[Dixielandjazz] visitors

[Jim Kashishian]

Pat wrote:
>Hi Jim, I did indeed visit Madrid a while ago and spent a very pleasant
evening listening to the band. In fact we had a drink with you and some of
the band beforehand.
Had I been offered a `sit in` on the drums I would have declined. I know my
place, and it certainly was not in the same frame as your drummer who was
fantastic.

That reply was in response to my having written to Pat privately, as I had a
few visitors mixed up in my mind, and wasn't sure it was he I was thinking
about.  I couldn't recall why we hadn't asked him to sit in with us, since
he mentioned the other day about now not being able to play drums due to
back pains.  (Pat says it was "a while ago", but it was during our recording
of our 4th CD which took place in 2002!)

As it turns out, he played down the fact he played drums for the reasons he
mentions above.  Then he goes on to mention the "purse grabbing" incident.
I well remember that, as Pat asked me at the door of the club as he was
leaving should he get a cab back to their hotel.  I said no, as the hotel
was well within walking distance and "no, of course there's no danger".

Boy, did I ever feel guilty after I found out the ladies had had their
purses snatched!  I was correct in saying there's no danger if one is
speaking about bodily harm on the streets of Spain at night, but in the
large cities you will face pickpockets at all times of the day & night.  (By
the way, most of these "bad guys" are not Spanish.)

After the incident with Pat & friends I now tell everyone I meet to watch
their purses, cameras, pockets, etc.  It's even on our on-line gig calendar
(the English version) warning visitors! 

Jim