Let there be light

It's a lazy summer's evening and I have Count Basie playing in the background. I'm feeling rather restful, which is just as well because I'm beat! The band and I were out late last night playing at a wedding just outside York. The gig itself was a blast and the dance floor full once a few had overcome their shyness. Getting people onto the dance floor is like enticing small, shy creatures out into the open, but as soon as one takes the bait the others begin to follow. Congratulations to Helen and Richard who have jetted off today on honeymoon to a secret location, undisclosed even to the bride! Before the gig however things were less than peachy. After a short stop at one of the service stations on the A1 North (just 2 or 3 minutes for a pack of chewing gum) we found that the boot of one of the cars had been forced open. In one sense we were lucky. None of the musical equipment had gone (otherwise it would have been gig over) but a laptop had been taken and one of our stage lights. Ironically we had only bought new lights the day before so it hadn't even been used!! If someone comes up to you in a pub and tries to sell you a laptop and barrel stage light let me know. The remaining lights that we did manage to try out looked fantastic!

On Saturday I was playing at Choice Bar and Restaurant in Manchester. The restaurant was full this week and we had more of a laid back atmosphere in the bar, as opposed to some of the frivolities of the previous weeks, which gave me the chance to play some of the ballads that I don't often get to perform. I'm there again this coming Saturday (5th July) and again the following Friday (11th July) when there will be a barbecue taking place.

I think that about drains my energies for today but before I go just a couple of things I heard this week that caught my attention. The first was featured on the Bob Harris Saturday show on Radio 2 which I was listening to as I drove home from Manchester. It was a song performed by Romi Mayes called ‘Angeline’ from her album ‘Sweet Somethin' Steady’. A beautiful song - I'm a sucker for the those finger picked country tunes. The other was on a film I was watching (Definitely, Maybe), later that same night, from the writers George and Ira Gershwin called ‘I've Got A Crush On You’. It's a fantastic tune that I've come across from time to time but never really paid much attention to. For one reason or another though this time it seemed to register with me. Perhaps I'll put it on my ever increasing to-do list!

I'm done. Bye for now.

Scott Bramley
www.scottbramley.co.uk