The snowfall this year has been voluminous! We’re keep getting whacked with massive snowstorms in the Northeast and I can’t remember the last time the snow banks were this high! It’s rather relentless and I’ve pretty much had my fill but I’ve also gotta say this it’s incredibly beautiful when the snow is new and untouched. It gets very quiet and still and it’s really special. Pam and I have been walking in the woods out behind our house and it has been really nice. I also have to say that I LOVE it when the wind is howling and it’s snowing sideways outside. I even LIKE to drive in it! No kidding, I’m that much of a freak! Yesterday there was another storm that dumped over a foot of snow in the ELiot area and I had to commute from Concord, NH back to Maine and I had a great time dodging plow trucks and trying to keep the Volksie on the road. I’m ready for it to end for sure but might as well enjoy it while it lasts. If it’s going to be winter we might as well be buried!
I could stand to be a little more buried with gigs but there are some fun ones coming up that you might enjoy:
Sunday, 2/23, 7-10PM – Campfire Tales – Sonny’s, Dover, NH – This is a new quartet put together for this gig. I’ve been playing music with David Tonkin on and off for 35 years now and it never gets old! We’ll be joined by Rob Gerry on Bass and Frank Laurino on drums. Why Campfire Tales? Why not! Come feel the warmth at Sonny’s (formerly the old Barley Pub)
Monday, 2/24, 8-11PM – Tim Webb Trio – The Press Room – Bassist Tim Webb hold down the fort at the Press Room Monday Jazz Grill with Ken Clark on drums and myself on saxes. We’ll probe the depths of Tim’s tune pile, I’ll call a few and maybe we can even get Mr. Clark to call a tune or two or three. Please join us for a fun night of jazz!
Thursday, 2/27, 8-11PM – Julie Thompson Trio – Ginko Blue, Portland, ME – Julie Thompson pays a visit from Wisconsin to her old home state of Maine to sing at Portland’s Ginko Blue with Flash Allen on Guitar and myself on Saxes. Julie’s a great singer that I think you’ll really enjoy so come on out!
Friday, 2/28, 7:30-10PM – Aporkalypse Now: Ellington – The Kittery Dance Hall, Kittery, ME – This is going to be very special night. Aporkalypse Now is Jonny Peiffer on Drums, Chris Klaxton & Zach Lange on Trumpets, Eric Klaxton, Nick Mainella and Myself on saxes, Chris Carlone on Trombone, Mike Effenberger on Keys and Nate Therrien on Bass with special guest Taylor O’Donnell on vocals. Every member of the band arranged an Ellington tune or two especially for this show. This may well be the only performance of this music so please grab a ticket and join us!
Monday, 3/3 – 6-10PM – David Tonkin Group – The Barley House, Concord, NH – Whoa, David is headed to Puerto Rico for his birthday so we’ll be holding down the gig with Randy Roos on Guitar, Tim Gilmore on Drums, Don Williams on bas and myself on saxes. This is always a fun gig and the Barley House is a great restaurant with a fine selection of beers. We’ll miss David but we’ll take care of having a good time on this night. We’ll have EXTRA fun if you’re there!
Friday 3/7 – 11PM – Mother Superior and the Sliding Royals – Fury’s Publik House – Dover, NH – A Brand new band featuring Stu Dias on Vocals & Guitar, Taylor O’Donnell on Vocals, Mike Effenberger on Keys, Greg Glasson on Bass, Mike Walsh on Drums and Zach Lange, Chris Carlone and Myself on Horns doing a set of mostly original R&B. Smoking band rolling it out for the first of hopefully many shows. DON’T MISS IT!
That’ll do it for now. Please be careful out here in the snowbanks and slushy byways of the Northeast and we especially appreciate your efforts to get out and support live entertainment in these waning weeks of winter. Let’s send it off with a BANG!