Hi Good Folks, Chris Potter’s “Traveling Mercies” is filling up the air waves (great CD by the way), the sun refuses to shine and in fact it’s sort of rainy outside. What’s this? Actually it’s perfect having funky weather right now. I’ve needed to be holed up in the studio putting in long hours refining my new string composition and it’s nice not having the lure of sunny days yanking around my concentration. I’m getting near the end of the piece and I’m loving the journey. It’s like reading a spy novel and every moment you’re wondering where it’s leading.  Who leaked the top-secret details mixed in with what harmony should the strings follow here? An absolute page-turner!

I’ve got a lot going on this week so I’ll jump right in.

Tonight I’m playing a free solo concert at North University Community Branch Library in the UTC area. This is part of a whole series of shows and I’m leading it off. Can’t wait to share the airspace over Miramar!

Tomorrow night I’ll join vocalist Denise Donatelli and pianist Geoffrey Keezer for a night of music at the Birch North Park Theatre. We just completed Denise’s 2^nd album of which we recorded it here at SpragueLand. It sounds amazing and once again Denise sings beautifully and underlying it all are Keezer’s inventive arrangements and piano playing. Also in the mix will be Bob Sheppard on sax, Hamilton Price on bass and Duncan Moore. Sure looking forward to a great night of music!

Thursday night I’m not playing my regular Roxy gig but instead I’m heading off to hear pianist Billy Childs playing a duet concert with saxophonist Steve Wilson at the Athenaeum in La Jolla. These guys rip it up and it’ll great hearing them together. Consider checking out their world-class music in the heart of beautiful La Jolla.

For Saturday evening we’re playing a show at the Pacific Beach Surf Shop. You might think this is a weird venue but we’ve played there once before and it’s really set up great for live music. They have a stage and they move everything to the side and there’s nothing like playing a Brazilian groove with a classic Skip Frye surfboard hanging overhead! Joining me will be two of my favorite vocalists — Kevyn Lettau and Leonard Patton, along with Gunnar Biggs holding down the low end. I hope you can make it out for a great night of music in PB.

Last up for the week is a duo house concert with Leonard and I taking place in Bonsall, near Fallbrook. It’ll be on Sunday late in the afternoon and you’re all welcome to join in. Look below for the details on how to get tickets. Stoke!