Improvisations on Reality

Sorry for the lag – life/job issues had taken forefront throughout the week.I look forward to my day off on Monday, so I can catch up on my writing.

Before everyone went for the after-party on Day 2, Warren announced a change of venue for the panel of the following day – instead, it took place in the delightful Cohobo Lounge. The Cohobo was a bright, sun-flooded expanse of deep wood tones and a vaulted ceiling, complete with an almost curio-styled case of liquors and another case – of cigars. A lounge indeed, and a perfect setting to the Jeff Golub panel.

Jeff, like so many of us, slept in. Except, unlike so many of us, he was late to the panel. :) We don’t fault you, Jeff, because sleep is tough to come by (take it from this insomniac!).

This time, questions were a lot less along the line of “where is this music going” and “what’s happening with the audience”, but a lot more along the “what trials and tribulations did you have so far?” That’s when I found out that sometime at the show last night, the sprinklers went off in the back. Which explained why one of the ladies from Destination Concerts had damp hair; I frankly didn’t notice or realize that was what happened until that moment. Warren and Jeff spoke of one show at a rather upscale place, when the sprinklers went off throughout the entire lawn

Nick Colionne jamming with Jonathan Butler. Photo credit to Mme. Estella Taylor-Greene

right when they were announced. Murphy’s Law? Maybe, but oh, the mental image… If I work this into my sci-fi writing somehow, I think I’ll have to credit those guys.

I will again fast-forward the sun-and-fun portion of the evening and steal a pic from a friend of mine. Turned out that I am not the only veteran of the Smooth Music Cruise and not the only New Yorker – which is very awesome. So yes, thank you Estella, for having a good camera. As you can see, that night was Nick Colionne.

Now, what can I say about Nico?

First of all, he’s Chicago, so you know what this means: blues. Although he is classified as smooth jazz – still the greatest misnomer I’ve heard thus far – he plays a fantastic blues riff and you hear a lot of Wes Montgomery in his playing. As I found out later, that’s exactly what he grew up listening to. Completely not surprised; influences always find a way of showing up through current work.

The other thing you have to know about Colionne is that he is hilarious. Whether in conversation or addressing the audience, it’s a near guarantee that he’d either 1. raise your eyebrow, 2. make you laugh or, as in my case, 3. both.

So, that said, it all brings me back to Day 3 of the best vacation ever. And in retrospect, I should’ve written this up sooner, because I can no longer remember the exact words. To make a long story short, Nick’s CD sales pitch involved addressing the ladies in the audience with a good measure of hilarity. I know I heard at least one, “He did not just say that” next to me, but yes, he did say that and yes, it was crack-up-worthy.

Up there with Nick was another great performer, Mr. Jonathan Butler, whose show I will review when I review Day 4. Which will be…whenever, by this stage.

The after-party/jam session was, frankly and without exaggeration, better than the last. Warren and Euge came together on my favorite tracks, Ain’t No Sunshine and Mercy Mercy Mercy. The last, dare I say it, is a jam session requisite. There’s only one jam session that I can think of that can top this: Smooth Music Cruise 2009. Steve Cole, Michael Lington, Mindi Abair blasting into it and for the life of me, I cannot recall if Marion was in on that one. I think he was, and ahh that was good.

I think I crawled into bed at…maybe 2am that night? I don’t remember anything, save for being bone-tired and happy.

K.G.

ETA: Nov. 2009: Jammin’ in Jamaica, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4 writeups.