday, November 27. http://www.lespeakeasy.com On Friday and Saturday, November 29-30 we are working at Chez Papa Jazz Club with bassist Pierre Boussaguet. http://www.papajazzclub.fr
Please take a moment to add our Facebook page to your “Likes” https://www.facebook.com/pages/Leslie-Lewis-Gerard-Hagen-Trio/151399944884337
As always you can find more info about us at http://www.surfcovejazz.com
This email is on the BLOG page on our website www.surfcovejazz.com with a share icon at the bottom of the page if you are so inclined. As always if you want to be spared from anymore emails please reply with an unsubscribe request. <gerard@surfcovejazz.com> I promise there will be no hard feelings.
Leslie and I wish all of you a great Thanksgiving holiday with family, friends, food and … football!!!
Until next time ...