Across From the Bar at Capital City Club: Better Than Sitting Across From Honey Boo Boo

That's where we are, or at least the view as I see it.  I was hoping to be outside, even with the high humidity and not-so-ambient noises.  I feel that we play differently, perhaps better, when we are in the great environs. You know, sounds travels in a more omni-directional manner outside where the walls are minimized.  The traffic disturbances from the ambulances and such on Peachtree can greatly add to the "art" being presented. Well, we were inside, meaning low noise level, grand piano that I have determined to be several cents flat compared to the electronic tuners that Brian and I were using.  Oh, that's right, I haven't even even mentioned that I was with the quartet of doom known as The Billy Batts Ensemble.  I like that moniker since Batts is plural and not possessive, but it could and almost should be.  R.E.M. made it a point to never use apostrophes (Lifes Rich Pageant), sometimes purposely confusing the capitalizations (Reckoning).  At any rate, it was us again: Walt, Brian, Mark, and myself.  I feel honored to be among these guys.  I can call them true friends and not feel too self-conscious about my playing.  Walt has a great technique on the piano.  He also likes to sing and he does a superb job as the lead singer of this band, which is quite a bit of instrumental jazz when we play here at the club.  That's really the point, a jazz quartet (with guitar, not a horn) that can crossover into the jazz-folk, folk-rock, jazz-fusion, and even full on rock if we were pressed to do so.  I think we are going to try the Headhunters' version of Watermelon Man.  Yeah, big news, but I need to get those changes down, I guess.  I love the 10ths on the bass part.  It would be a good one for this band.

Meanwhile, we were all a bit sleepy tonight.  Well, at least Brian and I were.  I had a long night with Spencer and his coughing throughout the night.  As tired as I was from the last 3 nights, I still couldn't sleep that well.  I am generally wound up and if I have a job that absolutely needs to get down, I will make myself alert no matter what my night's sleep really was.  Hoping it is something I can overcome.  So, I played about as well as I envisioned.  It was all a bit understated and pitchy.  We need to see where the tuner falls with respect to the piano next time, that's for sure.  Some highlights: Chick Corea"s Windows (but wait, Walt and Brian were reading form the Real Book.  I'm fairly certain that the changes in that are intermittently wrong and a 1/2 step off.  But... that's the version that everybody learns - oh, boy!);  In Memory of Elisabeth Reed, done Latin a la Oy Coma Va;  Rocket Man;  Back at the Chicken Shack (incorporating The Honey Boo Boo Blues).  Rather funny and an indication of how on it Walt is, not knowing of this recently shared secret of Georgia treasures.  Ended the night with a tune written by Bill Lee, I believe he is the father of Spike Lee, the title track to the movie and soundtrack Mo' Better Blues.  Easy enough song that repeats the short form over and over;  I like the I chord going to the IV and then a II V as a opposed to a ii V.  I will try to determine the correct pitch of Windows and then report back on my findings and an appropriately accurate chart.  Till then, this is Johnny Cakes signing off from wherever he is.