ITALY, GENOA and COGOLETO.

I flew from Heathrow to Genoa via Rome, Saturday, 31 October 2009. An uneventful but lengthy journey due to change at Rome and delays from there .. even after we landed at Genoa we taxied for 20 minutes before arriving at parking bay. Anyway, Stefano (Pastor) and Guido (De Vecchi) were waiting for me on arrival. We drove to Stefano's apartment in a small seaside town called Cogoleto about 25 miles outside Genoa - a very popular resort in the summer but quiet now. After 'checking in' we went to a small seafront restaurant 'Osteria de Ruma' run by a dutchman Hans and his wife Sandra who, in addition to being the chef is also a very good blues singer - unfortunately we did not have chance to hear her. Guido later drove back home to Genoa, Stefano took me on a tour of Cogoleto pubs... The Fig Tree, Green Garden, Cogolitus and The Fifth Element. The latter is the venue for our gig next Thursday, 5 November. Antonia, the manager, was looking forward to that.
I had a bit of a lie in on the Sunday morning. Stefano's flat is south facing directly over the Mediteranean .. or The Tireno Sea, as this area of the Mediteranean is called.
After coffee we got ready for our rehearsal which was to be in a recording studio in the old port district of Genoa. We went to the railway station (a very short walk), had a coffee and took the 14.30 train for Genoa centre. Erika also boarded the train at one of the stations en route. In the city we walked slowly down to the old port, there we met Guido and wandered on to the studio. A lot of old warehouses in Porto Antico have been converted to shops, studios, a conference centre, restaurants etc. At the studio we met the fifth member of the group, Marco Tindiglia. Marco, guitarist, is also Artistic Director of the studio "GEZMATAZ" in Porto Antico.
So, the line up for the concert on Wednesday, 4 November at 'Palazzo Rosso' will be:
Stefano violin; Guido viola; Marco guitar, Erika (Dagnino) voice and myself on baritone sax and tarogato. We had a good rehearsal till about 7.00pm; the music, by Stefano, is six pieces based on the works of 17th century Genovese composers. The concert is entitled ' Improviso Barocco'. The poems which this music accompanies will be composed and read by Erika.

Erika in the studio

After rehearsal we tried out the Genovese subway - quite impressive, back to mainline station and train to Cogoleto. A couple of negronis in the American Bar and the Fifth Element then back to flat to enjoy Stefano's home made minestone and some nice wines.

On Monday it rained all day. We visited the local vinateka where the manager, Christian, suggested we should taste all the red wines he had .. so we did. We selected 3 bottles for home, he would not accept payment .. nice guy, must go there again! A bit more shopping for the essentials, then a couple of negronis in The Fig Tree - Stefano asked them to make the second one a bit stronger .. it was! Home again for a great chicken curry by Erika and Stefano.
Back to hot and sunny on Tuesday; S & E up early, Erika teaching and Stefano going to Genoa to collect a speaker for Thursday. He called me to say he had found some fresh fish and did I fancy it for dinner .. why not? His call got me out of bed - it was almost noon anyway. I went for a long walk along the coast.

Looking east along the coast, towards Genoa.

The coast looking west into the afternoon sun.

The fish turned out to be seppia = cuttlefish, cooked Genovese style with potatoes and garlic.

THIS WAS ONE OF THE POTATOES

The concert on Wednesday was at the PALAZZO ROSSO in the ancient district of Genoa - it went well, after a fairly lengthy soundcheck etc. Audience was select - about 50/60. The music was good and well received.

The Red Palace Five; Erika, me, Stefano. Guido & Marco.

After concert supper in the old cotton warehouse in Porto Antico.

Thursday we had our last gig, at The Fifth Element. A trio of Stefano, electric bassist Andrea Rossi Andrea from Vicenza and myself.
I think it went well - I remember having some drinks and then getting out of bed on Friday - a bit fragile, staggered around drinking coffee and packing the baritone in time to take the taxi we had booked.

ANDREA

MANAGERESS ANTONIA

ANDREA'S GIRLFRIEND FRANCESCA

So, I made it for the taxi, left Stefano's apartment at noon, arrived Abingdon 11 hours later - delays at Rome and at Heathrow, waiting for my sax that never arrived.

IMPROFEST 2009

CZECH REPUBLIC - PRAGUE AND BRNO.
IMPROFEST was later this year, September could be a good time; the weather was great and there was burčāk! So, I arrived Saturday evening, 19 September, flying from Luton with Wizzair - a Hungarian company; checked in at Swetja apartment which he was letting me have for the week then went to Irena's studio for pizza (that is where Swetja will stay). Irena was working an paintings for a private nursery - e.g. the Disney compilation ... quite different from her usual more energetic artwork.
Lubos met us there and we went out to visit the Republic Bar where Petr was playing.

Later we had a beer in one of the old bars of Zižkov - the name apparently translates as "The Shooted Eye".
Sunday was a "Day of No Car" in Prague - this seemed to result in a lot of streets in the old town being closed to traffic; there still appeared to be the same number of cars but completely clogging those streets that were open. Anyway, it resulted in a 50 minute journey to get to the Blues Club about 2 kilometres away.
At the club we had the FreeTime Quartet - Swetja, me, Josef and Petr plus 2 guests - a musician from South India, Ganesh Anandan on percussion and a 12 stringed instrument, the name sounded something like 'shritinstic' but probably wasn't. The second guest also played an Indian instrument - the sitar - he was Ladia, a musician of Prague who visited India every year to study the music. It was a good night, I also sold a few CDs so we went to look for something to eat afterwards but the Raven was closed .. we had pizza etc on the street and a beer in a bar somewhere.
Unfortunately I lost my SIM card at the Blues Club .. with all my photos!

WITH GANESH
SWETJA ALSO PLAYED THEREMIN

Monday was quiet - I had a good supply of eggs, cheese, salami etc in the fridge so ate a good breakfast . With Swetja I took a tram downtown, called at Unijazz about SLAM CDs, they aren't selling any it appears, so I arranged to collect the stock later in the week. Irena came and we went to Roman's Vinateka and I was able to sample a few glasses of Burčāk ~ this wine is only available in September. As I understood it Burčāk is sort of half fermented, the sugar is still changing to alcohol .. it is very nice.

Irena and Swetja
plus Roman and me.

Last night my friend Ivan told us about a saxophone quartet playing tonight in a small venue on the river, next to Charles Bridge at the castle end. Severely delayed by the Burčāk, we arrived there in time to hear the last 8 bars of their final piece. After the concert Ivan was very pleased we had come - he didn't know how late we had come. We met a few other musicians there - pianist Emil Vicklicky. a drummer called Jarda from Pilsen and others.

Tuesday evening Swetja was working in a theatre in Usti na Laben with a dramatic production for which he had composed the music. I didn't go - it was all in Czech of course. I had a couple of beers in Nad Victorkou pub with Jitka. Karol was there with other friends. I returned home to apartment.

Wednesday afternoon I popped round the corner to a local vinateka to try the Burčāk there - just as I returned to the flat Swetja arrived - so he went and got a bottle.Local vinateka, VINOTĒKA LUPĂČ0VCE, the white 'milk churn' on the left is what the Burčāk came in.

We sipped it until the rest of the musicians arrived and we left for Brno in Petr's car - 5 of us, FreeTime Quartet plus Ganesh. The journey is about 200 Km and takes about 2 hours.
The venue in Brno - "Music Club Muzejka" - was a very nice place; we had meal in the restaurant there which had recently been restored. They spoke several times about the occasion when Louis Armstrong played there in the 1950's.

The music this night was fine but the audience was very small - although it has to be said, they talked loudly and incessantly all evening, enough to give the impression of a larger (but completely disinterested) crowd.

The original plan for Thursday evening was to play on the river boat down near Charles Bridge - but this did not happen, we went to a park over looking the city - Swetja had a gig there with the underground band whose name translates as 'Sweet Ending'. I sat in for a couple of numbers on tarogato.

MILOS AND LUBOS CAME
WITH FANS

The premises on the ground floor, below the apartment was an "adult night club" where the signs outside boasted 'over 40 girls' .. with a red light on each side of the door. On this, my last night, Irena and Swetja also slept in the apartment where I was sleeping. In the early hours there was a fire down below - we had fire engines and lots of other things with flashing lights. Swetja watched from the windows, I couldn't be bothered to get out of bed. I asked Swetja if all the girls were outside, he said "No, only the ugly ones".
Anyway, the taxi turned up on schedule and took me to the airport.

ARGENTINA, Buenos Aires, San Luis, La Plata.

11 August, 2009 - flight from Heathrow to Madrid and connection to Buenos Aires.
Arrived in Bs As about 9 am Wednesday 12 August. Miguel met me at airport, his taxi was in the workshop so he came with his cousin's - Daniel. We went straight to the home of Daniel (Harari).
Gloria had a client (Psychological) so I went with D to Zulu Bar; later at night D drove me to Retiro to by my ticket for San Luis leaving tomorrow night. I got a ticket on Chevalier, leaving at 9.55pm, cost 130 pesos, a bit over £20.
Current exchange rates were:
3.81 pesos = $1
6.18 pesos = £1

After we got my ticket we drove round centre, calling at La Americana for empenadas, pizza and tinto.
The next day Monito Viera came to visit and Marcelo Bousquet - they were trying to arrange a gig in San Isidro or Belgrano or somewhere else for next week after I return from San Luis.
I packed and took taxi to retiro then micro to San Luis. We arrived 1 hour late the following morning after a 12 hour drive. Roi and Marcela were wating for me at bus station together with Blas. They took me to my hotel - the name is Plaza Pringles, it is on the peatonal Rivadavia, just a short work from the main square - Plaza Pringles, very convenient.
I rested a few hours, didn't get a lot of sleep on the bus last night. Roi picked me up around 4 pm and we went to local TV studio for live playing and interview.

PLAYING AND CHATTING IN SAT TV STUDIO

After SAT TV we went to Roi's place and did a couple of hours recording duos - mostly tarogato and tenor sax. I was getting hungry! Carlos came, also Ariel, Federico and his novia and others. Ulises was also with us and Marcela made dinner!!

Staurday morning - the hotel was not serving breakfast but gave us tokens to have breakfast at the Aranjuez bar on the corner - this was good because it meant we could have it any time of day.
There was a nice piece in the San Luis newspaper
'El Diario' plugging the 2 gigs for tonight.
The first was billed for 10.00pm at the Mauricio Lopez Auditorium at the university:

The concert went very well, small audience, the following night was billed a very popular comedy trio with free admission .. so maybe people were waiting for that.

Although billed for 10.00pm the concert, in true Argentine fashion, started some time after 11.00pm.
Consequently, the second concert billed for 12.30am in a bar called La Terraneo, also ran late, infact starting around 2.30 am, by which time I was asleep. I awoke and went on stage but there was no PA system and it was a waste of time pitting an acoustic baritone against electric piano, electric bass and drum kit. I took a taxi to hotel.

THE QUARTET WITH ROI, CARLOS, TONY AND ME
DUO - ROI ON ALTO, ME ON TAROGATO.


Next day was Sunday - late breakfast in Cafe Aranjuez - reading my book, Garden of Beasts by James Deaver, watching San Luis take a lazy Sunday to the peal of the cathedral. I later spent a while looking for a place to access my email but everywhere was closed, quite a different scene to the 24/7 of Bs As.
In the afternoon Roi collected me - we had a drive to Potrero de los Funes. We went via Chacras where there is a memorial to the soldiers of San Luis.

I checked out of the hotel on the Monday - we tried to get a beer but Morrison's and a couple of other bars were closed - it was The Day of San Martin. Anyway, through dedication we found a bar that was open. Later we had another drive into the hills around San Luis - part of the road there also forms part of the international auto racing circuit in Portreros de los Funes where, during the past 2 years, have been held the TC-2000, Formula Renault and F1A GT events. Later we visited a very modern attractive racecourse -

Hippodrome.

There are many new developments in this area which also include 5 star hotel with lake, watersports, wintersports etc and the Puntas football Stadium, dedicated to the footballer Juan Gilberto Funes.
It was time for my micro, San Luis to Buenos Aires. 12 hours listening to the thundrous snoring of the guy sitting and sleepin just behind me. Arrived in Retiro at 07.30 and took train to Coghlan.
Later Daniel had errands to do downtown so I went with him and visited Marcelo Bousquet in his apartment on Corrientes - very close to El Atril where I also called.
Then I had time to wander slowly through the subway under 9 de Julio where there are some interesting shops and gradually down Belgrano, called in a pub on Independencia and on to San Telmo to wander around the indoor market there. Many more stalls are open now.
I met Daniel in the small pizzeria on Defensa - it's just like a little shop, not very attractive but they make one of the best pizzas in Bs As. There's nowhere to sit down, it was quiet so we could find a shelf for our beer and were able to lean against it. Ate too much pizza.
Back at Coghlan I relaxed for the rest of the day and made arrangements to visit Paolucci in Lomas de Zamora tomorrow.
The next morning I travelled - train from Coghlan to Retiro, subte to Constitucion where I met Sergio in the mainline station, then train to Lomas. There had been a rail accident just beyong Coghlan so the trains to Retiro were interrupted - I had to wait about 40 minutes for train - making me late for rendezvous with Sergio but all was OK. I heard him shouting my name across the main hall of Constitution Railway terminal as I ascended from the subte. He has a small home in Lomas, his son Pablo came round with girlfriend Brenda to visit us. they brought us some delicious empanadas.
SERGIO AND PABLO
In the evening we stayed home - listened to some of Sergio's CDs, talked, drank - Pablo, Brenda and journalist friend Alejandro came, they made a delicious dinner - sort of spaghetti Bolognese with chunks of steak instead of the minced steak. Went down well with tinto, in fact we had to make 2 extra excursion to local tinto supplier to to up. My diary notes read "fair bit of wine".
ALEJANDRO
Late to bed, it was a bit cool; Sergio was up all night - I could hear him in the next room, talking to John Coltrane.
SERGIO AND ME
The next morning we realised the keys for the gate were lost and we could not get out - Sergio called Pablo's mobile, we heard it ringing and found it where Pablo had left it the night before. I called Daniel - can't remember why .. except it was his birthday. Sergio went into the garden again - I checked his jacket he was wearing yesterday and could feel the keys in the lining. He had checked the pockets inside, they were empty; I checked the pockets from outside so could feel the keys where they had slipped though a small hole. So, we could get out - we went for a walk in downtown Lomas - Sergio showed me the hall and pizzeria we had visited on my last visit there with the saxophone quartet - Elton Dean, Paul Dunmall etc. We went for breakast in 'Cathedral Cafe', wandered around a bit - Sergio seemed to know everyone - then returned home to prepare for journey to Buenos Aires centre. Constitucion, Retiro, arriving Coghlan about 1 pm. Daniel and Gloria were in Zulu Bar, I joined them for super pancho.
I collected my laundry from Laverup where I had left it on Tuesday then went to Mono's house. Mono and Marcela invited me to stay with them on Sunday and Monday nights.
I returned to Daniel, we had some good pizza, birthday cake, a few drinks and smoked a Cuban cigar each on the roof.

Friday 21 August .. I walked round to Straijer's house this morning, I hadn't seen Horacio for a year or two - I think the last time was when we recorded 'September Spring'. The boys, Ivan and Leo, are growing up, looks like they're both going to be percussionists. Walking back in the afternoon it was getting quite cool. In the evening I went to a tango show with Mono and Marcela - it is Tango Festival time in Buenos Aires, we went to concert in Teatro 25 de Mayo, on Triumvirate. Two bands played, the first a young group from Holland, the second a Polish band with Argentine vocalist Susana Moncayo. The Polish bassist had borrowed an instrument from Mono - that is primarily why we were there. It's a very nice theatre, recently restored and I think re-opened earlier this year.
After the show we took the bass home then to a pizzeria - 'Kentucky' - which was very good.

The next day I went with Daniel to supermarket 'Coto' to buy a load of food and drink for today's asado. As usual, much too much food - but it all looks so good! 3 different beefs, chicken, pork, morcillas, chorizos, chimichuri, chinchilin etc. etc. and a good supply of tinto.
We had the asado in the afternoon, on the roof - Mono came, family and friends but no more musicians.
MONO AND DANIEL
In the evening Daniel and I talked about La Tere and agreed terms for Daniel to buy my half of the property. My cold is getting much worse, I didn't sleep much.

Sunday, 23 August, Daniel is going to Patagonia today to visit brother for a week in Bariloche. I prepared my belongings, I will go to Mono's house - but first I have spare time and listened to England/Australia Test Match on internet. I eventually packed and walked round to Mono's (2 blocks away).
WALKING TO MONO'S

We left in Mono's car for gig in La Plata, going via Quilmes to pick up percusionist Facundo. The gig was at NOTORIOUS, La Plata. A new venue, related of course to Notorious on Callao which was closed for maintenance. Actually, many places in Buenos Aires had been closed for a few weeks due to Swine Flu - Schools, Colleges, workplaces and of course clubs, theatres etc. When I arrived at the airport the immigration officers were still wearing masks but it appeared the worst was over.
At Notorious we had a quintet assembled by Pablo Ledesma on soprano and alto saxes with Mono, Facundo, myself and guitarist Marcelo Edwards who lived in La Plata, his father was English. We had a meal in Notorious then returned directly to Bs As, dropping off Facundo then straight to Mono's, where I slept in the recording studio.


Quintet at NOTORIOUS. Marcelo, Pablo. me, Mono and Facundo.

Actually I slept very well in the studio on the bed Marcela had made for me. I went downtown in the afternoon - train from Dr Drago to Carranzo then subte to Callao. I went to visit Mariano at Ghandi Discoteria - he had sold a couple of SLAM CDs, I left him 7 more.
From Corientes I walked along Callao to a bar called Los Galgos (The Greyhounds) on the corner of Callao and Lavalle. It is one of the very old traditional Bs As bars, quite small and they don't serve much food, but a good place.
After a beer and sandwich I walked to Retiro for train back to Dr Drago. In the evening Marcela, Mono and I went to a restaurant 'Enfunda La Mandolina' on Salguero. Described as typical Buenos Aires restaurant, in addition to the usual steaks and pastas the menu included 'Crocodile steak' - which was actually from the cayman, the small South American alligator. I decided on a more traditional steak - bife de chorizo.
I slept OK but my cold was worse.
My flight was not leaving till 9.35 pm on Monday so I had time to spare during the day, prepare all my gear for leaving - go to Chino's for a bottle of Gancia to take home. Marcela made a very nice lunch. Miguel came round later, he had got his taxi back, and took me to Ezeiza. The rest went pretty well as planned, without incident, arriving home about 23 hours later.

Brian Morton

At the end of July I went to visit Brian Morton in Argyle - it's about 10 years since last I saw him; he was then living at Whitburn near Edinburgh.
I first met Brian in the early 1990's, he was presenting the programme 'Impressions' on BBC Radio 3; I did a couple of sessions during that time. He has always continued his work as a critic/reviewer for several Jazz magazines so we have maintained contact through SLAM CDs.
Here is a photo I took from the path above the farmhouse which is his home. A fantastic location overlooking Loch Striven with the Kyles of Bute and Arran in the distance.

Marlborough 2009

Marlborough Jazz Festival was 10 - 12 July. I played the closing spot on the Saturday night - the band was same line-up as last year with Don Rendell, Henry Lowther, Esmond Sewlyn, Clive Morton, Robin Jones and myself. The band is called 'New Tricks'. Unfortunately no new photos but it was a great night.

FREETIME '09

Swetja, Jozef Laska and Petr Zimak – who with me make up the FreeTime Quartet – arrived from Prague 27 March. Our guest, violinist Stefano Pastor arrived from Genoa the same day. We were here primarily to play Abingdon Arts Festival, around which I had arranged this programme:

Friday, 27 March, arrive in England.
Saturday 28 March concert at Polish Jazz Cafe in London see http://www.jazzcafeposk.co.uk/index-en.html
Sunday 29 March Royal British Legion Club in Abingdon (Abingdon Arts Festival)
Tuesday 31 March The Bullingdon in Oxford.
Thursday 2 April Recording session for BBC Radio 3.
Friday 3 April The Stocks Bar, Abingdon (Abingdon Arts Festival)
Saturday 4 April Stefano to guest with SWINGTIME Orchestra in Abingdon Guildhall.

The Polish Jazz Café at the Polish Cultural centre in Hammersmith is a lovely place with good people – it was a great start to the tour, being the first time Stefano had opportunity to play with the quartet, it all fitted together very satisfyingly.

The full line-up at POSK

Sunday we played our first gig in the Festival – at the Royal British Legion in Abingdon. A small recently refurbished venue, filled to overflowing, a good atmosphere.

Tuesday 31 March we played at The Bullingdon in Oxford – a pub with big music room, music every night, one of the main Oxford venues. Their music includes jazz on a Tuesday. Before we played I noticed a few old time jazz lovers in the audience – ‘Oh dear, they’re not going to like this’ I thought. I wasn’t mistaken, they had disappeared by the end of the first number. Anyway, the placed was packed with young people, dancing and enjoying the music – a long time since I played to such an enthusiastic crowd.

Swetja bought a guitar in Oxford
This is it


Stefano at the 'Bullie'

Thursday 2 April we had recording session at Pinewood Studios for ‘BBC Radio 3 ‘Jazz on 3’, produced by Somethin’ Else. Producer Robert Abel, recording engineer Steve Lowe and assistant Toby. We recorded 7 or 8 tracks, total time more than one hour – this will be mixed and mastered next week and about 50 minutes selected for the programme which goes out on 20 April.

The road to Pinewood - getting a bit over excited!

In the studio
Toby, Steve and Robert

Friday 3 April back to Abingdon Festival for the second gig there and the last gig for FreeTime on this tour. The concert was at the Stocks Bar of the Crown and Thistle where Swetja, Jozef and Petr had been staying 10 nights. Always busy there on Friday nights, space was a bit tight, Jamie did the sound and Milo’s girlfriend Lynda came – she took some of the photos. The Stocks Bar was also holding a Real Ale Festival over the weekend.

A NIGHT IN THE STOCKS

Saturday 4 April SWINGTIME Orchestra was playing at Abingdon Guildhall and Stefano played as special guest. Stefano left for Oxford/Gatwick/Genoa in the early hours after the gig.

BRIGHTON JAZZ CLUB

GHQ played Brighton Jazz Club March 20, with Steve Waterman, Steve Kershaw and Robin Jones.