Let Me Solo!

Stevie Wonder’s Jungle Fever is spinning on the turntable and it’s working wonders over here — stirring up the imagination, upping the vibe, accompanying the sounds of spring outside the window. On the tune “Fun Day” the last chorus leads to the vamp out and Stevie has one final thing to say, “let me solo, let me solo, let me solo” and then the background vocals answer “SOLO”! What a classic moment and for sure Stevie, by all means solo!

We had a fantastic concert at the Handlery last Sunday complete with killer sound and an big enthusiastic audience. Full blast listening going on and what a joy for us musos to caress the music in that setting. Thanks to Holly Hofmann for orchestrating all of the details to make it happen and thanks to Duncan and Mack for playing up a storm. Can’t wait to go back!

Loads of live gigs this week beginning with a desert run on Wednesday with Leonard, Tripp, and me playing at the Rancho Mirage Library. We’ve been fortunate to be part of this music series for several years and not only do we get to share the sound, we also stay over night with our friend Brian and he has a pool looking up at the mountains. The word on the street is yesterday was the first day of spring to reach the double digits so hey, Tripp and Leonard, don’t forget your bathing suits!

On Thursday night Leonard and I are part of concert series held at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park. Thrilled, never been but you know it’s gonna cook with Leonard emoting in real time!

Solo guitar explorations on Friday afternoon at Flower Hill Promenade with el nylon guitar and me. Super fun!

On Friday night at 7:30pm maestro Fred Benedetti has invited Tripp and me, (we call ourselves Blurring the Edges) to play a show at Grossmont College. I played a private concert last week with Fred and this dude’s on FIRE! Playing so well and once we add Tripp into the mix it ought to fully ignite. See you there, but phone the SD Fire Department first!

Bassist Gunnar Biggs introduced me to his daughter Auni Keast a few years back and right away I knew she had good things up her sleeve. She was living in Minnesota and recently relocated with her family in Carlsbad. She is a nurse at Tri-City Hospital and she also happens to sing and play the guitar and write cool folk tunes. Gunnar organized a recording project and we gathered the troupes over here at SpragueLand and let the magic happen. Wah-la, her brand new Being Me recording is out and we’re playing a CD release show in Carlsbad on Saturday afternoon. It’ll be great and if you come and were thinking about throwing down a heart attack anytime soon, this will be the perfect environment to do just that. Auni will zip from the stage over to where you’re splayed on the floor and RESCUE YOU! Hah!

The last hit of the week takes place at the Scripps Ranch Library on Sunday afternoon. I’ve been missing my favorite Rebecca Jade (she’s getting too famous and traveling world with Sheila E. and others) so this is a special occasion to team up with her. Rebecca’s sound, pitch, vibe are all so UP there. Heavens, it’s a happy day on earth listening to her. I know I will be and hope you can be there too. 

There it is, wrapping it up as Stevie sings, “share your peace, share your joy, share your love”.

adios, Pedro