[Dixielandjazz] December...

James Kashishian jim at kashprod.com
Sat Dec 18 06:50:45 PST 2004


Busy month for me, December!  Arrived back from 7 days in Indiana visiting
my Mother & sister, and meeting DJML member Don Boyer at what is billed as
the "largest wind instrument shop in the world" in South Bend, Indiana.  We
had a coffee together and chatted about our mutual love of music, and some
notes Don had collected on Jelly Roll Morton for English DJML member Mike
Meddings.  Apparently
Jelly Roll spent some time in South Bend.

Returning to Madrid from Indiana in the early morning with a pending gig
that very evening, I was pleased (but disappointed at the same time) that
our gig that nite had been cancelled.  However, we have played every night
since my return (on Dec 7th), except for two nights when I flew to London to
attend a graduation ceremony (one of my son's was awarded his Master's from
London School of Economics). Was able to send the notes on Jelly Roll to
Mike from London on Friday about noontime.  British Mail is really fast,
Mike!  You wrote me this morning that you had received the package.  That's
less than 24 hr delivery!   

I got to my home at 9:20 last nite on a flight from London, ready to grab my
horn as we had a sound check at 9:45pm.  Made it fine, and the gig was short
& sweet...1.5 hrs, being one long set, and "outa there"!.  Had dinner at
2am!  Really enjoyed that gig last nite, but several of the guys in the band
were moaning!  I was mainly hopped up on the fact that there was a huge
crowd of people who looked like they had never heard jazz, and were having
an absolutely grand time....even dancing. The other guys that were put out
was 'cause the sound gear was at "disco" level.  Well, it was a disco!

Tonight, we have a private "garden party" in a tent set up in the garden at
the home of the director of one of Spain's larger companies.  There will be
200 dining, and we have had to include 6 Christmas songs to our set.  We
found that Deck the Halls swings very well in Dixieland!  You don't really
want to hear me sing White Christmas!

We had 4 days at a club next week, but cancelled two so we could do another
Christmas party for the same company.  The clubs are generally understanding
about these things, as a party pays well over 10 times what a club does.  We
will do the following two nights at the club, ending on the 23rd for our
annual "Christmas Break"!

Merry Christmas to everyone,  

Jim







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