2/28: Woke up (well, I had already been up for a while) and took a look out my window around 6:40am to find...snow! With the seaside setting and the old-towne architecture it was quite beautiful & serene.
Pulled myself together with a flurry - several layers of clothing - and bounded outside to explore the town of Eastbourne. Within minutes I found the town center and looked for a place to grab some breakfast. I was angry at myself for lazily going for the hotel breakfasts and not venturing out more often. In addition to being much more expensive, eating in the hotel afforded me too much temptation to simply return to my room and go back to bed. Not this time!
Being that it was just past 7am, there wasn’t much open, but it did affiord me the chance to see what was around and let me get my bearings for a later excursion. Finally I came upon a little bakery that was open and serving breakfast. Perfect! I went inside and a friendly chap wearing an apron and a smile greeted me. They had a variety of choices and a pretty good selection of pastries. I had the tomato & egg breakfast which consisted of an egg, sliced fried tomatoes, a slice of bacon (different from the States in that it’s more like a slice of ham), and toast. Very nice. I also, upon the suggestion of the lovely Beth, decided to finally try the famous English tea. I was not disappointed. First they pour some milk in your cup and then the tea, which is already made in large quantities (as opposed to the individual tea bags we get at home) and comes out of what looked like a tap. A bit of sugar and it was a little cup of heaven! I finished everything off with another cup of tea and a pastry with maple, walnuts, and drizzled with chocolate.
Also on the agenda is a bit of practicing, relaxing with my book downstairs in the lobby near one of the huge bay windows, working out with my now-famous Aqua Bells, and another walk into town. Additionally, I reserve the option to take a nap at any time. I understand we’ll be going out for dinner to an Indian restaurant to celebrate Lacey’s (one of our singers) birthday. I’ll have the Tums on standby.
That’s it for now folks!
Stay tuned,
--Adam
Monday, February 28, 2005
Sunday, February 27, 2005
A Wale of a Good Time!
2/27: So, we’ve conquered Wales! Two successful nights at two nice, modern venues (theater is an important part of the culture here, more on that later), with rather enthusiastic crowds, and I have just one word for you; deddfwriaeth! Which means...
I really don’t know. I just glanced at one of the local touristy mags they place in hotel rooms wherever you go and searched for an interesting-looking word. But, in my very limited way, I have found Wales and it’s people to be rich in history and culture.
With cities, theaters, and shows beginning to become just a little bit of a blur, I have noticed one constant; people here value & enjoy their live theater. All the venues we’ve played - from very old to somewhat newer vintage - have shown that they are supported and attended heartily by their local communities. It’s quite a thing to exit theater after theater and see so many people waiting enthusiastically to greet me and say “nice show lad!”. Alright, so maybe they’re waiting to greet a certain legendary singer. Allow me a little dramatic license, okay?
Tomorrow we leave on yet another lengthy bus ride for an area on the other side of the country called Eastbourne; specifically, the city of East Sussex. We’ll have two days off there followed by a show at the Congress Theatre. I don’t mind the long rides so far as the bus is quite comfortable and my bandmates provide for pleasant & often interesting conversation. We have people from various parts of the US as well as other countires so it’s a fertile source of stories, points of view, and general conversation.
JD (our piano player ) & I - the lone L.A. representatives - have only our complaints about freeway traffic to share.
At the risk of dropping a bomb, I have to say I really dislike the food here. With my experiences thus far at various eating establishments and even though our wonderful cooks put together these fabulous dinners for us, it’s just not agreeing with me. Let’s just say dropping the kids off at the pool has been kind of a wild ride.
Finally, on an up note, I felt good about the way I played last night and how the bass is feeling in my hands. My lack of a healthy appetite combined with less frequent and intense workouts has affected the size of my upper body (or “man-mass”, as my gal likes to say).
I began to wonder if it affected the way the bass was hanging off my body - specifically my chest & shoulders. It did seem to be hanging a little lower, so, as an experiment, I shortened the strap one notch and found I liked the result. A minor adjustment, but effective.
I also noticed that the neck - perhaps through so much loading & unlaoding in planes, buses, and so forth - had become distinctly concave or bowed. A slight adjustment of the truss rod (a long threaded rod that runs the length of the neck underneath the fingerboard) got the strings back to a comfortable setting.
Well, that’s all for now music fans.
Stay tuned!
--Adam
I really don’t know. I just glanced at one of the local touristy mags they place in hotel rooms wherever you go and searched for an interesting-looking word. But, in my very limited way, I have found Wales and it’s people to be rich in history and culture.
With cities, theaters, and shows beginning to become just a little bit of a blur, I have noticed one constant; people here value & enjoy their live theater. All the venues we’ve played - from very old to somewhat newer vintage - have shown that they are supported and attended heartily by their local communities. It’s quite a thing to exit theater after theater and see so many people waiting enthusiastically to greet me and say “nice show lad!”. Alright, so maybe they’re waiting to greet a certain legendary singer. Allow me a little dramatic license, okay?
Tomorrow we leave on yet another lengthy bus ride for an area on the other side of the country called Eastbourne; specifically, the city of East Sussex. We’ll have two days off there followed by a show at the Congress Theatre. I don’t mind the long rides so far as the bus is quite comfortable and my bandmates provide for pleasant & often interesting conversation. We have people from various parts of the US as well as other countires so it’s a fertile source of stories, points of view, and general conversation.
JD (our piano player ) & I - the lone L.A. representatives - have only our complaints about freeway traffic to share.
At the risk of dropping a bomb, I have to say I really dislike the food here. With my experiences thus far at various eating establishments and even though our wonderful cooks put together these fabulous dinners for us, it’s just not agreeing with me. Let’s just say dropping the kids off at the pool has been kind of a wild ride.
Finally, on an up note, I felt good about the way I played last night and how the bass is feeling in my hands. My lack of a healthy appetite combined with less frequent and intense workouts has affected the size of my upper body (or “man-mass”, as my gal likes to say).
I began to wonder if it affected the way the bass was hanging off my body - specifically my chest & shoulders. It did seem to be hanging a little lower, so, as an experiment, I shortened the strap one notch and found I liked the result. A minor adjustment, but effective.
I also noticed that the neck - perhaps through so much loading & unlaoding in planes, buses, and so forth - had become distinctly concave or bowed. A slight adjustment of the truss rod (a long threaded rod that runs the length of the neck underneath the fingerboard) got the strings back to a comfortable setting.
Well, that’s all for now music fans.
Stay tuned!
--Adam
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Counting sheep...
2/24, 3:33am: Yes, it’s me again; your sleep-challenged bassist! It’s early morning in Cardiff, which is a city in Wales. There are also cities and towns here with names like Merthyr Tydfil, Pwllheli, Nr Aberstwyth, Nghymru, and Betwsycddconwy. In other words, someone around here needs to buy a vowel.
After a rather lengthy bus ride from London, we have a day off today. I’m anxious to get out and explore the city as it looked like a great place while we were driving through town to our hotel. It’s been bitterly cold - the first time it’s really affected me - but I’ll be prepared with several layers and my trusty scarf & gloves (which I got in Burbank at Sav-On and which I’ve been very grateful to have packed). Interestingly, there’s also a pool & jacuzzi here at our hotel; a couple of amenities I didn’t think I’d see here. I think I’ll take advantage of it later tonight and see if it helps me sleep.
I’m hoping to start including some brief interviews with members of the band & crew as they are not only all very good at what they do, but interesting and nice people as well.
On that note, I got to learn a little more about some of the guys on the bus ride yesterday. As most musicians need and want to do, many of the band members have projects (demos, albums, etc.) going on back home. I had the pleasure of listening to two excellent recordings; one with Leo Quintero, our guitarist, and the other with Phil Magallanes, our keyboardist. Leo’s was a self-produced album of mostly acoustic guitar and ensemble doing some original music and several modern adaptations from the classical guitar repertoire. The music & the playing was quite beautiful and I look forward to hearing the final product, as it’s still being completed. Phil’s contribution to the playlist was a soon-to-be-released live recording of Arturo Sandoval - the great Cuban trumpet player. Phil toured with Arturo up until taking the gig with Engelbert and I was anxious to hear him play in that setting. I was not disappointed. The music of Arturo Sandoval is not one for the timid as amazing technique and an endless flow of ideas abound from all involved. On his solos, Phil took one fantastic chorus after another, drawing from a seemingly bottomless well of ideas both rhythmic & melodic. Listening to both albums gave me a deeper appreciation for the talent of my colleagues. What a privilege to share the stage with them night after night!
You know what I’ve been missing lately? The omni-present hotel buffet! Maybe that’s why my clothes are hanging on me so loosely these days. However, there’s a breakfast buffet here and I plan to hit it with a vengeance. I have not been eating much as the food here is not particularly appetizing and when the caterers put out the food at the concert, I don’t seem to have an appetite. So, with my beard and my hair getting longer, and my body getting skinnier, I should present quite a sight when I return home. Beth will finally get the emaciated rock star look she seems to find so appealing.
To my friends & colleagues back in L.A. I just want to say I miss you and hope everyone is staying busy and making great music!
Stay tuned,
--Adam
After a rather lengthy bus ride from London, we have a day off today. I’m anxious to get out and explore the city as it looked like a great place while we were driving through town to our hotel. It’s been bitterly cold - the first time it’s really affected me - but I’ll be prepared with several layers and my trusty scarf & gloves (which I got in Burbank at Sav-On and which I’ve been very grateful to have packed). Interestingly, there’s also a pool & jacuzzi here at our hotel; a couple of amenities I didn’t think I’d see here. I think I’ll take advantage of it later tonight and see if it helps me sleep.
I’m hoping to start including some brief interviews with members of the band & crew as they are not only all very good at what they do, but interesting and nice people as well.
On that note, I got to learn a little more about some of the guys on the bus ride yesterday. As most musicians need and want to do, many of the band members have projects (demos, albums, etc.) going on back home. I had the pleasure of listening to two excellent recordings; one with Leo Quintero, our guitarist, and the other with Phil Magallanes, our keyboardist. Leo’s was a self-produced album of mostly acoustic guitar and ensemble doing some original music and several modern adaptations from the classical guitar repertoire. The music & the playing was quite beautiful and I look forward to hearing the final product, as it’s still being completed. Phil’s contribution to the playlist was a soon-to-be-released live recording of Arturo Sandoval - the great Cuban trumpet player. Phil toured with Arturo up until taking the gig with Engelbert and I was anxious to hear him play in that setting. I was not disappointed. The music of Arturo Sandoval is not one for the timid as amazing technique and an endless flow of ideas abound from all involved. On his solos, Phil took one fantastic chorus after another, drawing from a seemingly bottomless well of ideas both rhythmic & melodic. Listening to both albums gave me a deeper appreciation for the talent of my colleagues. What a privilege to share the stage with them night after night!
You know what I’ve been missing lately? The omni-present hotel buffet! Maybe that’s why my clothes are hanging on me so loosely these days. However, there’s a breakfast buffet here and I plan to hit it with a vengeance. I have not been eating much as the food here is not particularly appetizing and when the caterers put out the food at the concert, I don’t seem to have an appetite. So, with my beard and my hair getting longer, and my body getting skinnier, I should present quite a sight when I return home. Beth will finally get the emaciated rock star look she seems to find so appealing.
To my friends & colleagues back in L.A. I just want to say I miss you and hope everyone is staying busy and making great music!
Stay tuned,
--Adam
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
The London Palladium
2/22: Played the famous London Palladium last night; an old and quite impressive concert hall that has been host to some of the most famous names in music. As I mentioned in one of my previous entries, this was a big gig for Engelbert as it was where it all began for him.
I know the band sensed how personal it was for Humpy and each member I’m sure tried to dig just a little deeper to make it better in their own way. Jeff Sturges (our musical director, for those of you just getting acquainted), again provided terrific arrangements to frame the tunes & Engelbert’s voice. I dare say I want to play well as much for him as I do Engelbert.
Now, about the show...
Did the audience love it? Yes. Did the band rise to the occasion? Yes. Was E-Hump magic, as always? Yes. Then why did I come away feeling less than satisfied? One reason I think is that the hype surrounding the whole thing created false expectations. It was, in the end and after the personal implications for Engelbert, no different than previous engagements. In fact, I thought the audience was quite tame compared to the other shows we’ve done. The other reason is that I believe a band loses it’s edge when it arrives at the gig 6 hours before showtime. Whether this is a logistical requirement or a matter of the proverbial dotting “i”s and crossing “t”s, I can only speculate. Nevertheless, it has been the standard operating prodedure sinced we’ve arrived and I can see the toll it’s taking.
It’s 4:24am and I managed to put in about 4 hours of sleep tonight (11pm - 2:20am) so I’m feeling pretty good. I may be getting closer to getting my inner clock readjusted. Having this journal to keep up has been fun and a great tool to help pass the time.
Tomorrow I understand we have about a 3-4 hour bus ride ahead of us with another show upon our arrival. I’m already looking forward to playing and seeing if I can improve on previous shows and bring just a little more to the table. Though there is little variation in the set list from night to night, I find I’m still uncovering new layers to the music. There’s also a band introduction number where everyone gets a brief solo spot. It’s a pumping old-style rock and roll number (think late 60’s/early 70’s Elvis) which, interestingly enough, has presented me with a challenge of doing something both creative & exciting during my solo. Tempo-wise, it’s too slow to go with the 8th-note pulse of the tune - it sounds like you’re just playing a dressed up bass line - and it’s almost (notice I emphasized “almost” - I never admit defeat!) too fast to double-time it (sixteenth notes). I’m finding a mixture of both approaches is most effective and striving to eventually get to being able to complete a nice little “painting” each time.
That’s it for now music fans!
Cheers,
--Adam
I know the band sensed how personal it was for Humpy and each member I’m sure tried to dig just a little deeper to make it better in their own way. Jeff Sturges (our musical director, for those of you just getting acquainted), again provided terrific arrangements to frame the tunes & Engelbert’s voice. I dare say I want to play well as much for him as I do Engelbert.
Now, about the show...
Did the audience love it? Yes. Did the band rise to the occasion? Yes. Was E-Hump magic, as always? Yes. Then why did I come away feeling less than satisfied? One reason I think is that the hype surrounding the whole thing created false expectations. It was, in the end and after the personal implications for Engelbert, no different than previous engagements. In fact, I thought the audience was quite tame compared to the other shows we’ve done. The other reason is that I believe a band loses it’s edge when it arrives at the gig 6 hours before showtime. Whether this is a logistical requirement or a matter of the proverbial dotting “i”s and crossing “t”s, I can only speculate. Nevertheless, it has been the standard operating prodedure sinced we’ve arrived and I can see the toll it’s taking.
It’s 4:24am and I managed to put in about 4 hours of sleep tonight (11pm - 2:20am) so I’m feeling pretty good. I may be getting closer to getting my inner clock readjusted. Having this journal to keep up has been fun and a great tool to help pass the time.
Tomorrow I understand we have about a 3-4 hour bus ride ahead of us with another show upon our arrival. I’m already looking forward to playing and seeing if I can improve on previous shows and bring just a little more to the table. Though there is little variation in the set list from night to night, I find I’m still uncovering new layers to the music. There’s also a band introduction number where everyone gets a brief solo spot. It’s a pumping old-style rock and roll number (think late 60’s/early 70’s Elvis) which, interestingly enough, has presented me with a challenge of doing something both creative & exciting during my solo. Tempo-wise, it’s too slow to go with the 8th-note pulse of the tune - it sounds like you’re just playing a dressed up bass line - and it’s almost (notice I emphasized “almost” - I never admit defeat!) too fast to double-time it (sixteenth notes). I’m finding a mixture of both approaches is most effective and striving to eventually get to being able to complete a nice little “painting” each time.
That’s it for now music fans!
Cheers,
--Adam
Monday, February 21, 2005
More stuff...
2/21, 1:15am: This particular entry is purely self-indulgent. Once again, I cannot sleep. I finally fell asleep yesterday around 5am only to be awoken at 6:30am by the fire alarm, which had been accidentally tripped by one of the housekeepers. I again fell asleep until 5pm and now find myself in a similar quandary. I was able to pass the time last night by spending an hour or so in the hotel bar with a few people from the band, doing laundry in the sink of my room, working out (more on that in a moment), practicing, and looking at myself naked in the mirror.
The hotels in the UK are not the modern facilities we’re accustomed to in the States. Everything here is intended to maintain that old world charm. There are no fitness centers that I’ve come across, and Internet access has been spotty at best. I must say though, that the toilets here have quite a robust flush. I attribute that to old school efficiency as opposed to our conservation-conscious facilities back home.
With regard to the lack of the afformentioned fitness centers, I’ve managed to make do with some very ingenious equipment I purchased before I left for Europe. While on my flight back from Las Vegas a few weeks ago, I was perusing one of the magazines they stick in the pocket in front and saw an ad for a product called “Aqua Bells”. What they are is a pair of dumbbells that have a set of eight (4 for each dumbbell) plastic chambers that you inflate with water. When filled, you get about a 16lb dumbell. When they’re empty, they lie flat and are virtually weightless, thereby making them perfect for travel. The weight is very light for me, but I make up for it by doing a high amount of repetitions.
Tomorrow is the biggest show we’ll be doing in Europe; The London Palladium. I’ve been told there will be a high celebrity/royalty presence at the show and that, for Engelbert, this is where he really wants to impress. Therefore, I’ve reluctantly decided not to wear my pants with the cut-out backside.
On that note, I bid a goodnight.
--Adam
The hotels in the UK are not the modern facilities we’re accustomed to in the States. Everything here is intended to maintain that old world charm. There are no fitness centers that I’ve come across, and Internet access has been spotty at best. I must say though, that the toilets here have quite a robust flush. I attribute that to old school efficiency as opposed to our conservation-conscious facilities back home.
With regard to the lack of the afformentioned fitness centers, I’ve managed to make do with some very ingenious equipment I purchased before I left for Europe. While on my flight back from Las Vegas a few weeks ago, I was perusing one of the magazines they stick in the pocket in front and saw an ad for a product called “Aqua Bells”. What they are is a pair of dumbbells that have a set of eight (4 for each dumbbell) plastic chambers that you inflate with water. When filled, you get about a 16lb dumbell. When they’re empty, they lie flat and are virtually weightless, thereby making them perfect for travel. The weight is very light for me, but I make up for it by doing a high amount of repetitions.
Tomorrow is the biggest show we’ll be doing in Europe; The London Palladium. I’ve been told there will be a high celebrity/royalty presence at the show and that, for Engelbert, this is where he really wants to impress. Therefore, I’ve reluctantly decided not to wear my pants with the cut-out backside.
On that note, I bid a goodnight.
--Adam
Friday, February 18, 2005
Glasgow, Blackpool by tour bus...
2/18: Greetings music lovers! As I write this, I’m sitting in the dressing room of the Church Street Opera House in Blackpool, England. It’s a rather antiquated place that I understand is one of the sites of some of Engelberts very first shows. Lots of history here as well as some fond memories for Humpy and his fans.
Last night was our one show in Scotland. We played a beautiful venue in Glasgow...The Royal Concert Hall. I have pictures of both these places and while they undoubtedly are decades apart, there is a certain charm to each one.
Though we only had two days there, Glasgow has so far become a favorite of mine. I had a chance to take a walk through downtown one afternoon and found the city, and the people, to be energizing. Surprisingly, though it was hovering around 48 degrees outside, I was enjoying the weather and the way it almost seemed to propel me through my walk. It was invigorating! There was an abundance of restaurants, shops, clubs, and businesses all housed in refreshingly older buildings that reflected a city with a long history & tradition. Such a nice change from the endless stream of mini-malls and chain stores at home.
One of our horn players, an English chap named Ash Horton (trombone), has just stopped in and I asked him about some of the gigs he’s had here in England. It looks like the American musical is well-represented here as Ash has been in the orchestra for Fosse, West Side Strory, Chicago, The Lion King, as well as work with Lorna Luft and a “Rat Pack” tribute show. Very nice, Ash!
Back to the show in Glasgow...the audience was simply the best we’ve had yet. They greeted Engelbert as if he were a conquering hero. The roar as he entered the stage was huge and I found it got me pumped up for the show. (A welcome boost since I found myself really dragging that day due to difficulty sleeping the night before).
Starting today, we’ll be travelling the rest of the tour in Europe via tour bus. It’s quite nice, with 15 or so sleeper beds, a downstairs & upstairs lounge - both equipped with TVs and video equipment - and two refrigerators. With the sleeping quarters being so closed in, I got a taste of what it must be like living on a submarine. I had to make sure I was just dreaming when I thought I heard Admiral Humperdinck yell “up periscope!”.
We have terrific cooks toruing with us and I hear dinner is being served. Gotta run! Tonight, Blackpool...tomorrow, London!
Stay tuned,
--Adam
Last night was our one show in Scotland. We played a beautiful venue in Glasgow...The Royal Concert Hall. I have pictures of both these places and while they undoubtedly are decades apart, there is a certain charm to each one.
Though we only had two days there, Glasgow has so far become a favorite of mine. I had a chance to take a walk through downtown one afternoon and found the city, and the people, to be energizing. Surprisingly, though it was hovering around 48 degrees outside, I was enjoying the weather and the way it almost seemed to propel me through my walk. It was invigorating! There was an abundance of restaurants, shops, clubs, and businesses all housed in refreshingly older buildings that reflected a city with a long history & tradition. Such a nice change from the endless stream of mini-malls and chain stores at home.
One of our horn players, an English chap named Ash Horton (trombone), has just stopped in and I asked him about some of the gigs he’s had here in England. It looks like the American musical is well-represented here as Ash has been in the orchestra for Fosse, West Side Strory, Chicago, The Lion King, as well as work with Lorna Luft and a “Rat Pack” tribute show. Very nice, Ash!
Back to the show in Glasgow...the audience was simply the best we’ve had yet. They greeted Engelbert as if he were a conquering hero. The roar as he entered the stage was huge and I found it got me pumped up for the show. (A welcome boost since I found myself really dragging that day due to difficulty sleeping the night before).
Starting today, we’ll be travelling the rest of the tour in Europe via tour bus. It’s quite nice, with 15 or so sleeper beds, a downstairs & upstairs lounge - both equipped with TVs and video equipment - and two refrigerators. With the sleeping quarters being so closed in, I got a taste of what it must be like living on a submarine. I had to make sure I was just dreaming when I thought I heard Admiral Humperdinck yell “up periscope!”.
We have terrific cooks toruing with us and I hear dinner is being served. Gotta run! Tonight, Blackpool...tomorrow, London!
Stay tuned,
--Adam
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Lucky Charms
2/15: Played our first gig of the European tour tonight; Waterfront Hall in Belfast. It was a beautiful facility right (as the name implies) on the waterfront. The band sounded good and, as usual, the audience knew all the old tunes and the laides were gushing over Humpy.
We’re carrying three horn players from England for this part of the tour and they’re doing a great job. Nice chaps too. (Dig how I said “chaps”? It’s already rubbing off on me!)
Got back to the hotel room and found myself extremely hungry. Much to my dismay, all the restaurants in the hotel were closed. I asked someone if there were any late-night eateries in the area and he told me about a pizza place just down the street from the hotel. Now, the concept of Irish pizza was a bit difficult to wrap my brain around, but I was hungry and so off I went. Well folks, I’m here to tell ya, when you visit Ireland, don’t order the pizza. I know they put pepperoni on it but the flavorless dime-sized pieces on my pizza vaguely resembled what we get in the US. Nevertheless, it filled me up and I’ll make up for it by hitting the breakfast buffet (yup, another buffet!) tomorrow morning.
That’s all for now. Tomorrow we head for Glasgow, Scotland.
Stay tuned!
--Adam
We’re carrying three horn players from England for this part of the tour and they’re doing a great job. Nice chaps too. (Dig how I said “chaps”? It’s already rubbing off on me!)
Got back to the hotel room and found myself extremely hungry. Much to my dismay, all the restaurants in the hotel were closed. I asked someone if there were any late-night eateries in the area and he told me about a pizza place just down the street from the hotel. Now, the concept of Irish pizza was a bit difficult to wrap my brain around, but I was hungry and so off I went. Well folks, I’m here to tell ya, when you visit Ireland, don’t order the pizza. I know they put pepperoni on it but the flavorless dime-sized pieces on my pizza vaguely resembled what we get in the US. Nevertheless, it filled me up and I’ll make up for it by hitting the breakfast buffet (yup, another buffet!) tomorrow morning.
That’s all for now. Tomorrow we head for Glasgow, Scotland.
Stay tuned!
--Adam
"'Cause I'm Leavin' On A Jet Plane"
2/13: On my flight to Europe and thinking about the week I spent back home. We’ve been in the air for about 5 hours and, with my new iBook & iPod in hand, I feel the time simply flying by (pardon the pun). Haven’t flown British Airways before and I must say, the service
and amenities are excellent. It’s a newer 747, so we’ve got all the bells and whistles; ergonomically designed seats, personal video screens, 18 channels of TV & movies, an exercise channel (I kid you not!) - there is indeed a Kiana of the friendly skies (for those of you uninitiated into the world of very late-night programming, she hosted an exercise show on ESPN2 that would air at 4am or something like that and provide something akin to a soft-core porn exercise video) - anyhow, haven’t yet tried the in-seat leg-lifts and head-turns.
My week at home?...terrific! It was good to see some old friends and to do some very satisfying playing. I also had the joy of spending time with my beautiful Beth and my father, Irwin, who left Vegas just a tad lighter in the pockets. As he boarded his flight home, I understand he was heard to mutter “Vegas, I’ll lick you yet!”.
Played a fun gig at La Ve Lee (jazz club in Studio City, CA) with my good friend Dave Hill’s band. It’s been so nice to see him develop as a leader and composer and to be a part of his musical vision. His tunes are strong on melody - a big plus in my book - and are fun to play. I have to admit, I was concerned about whether or not my chops - mentally & techincally - were up for the gig! I’m the kind of player that needs the stimulation of varied musical challenges to keep me sharp. Sitting in the woodshed (practice room, for those of my non-musician readers) just doesn’t completely get it done. My fears were only partially realized as I could feel my musical instincts were a little slow to react. Hell, maybe, depending upon who you talk to, that was a good thing. In the end, I guess you just have to be yourself and hope you’re serving the music along the way.
Had the occasion to pull the upright out before I hit the road. Played a nice trio gig at the Jonathan Club in downtown with Sharon Cline - vocals and Theo Saunders - piano. Sharon is a lovely singer of songs who I met last summer and have had the pleasure working many gigs with ever since. Her repertoire cuts riight down the middle of the good old jazz standards songbook...very satisfying. Theo Saunders is an exceptional pianist who I’ve known about and seen on the local scene for many years, but with whom I’ve never had the pleasure of working. It was an extremely enjoyable gig and I could feel my acoustic chops begin to come back towards the end of the night. I’m going to miss my large low-end companion (no, not you Beth) while I’m gone!
The week was completed with a couple of very productive mixing sessions formy upcoming album. Billy Hulting - assistant producer & engineer - has been invaluable as a second set of ears and as a dear friend.
Well, there’s a movie starting and I think I’ll take one in.
Next stop...Ireland!
Stay tuned,
--Adam
and amenities are excellent. It’s a newer 747, so we’ve got all the bells and whistles; ergonomically designed seats, personal video screens, 18 channels of TV & movies, an exercise channel (I kid you not!) - there is indeed a Kiana of the friendly skies (for those of you uninitiated into the world of very late-night programming, she hosted an exercise show on ESPN2 that would air at 4am or something like that and provide something akin to a soft-core porn exercise video) - anyhow, haven’t yet tried the in-seat leg-lifts and head-turns.
My week at home?...terrific! It was good to see some old friends and to do some very satisfying playing. I also had the joy of spending time with my beautiful Beth and my father, Irwin, who left Vegas just a tad lighter in the pockets. As he boarded his flight home, I understand he was heard to mutter “Vegas, I’ll lick you yet!”.
Played a fun gig at La Ve Lee (jazz club in Studio City, CA) with my good friend Dave Hill’s band. It’s been so nice to see him develop as a leader and composer and to be a part of his musical vision. His tunes are strong on melody - a big plus in my book - and are fun to play. I have to admit, I was concerned about whether or not my chops - mentally & techincally - were up for the gig! I’m the kind of player that needs the stimulation of varied musical challenges to keep me sharp. Sitting in the woodshed (practice room, for those of my non-musician readers) just doesn’t completely get it done. My fears were only partially realized as I could feel my musical instincts were a little slow to react. Hell, maybe, depending upon who you talk to, that was a good thing. In the end, I guess you just have to be yourself and hope you’re serving the music along the way.
Had the occasion to pull the upright out before I hit the road. Played a nice trio gig at the Jonathan Club in downtown with Sharon Cline - vocals and Theo Saunders - piano. Sharon is a lovely singer of songs who I met last summer and have had the pleasure working many gigs with ever since. Her repertoire cuts riight down the middle of the good old jazz standards songbook...very satisfying. Theo Saunders is an exceptional pianist who I’ve known about and seen on the local scene for many years, but with whom I’ve never had the pleasure of working. It was an extremely enjoyable gig and I could feel my acoustic chops begin to come back towards the end of the night. I’m going to miss my large low-end companion (no, not you Beth) while I’m gone!
The week was completed with a couple of very productive mixing sessions formy upcoming album. Billy Hulting - assistant producer & engineer - has been invaluable as a second set of ears and as a dear friend.
Well, there’s a movie starting and I think I’ll take one in.
Next stop...Ireland!
Stay tuned,
--Adam
Monday, February 7, 2005
E-Hump does Vegas!
Hello music fans!
As I sit and reflect on the last 5 days, I am struck by how easily I settle into "tour mode" and back into "home mode". I'd like to think it has something to do with the people I work with. Unquestionably, fine musicians all. But I think there's a mutual respect there as well as the fact that I think everyone genuinely likes each other. When you consider we'll be spending weeks at a time together, it's quite a welcome situation.
Tuesday, 2/1: Arrived in Las Vegas early in the evening along with the maestro himself, Jeff Sturges. Love the 1 hour flight to Vegas but it was a particularly bumpy flight and - I don't care how many times I've flown - when the damn plane starts shaking around like that, I still tense up. I wish I had the same capacity as others to sit, get loaded on Bloody Marys, and be numb to the whole experience. In any event, we landed safely and headed to our destination - The Orleans Hotel.
Later that evening, we all converged on the showroom for a soundcheck and rehearsal. A nice addtition to the band was the 3-piece horn section (four, with our very own John Michalak on tenor sax) who were all local musicians brought in to augment the band for our 4-night run. Once again, Jeff contributed yet another fine arrangement; this time a swingin' take on the old standard "S' Wonderful". With the horns playing great (sorry guys, I don't remember your names) and Tony Savage (our fine drummer) kicking us in our collective butts, things looked good for a terrific new opening song.
Finally, hit the omni-present buffet ( I really need some sort of medicated patch to wear so I can avoid these things), and then retired to my room.
A brief note about the pillows at The Orleans; does "boulders in pillow cases" give you an idea? Sheesh!
Wednesday through Saturday, (2/2-2/5): All in all, a great way to really get the tour rolling! There was a palpable sense of growth from show to show until finally by Friday, the band sounded like a really well-oiled machine. Jeff's arrangement of "S' Wonderful" lived up to all expectations and served as a launching pad for all the great music that would follow. It might be of some interest to know that Jeff wears two hats; that of musical director and arranger. It is not always the case that the two meet. With a great deal of the horn parts remaining to be written, a lot of last-minute work fell into Jeff's hands literally hours before showtime! As usual, he seemed to meet the challenge with his usual cool head and quality of work. I was flattered to be offered the chance to help out and do some of the copy work required in extracting the horn parts from the score. Jeff says I broke some kind of speed record in how quickly I got it done, but I know there's some cats here in town (L.A.) who undoubtedly have me beat. (I swear, I'll get my notation software chops up one of these days!)
All in all, a great week capped off by the presence of my wonderful father, Irwin Cohen (who literally attended all four shows and loved every one of them - is he the greatest or what?), and my lovely lady, Beth (who caught our closing night and is always so supportive and simply the best companion). Mom, I wish you were there but I know you were looking down on us, enjoying the show, and feeling proud of me. I miss you...
Got a week off here in L.A. which, even though I say "off", I'll still be working, with several gigs crammed into the time I'm back. Most noteably, is a reunion with my good friend and fine musician, Dave Hill. Dave's a fantastic guitarist who has recently released an album of his music entitled Two Seasons. I look forward to flexing some creative muscles and sharing the stage with some wonderful musicians (Andy Suzuki - sax, Gregg Karukas - keys, Billy Hulting - vibes/percussion, and Dave Anderson - drums). I just hope I don't keep launching into "After The Lovin'" whenever it's my turn to solo.
Thta's it for now folks! Next stop...Europe!
Stay tuned,
--Adam
P.S. A big congratulations to our tour manager Max Stauffer who tied the knot with his lovely lady of many years right on the showroom stage! A tear was shed by all (mostly by the event staff who had to stay late).
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