We're THIS close!

Being ethnically identified Irish, I have a rough time looking success in the eye. Family, friends, Fitchburg (our home town in Massachusetts): I feel the breath of them on my neck and they're accusing me of high-hatting them, of not knowing well my station in life, So many of my colleagues and peers lack this circuitry. The just charge on ahead until they feel bricks.

All this is to say that we had a great rhythm section rehearsal on Sunday which left us all convinced that something good is well within our reach,

First of all, we started about 40 minutes late because Marty had plumbing trouble at his house. AND Leroy accidentally fell asleep at his house. Not very encouraging, We had Janice sitting on Jimmy's couch chatting, wondering what was up I'm sure. Javi tried but didn't make it. I had just driven down from Dallas. Jimmy and Leroy just barely got out of a gig at Cabo Loco.

If I were her I would have walked. But we all managed to convene and it was good. Very good.

Janice was splendid in every way, tackling even the hardest tune we threw her way (Midnight Train to Georgia) with class and aplomb. She has a great voice that can make it up to soprano range without losing pitch or support. It's so nice to play with someone with a trained voice (as my brother has) because they make a connection with the instruments. Anyway, suitably impressive, she had something else to get to, but hung around a few extra minutes she didn't really have because it was a kick for her too.

Marty and Jimmy was an easy thing to see coming. They're both groove players who don't bother with virtuosic displays to make their point. (Not that either of them is not capable . . . they just choose not to clog up the tunes with them.) Find the groove, lock onto it.

A couple things came out of rehearsal Sunday. We're going to pursue Pato's to make a paid rehearsal midweek. It may pay just beer, but hey, I've worked for less, with less. And we'll be getting together Thursday night to work out 8 tunes, which I burned to cds and distributed at the end of the rehearsal. Thank you, Steve Jobs.

That's how close we are. Close enough to feel the hairs on my neck rising to meet the challenge.