We attended the most joyous Sunday service at Glide Church. Fabulous choir with great musicians. Also it is a beautiful sunny day. Then coffee and good bye to Harry & Jan.
Solas
Day 8: to Berkeley to see Solas
After all those miles yesterday I kept a low profile; breakfast in the room, enjoy the outdoor pool, play some tunes & listen to Solas interviewed o KALW radio. Teresa was out checking out the Ferry Building. And just by chance she was on the same bus that Harry & Jan were boarding to come meet us at our hotel.
Off to Miss Saigon for a delicious Vietnamese meal. T & I had planned to see Solas, the great Irish-American quintet. I count 2 of the members as friends whom I met and jammed with in Ireland; Noriana Kennedy on vocals and banjo & Mick McCauley on box & vocals. What a stellar show! Great work lads! They are promoting their new CD, Shamrock City, a concept album re telling the story of Seamus’ great-great uncle who was murdered in Butte Montana in 1916. Great cd and well written. But like Kevin at the Sunday night session I am an instrumentalist and always favour tunes over songs. The tunes they did play were exceptional. At one point Jan whispered in my ear “does a band ever get better than this?” Indeed!
Day 6 San Francisco Thursday 3-Apr-2014
Carmel beach: check, drive back to San Francisco: check, get a ticket in Pacifica for crossing the double line: check, get the car back 30 minutes late: check, go see the Vivian Maier photo exhibit at 49 Geary: check. Vivian Maier died in 2009. She lived most of her life in Chicago, worked as a nanny, and on her days off would stroll the streets capturing scenes interesting for their emotional content, composition, lighting, historical significance etc. All in stunning B&W. A true artist unknown in her lifetime. It wasn’t until a box of her negatives were purchased at a garage sale that she was discovered. We saw 24 of her shots printed in a silver-bromide process and yours for $2400-$3500. Beautiful! Teresa liked it.
Then to the famous Haight-Ashbury neighbourhood; straight uphill. We ate at the magnolia, sharing a table with Diane a college cleric from Cleveland who had many opinions on everything. “Where is Rick Mercer when you need him?” I was thinking. She said numerous things that made me realize Canada is a better country to live in than the States. The number one poignant statement though: “we don’t have any tax money for medicine or schools; it all goes to the military. Welcome to America.” Ouch!
Afterwards we found a jazz bar, the Cafe Deluxe, on Haight. Great little jazz trio playing in there featuring Michael parsons piano. Vinnie rodriguez drums. jazz. Bass Adam Gay.
Day 24 – Good bye til next year
Will have my last session of this trip tonight in Crusheen, Co. Clare with friends Dave Harper (banjo & flute) and Yuka Sawa (flute). But first a stop in Ennis where John Culliney is hosting a dinner in my honour. The local Irish radio is having a phone in; What about this trend of people wearing their pajamas in public… That’ll do, so.
Day 23 – Leaving Kerry
A lovely last night in Kearney’s. Tony Halsall played some mighty stuff. It was quiet enough so Jackie & I played loads of our tunes. Bouasque is always a show stopper.
Day 21 – 2 sessions in Galway
Went to the Americana session at The Salt House with old friend Noriana Kennedy who is now the Singer for Solas. Good on ya Noriana! Also there were Calvin on bass, Avey on cajone, and Mark on guitar. Another crowded pub and great tunes.
That broke up about half 9 so I wandered up the road intending to go to the Crane. Before I got there I could hear tunes coming out of The Old Forge. There was Johnny O’Halloran playing melodeon with Eoghan on guitar joined by Peter on guitar. Turned out to be a magical session. On the way home I made my only stop at the chipper this trip. Vinnie’s for curry chip.