| Hi Good People, I’m coming to you from rainy Portland. Stef and I are on a getaway to check in with our daughter Kylie. She lives up here and is loving it.
There’s a lot to love about Oregon—an abundance of natural beauty, trees forever, clean air, clever food spots with more than usual vegan options, and good happy people. For a few days we ventured to the coast to see Astoria and Seaside and man did the drizzle overcast feature click into overdrive. All day, three days, water from the sky. Nothing new for them but news to me. Now I see why I’m so sold on SoCal with it’s generous dose of sun and warmth. Nice being up here for a change and especially great spending time with Kylie. She’s a good kid!    Right before this Portland trip I did a quick run to D.C. to play at Kennedy Center with pianist Billy Childs and his group. What a band and what a venue! Playing wild notes while just down the street Congress was fielding wild notes, trying to figure out which way to steer this country. Jazz politics in Washington… I’m heading back to SD late Saturday and right away on Sunday Leonard Patton and I make our way to the Scripps Ranch Library for a free afternoon concert. It’s a cool venue with good sound and it’ll be a real nice way to re-enter the world after a week a way. Hope to see you there!  I have 2 new albums just ready to be released! A solo guitar CD Lucy In the Sky that I already have copies and a new recording with vocalist Rebecca Jade called Planet Cole Porter. I’ll have copies of that one on Monday, just in time for our live show at KSDS Radio’s “Jazz Live” event at the Saville Theatre at San Diego City College. I’ll formally get the word out on these new recordings once the dust has settled from my recent travels but for now, please come to our gig on Tuesday night, check out the music, and be the first (not sure that’s really important) to get the new CD. The band is me on the guitar, Rebecca on vocals, Tripp on sax and flute, Gunnar holding down the low end on bass, and Duncan on drums. It’ll be a hoot and we’d love to see you there!
Moving through the week, on Thursday afternoon Leonard and I will play a free concert at Palomar College. They have an ongoing concert series and this week it’s us at the helm, sending music into the room. Good sound over there and good folks too. Can’t wait!  photo by Thomas Westerlin Friday night at 7:30 finds Leonard and I sharing our music at Harbor Music Hall in Little Italy. We’ve had some inspired moments in this creative spot and it’s a joy to return. Give it a try and I think you’ll dig the downtown scene for a change… I haven’t been playing the solo Roxy gig lately. The talking background noise started to effect my happiness level. An inner voice kept nagging at me, “you’ve played a lot of notes in your life and if ever the background noise starts to overtake you, pack up the gear and find someplace new.” I’m still on the search for silence and beauty and I’m told the Witch Creek Winery in Carlsbad might work. I’m lined up to play there on Saturday night and I’ll have my solo stuff worked up and ready to launch into the vast sonic unknown. Join me if you can!
There it is folks and lots of good to be grateful for. After this gig email gets complete, Stef, Ky, and I plan to walk through a few parks in the rain, taking in the green, taking in the joy of family…see ‘ya on the next loop, Peter |
