Rawkin' the Basement

Last Friday, March 23rd, we hosted a little beer tasting, shrimp gobbling, cheese slicing and ear splitting seminar at our place. You may have been able to hear a lot of different tunes played at a lot of different venues, but I'd bet my draft beer system that my house was the only place you could hear a cover of "Big Bottoms" by Spinal Tap. Alex, pictured here with his sweet new Geddy Lee Signature Model Fender bass, provided the tablature and led the group in a swing at this classic. Okay, so it's a work in progress. Alex, Charlie and Parker handled the lead bass, bass bass and rhythm bass. Alex wants to take another crack at it sometime (get it?!?).

I'm going to try something here. Rather than posting a bunch of pics, here is a link to my Flickr page. I'm still figuring it out, so be patient.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66913936@N00/sets/72157600039529745/

In addition to Alex, who plays with our choir at church and also handles the devil's music quite well, we had Tom and Charlie, who join Joreen and I in the Durable Goods, our side project; Parker from Just Friends and sideman in demand; Bill Nork of the Bayou Bandits, with his new Beard dobro; Terry Keating, turning on the Lovelight; Tony Formica, blues singer deluxe, of the Slaughterhouse Blues Band; Roger Wilkinson of Hemlock Hollow; Ed McGovern, solo artist appearing frequently at Coyote Joe's; Dave, Charlie's friend, whose last name I'll learn next time; and many of our "civilian," non-playing friends who were there to listen. That's much appreciated, since in my old age I don't really get off on playing alone or to an empty room as much as to human beings. Also, a shout-out (is that hyphenated? I'm not sure) to Karen Gray, comedienne and playwright, who's got a smile so bright, you know she could have been a candle. We are really blessed to have so many loyal, long-standing, talented friends -- even when they yell for Freebird (thanks, Sean).

Tally Ho Again!

Saturday, March 24th, Just Friends Band traveled to the Country Club of York for our second Hunt Club Ball of the season, this time for Joey Anderson (pictured here with the band) and the Rose Tree Hunt Club. Despite the formal surroundings, this crowd was ready to cut loose and dance, and they hit the dance floor from the first song to the last. The crowd especially enjoyed the Electric Slide, despite having some difficulty deciding in which direction to dance. Here we see the Sliders partially crushing Gio, although he's still smiling.

This was our first time playing for this Hunt Club and we're pleased to report that it won't be the last, as we were asked to return next year. Everyone had a great time.

Well, okay, maybe not everyone.

The band now begins a short Easter break. On Saturday, April 21, the Just Friends Band will perform at the annual Bishop McDevitt High School Blue and Gold Gala. This is another one of our annual events, this year to be held at the Hershey Convention Center. Graduates of McDevitt who are interested in attending should contact the high school for more information. This is a very special occasion to benefit the alma mater of Gio, John and Joreen. The Gala is always a great time to socialize and celebrate while supporting a worthy cause.

Please Stand By

It's been a very busy weekend and I have lots to report about, but right now there are transcripts that have to get in like yesterday, so please be patient. There will be new content soon.

Got Dem Ol' Central PA Blues, Mama

Last night Joreen, Parker and I went to the Blues Club session at the 40 & 8 in Chambers Hill. Sorry, no pictures. Most of you have heard me talk about it, and it's a pretty unique thing in this area. The place is usually packed and was even more so because one of the favorite sons of the Blues Society of Central Pennsylvania, which sponsors the jam, "Uncle Bill," was celebrating his 84th birthday last night. Watching this guy in a suit, who needed help getting to the stage but who needed no help singing, really encouraged us 53-year old geezers that maybe we have a few more miles left on the tour bus after all. Apparently, being a bit lecherous is a plus.

The three of us ended up in a line-up fronted by a guy who didn't get the memo that this was a blues-only jam, making it difficult at points to play along. It was an object lesson for me: I have to learn the lyrics to some of Da Bloos PDQ. Parker played some tasty trombone licks, though, and pleased the crowd. The Mighty Mrs. Kelly rode the B-3 beast with confidence, finally over her shyness.

The Thursday blues jam is a blast. It's open to the public, no cover. Get there before 8:30 if you want a good parking place and an early slot to play. It's good etiquette to toss a buck in the donations can, but bottles of lager are only $1.75, and that's with live music. You sign the list with your name and what you play, and you'll be put in a line-up that may include some kid playing out for the first time or somebody who's fronted bands for 20 years. That's part of the fun. It's a very supportive environment.

I should mention that it's the most not-smoke-free environment in the county, but if you want you can stand on the front porch and still hear the music --although last night that was getting a little smoky too. Hey, it's the blues. Whaddya expect, vegetarians in Birkenstocks?

Coffeehouses...

... sure have changed since I was a kid. When we said "coffeehouse," we meant a bunch of teenagers in a church basement or unused building at Olmsted Air Force Base. The stage was small, the closest microphone was in any cabs driving by, and the lighting came from the candles on the upended wire spools we used for tables. If it were any more low-tech, we would have been playing log drums in loin cloths. There, earnest young men and women performed, some of them for the first time in their life, and it was exhilarating, scary, and a maker of lifelong memories.

Last night was my debut as a sound engineer at St. Catherine's Youth Group Irish Coffeehouse Night, and things have ramped up, amped up and anted up since my day, kids. I didn't have the board out and plugged in when the Dad Squad wanted to know how many lights I brought (uh... none...), what accommodations I had made for the DVD projector presentation (uh... what?), and finally -- my favorite -- how soon I could provide the audio feed out of the board to the digital videocamera. It was at that point that I switched to speaking Italian.

You will be looking for pictures from this event. I don't have any. I was busy. (You want pics, take them your @%$&@! self.) The rig was impressive, though, and I only sent death ray feedback through the bins once in the very beginning. People who want to use wireless mics should know better than to stand in front of a closed curtain right over top of the monitor and ask me to turn them up. After that, it went passably well.

Special thanks to my guardian angel, who was portrayed yesterday by Joe Trojcak (Progressive Enterprises, the best place in town for all your recording needs! http://www.progressivestudios.com/ ). Without him, I might have had feedback coming out of the coffee makers. Also, thanks to the dads and kids who stuck around to the end to help schlep gear. It was appreciated.

Coffeehouses have certainly gotten more high tech, but when you stripped away the cables, adaptors, microphones and computerized hoochie-coo, what was left was -- you guessed it --earnest young men and women performing, some of them for the first time in their life, and it was exhilarating, scary, and hopefully a maker of lifelong memories. The performers included Irish step dancers, a flag twirler, poets, guys playing electric guitars, and a couple young rappers, including one very talented girl named Monet. She was especially good.

Kumbaya, however, was not performed, not even once. These kids today....

Corned Beef, Cabbage and Just Friends

Vince O'Patti, Gio McTraino and all the members of Just Friends were surrounded by green shirts and smiling faces at the Progress Home Association's St. Patrick's Day party. For me, the musical highlight of the night was our new vocal arrangement of the Irish standard, Danny Boy. Hearing it, you'd swear Gio must have some Irish blood in him -- until you look at his picture.
Mrs. Kelly was resplendent in her new green blouse, outshining even the Bud Light sign.
The Home Association was packed to capacity with members and guests, and from the response of the crowd and the comments to the band, they were having a great time.
Although, of course, you can't please everybody.
Saturday was our second appearance at the Progress Home Association, and once again the welcome and response we received was as enthusiastic as we've ever seen. Club members requested songs, sang along, danced and applauded from start to finish. Several times while announcing drawings, club managers complimented the band and thanked us for playing.

Unlike some of the private clubs the band has played, the Home Association appears to be growing and thriving. Many members, club management, staff and guests approached the band to say how much they enjoyed our performance, which encouraged us to play our very best. Just Friends Band thanks Karen, Cindy, and all those connected with running the club for having us. We wish them a successful year and look forward to our next appearance at the Progress Home Association on December 8, 2007.

Good Dog

Spring of 1991. I was away on a Cursillo weekend shortly after my cat, Matesa, aka Kitten (because nobody could pronounce "Matesa"), had passed away. I came home, walked in the door and there was this thing that looked exactly like an Ewok. She looked up at me and immediately went wild with joy. I had never had a dog before, and all I could say to her was, "Have some dignity, willya?" I was used to cats, who would never let on they like you even if they do.

Gracie was a Schnoodle, a mix I was familiar with from working with a guy who had one at Town and Country Store. Freak was wicked smart, friendly and easygoing, never barked once in the store. I don't think the managers ever knew he was there, but we knew when they were coming because Freak would hide, and we'd get back to work.

From the very beginning, Gracie was the perfect kids' dog. Schnauzers aren't known for being real kid friendly, and I never cared much for poodles (no disrespect to folks who do), but for some reason the blend of the two makes a great dog. Gracie learned a few tricks -- sit, speak, give a paw, up, lay down, head down -- and was so into it that if you said "Sit!" she would then do all the rest of the tricks in a row without waiting for the command.

If there was any problem with Gracie at all, it was that she was a bit neurotic about being left alone. We would come home to find the toilet paper torn off the rolls. Turns out that problem was easy to fix. We got another dog, Katy. They were inseparable.

She also got along well with the cats, as in this very early picture of Cinders with Gracie.
Funny, out of hundreds of pictures I went through for this entry, these are just about all the pictures I found of Gracie. She was just always there, sitting just outside the dining room, waiting for something to hit the ground.
In her final years, a series of stroke-like events left her confused and weakened, and right after New Year's Day '07 I even took her to the vet's expecting not to bring her back. Dr. Shenk gave her some pain/arthritis pills and she rallied long enough to make it to her 16th birthday. When the time came, there was only one more thing I could do for her.

The last words spoken into her ear were, "Gracie's a good dog." She was.

Gracie

Today was the day we've been dreading for some time now. Our little dog Gracie, by our best estimate one day past her 16th birthday, just couldn't go on. I will have more to say later.

Tally Ho!

Saturday night we played for one of our favorite groups, the Beaufort Hunt, at their 2007 Annual Ball and Silent Auction at the Harrisburg Country Club. Pat Banzhoff, here pictured with the band, chaired the committee which put on the event, and it was elegant as ever. We truly enjoy these folks, and they must like us because both the band and the Hunt Club have lost count of how many years we've played for them, five or six or something like that. From the opening strains of "John Peel" to the closing kick line of "New York, New York," everyone had a great time, and as the evening closed, we all said to each other, "See you next year."

Next week: We return to the Progress Home Association for a private St. Patrick's Day party, wherein for a change the Irish members of the band will get at least as much respect as the Italians. (Just kidding, guys. No, really.)

Festa! Just Friends at DiSanto Confirmation

The DiSanto family celebrated the Confirmation of their son Alessandro and Just Friends was privileged to play for the reception at the Hershey Convention Center. Among the many highlights of the day was the opportunity to be photographed with the confirmand and Bishop Kevin Rhoades.

Alessandro also plays trumpet with the Bishop McDevitt Jazz Band and sat in with Just Friends for two songs, "Blue Skies" and "In the Midnight Hour." He had poise and tone that you would never expect from an eighth grade student, and of course he had the crowd in his pocket -- just like Mark's hands in the picture with the bishop. (Got 'ya, Mark.)

Thanks to a men's worship breakfast being held in the ballroom before the reception, we had the use of some pretty cool lights and a mildly psychedelic backdrop, as shown here with Gio and Parker:

There are other photos and highlights of the day, including the food which was as good as it gets, and the chance to play some of our Italian standards and pop favorites, but I've got to go do my pesky day job right now. I'll just say that overall, yesterday was the kind of party that Just Friends was made for, and a whole lot of fun. Thanks again to the DiSanto family for allowing us to be a part of this happy and blessed occasion. Next: the tuxes go to the cleaners to prepare for the Foxhunters Ball at the Harrisburg Country Club this Saturday.

"You like me, you really like me!"

Just a quick post here as I'm getting ready to load the car to go rock the Hershey Convention Center for a Confirmation party with Just Friends. We caught Ed and Mike Miller at Coyote Joe's last night, and they made a very effective duo. I like the combination of guitar and bass more than two guitars, and the next time Ed and I play together I'm going to bring a bass. Mike's got the harmonies going on, of course, and plays the fretless bass quite well, as you would expect from someone who is in two bands at once. Quite the gig hog, Mike is.

We also caught the second half of the Amici Trio set in Hershey, and they were having a great night. Many people who had attended a private function at the hotel came into the bar, and the Trio did what good live acts do: they held them there. We had to scramble around to find a chair.

Thanks to Mike and all our friends for the kind words about this blog. I'll try to keep coming up with halfway interesting stuff to say. Now to go schlep gear.