Just Like Johnny Colla

Since I mentioned it a few posts ago, I will begin with one of my signature moments of last night's Yacht Rock:  I forgot to turn my sax microphone on, just like the guy from Huey Lewis and the News.  And I felt just as stupid.

Yacht Rock played our monthly show at the Park Tavern to a whole lot of people (last month was over 2,000, but they vowed to cap it because the June show was more people than the bars or restrooms could accommodate).  I made lots of stupid mistakes like the microphone thing;  played things in the wrong octave (talking about the bridge of Baby Come Back and the chorus of Good Thing AND the synth hook on My Life).  I sucked real bad because I was very, very stupid.

The second set was much better for me.  I didn't screw up the solo to Africa, though I was holding on for dear life.

My new alto mouthpiece is awesome.

davidfreemanmusic.net

Tongue and Groove

Yacht Rock played a benefit last night at Tongue and Groove.  Three quick sets--it went by fairly quickly, and we were finished at 9 PM.

The break:  Tongue.  And Hooves.

The world's worst DJ hastened our fastest load out ever!  In forty-four minutes, we had all our gear (including the PA) out the door and in our vehicles.  It was like packing up in the rain.

davidfreemanmusic.net

CBS in the Morning, Huey in the Evening

7 AM load in at CBS Better Mornings Atlanta yesterday morning!  The Yacht Rock Revue was assembled for a promotional appearance, touting The Greatest Yacht Rock Revival in the Universe (August 18 at Park Tavern).

We've played several of these, so it's not really a big deal anymore--I don't think there are any nerves involved.

We did a few quick segments (going to commercial), an interview, the weather, and two longer segments (Maneater and Can't Wait for Summer).  Here's the latter:

CBS Atlanta 46

Pretty cool!  Too bad my solo at the end didn't make it.  Actually, maybe not.  I didn't play anything worth hearing again.

After that, I went home and taught lessons.  Yuck.

Wednesday night, Yacht Rock took a field trip to Chastain to watch Huey Lewis and the News and Joe Cocker.  Good stuff!  Huey played all his hits;  Joe had a better front of house guy.  Huey had three sax players (and an obnoxious trumpet player);  Joe had one.  Huey had a bari and two tenors.  Huey wins.

The first tune of the night was Heart of Rock and Roll, and when the sax player came up front to play the solo, he forgot to turn his microphone on.  Ouch.  I felt…exonerated?…it happens to other people, too!  Let's reminisce about a time when I did this in front of a lot of people...

That's about it.  Huey's front of house guy did a much better job of getting the saxophone in the PA.  Cocker's guy didn't bring it up enough.  Come on!

davidfreemanmusic.net

No Sleep Till...

Ugh.  It's a week of not sleeping at normal hours for me.  Sunday morning, I was up early (after getting home late) to go play my church gig.  In between the AM and PM gigs, I worked in the yard.  That night, I stayed up until 4 AM working on Yacht Rock tunes for a Tuesday rehearsal.  I got up Monday morning at 10:30 and continued working for most of the day, finally going back to bed at 5:30 AM.  Tuesday.  I got up three hours later and went to my rehearsal.  I came home just before 2 PM, ate lunch, and went to bed.  I woke up at 8 PM, ate supper, and did some stuff (worked on reeds, packed clothes and gear for tomorrow morning, took a shower).  I'm headed off to bed now (2 AM),  but I'll be up at 6 AM to play CBS Better Mornings Atlanta.  7 AM load in.  Ouch.  I'm totally out of my groove.

davidfreemanmusic.net

Church Gigs

Sunday…church gigs.

My AM church gig featured The Georgia Spiritual Ensemble.  They were fantastic.



My PM church gig was pretty good.  No problems.

Actually, there was a problem with the lectern microphone.  It runs through the church system and not my mixer, and for some reason it was not on.  After the first reading, the reader was looking at me, so I went in the back, found the mixer.  It was definitely getting signal.  I turned the volume knob up, and the band started distorting, so I put it back where it was.  Somehow, that fixed the lectern microphone, too.  I am a genius.  Dave saves the day.

Busy week ahead!

davidfreemanmusic.net

Cafeteria Wedding

Yacht Rock played a wedding yesterday at the Botanical Garden.  We were in the Day Hall, which is really just a high school cafeteria without the fold up picnic benches.

I guess we were more Constantly Awesome--some Beatles, some Yacht Rock, some bar covers (Honky Tonk Women, American Girl).  Not much to report…the usual wedding stuff.

I've developed some kind of serious mental blockade against the first few notes of the Africa solo.  It could be anything, and then three beats into it, my hands snap to the right place, and the rest is fine.  That first note, though…I can't find it to save my life.

Tonight's break:  Botanical.  Garden Salad.

davidfreemanmusic.net

SX Recording

I recorded today for Ben Allen, who is producing a record by the Belgium band SX.  The song was called Beachmaster--sort of an 80s thing.  I was copping a previously recorded sax part which followed the vocals.  Mark Cobb has been laying down drums for them for the past week.

Really, I thought I'd be better at it.  I had my chart and I was ready to go, but still took me forever to nail the phrasing of the chick and the time feel of the original sax.  Way longer than I thought it should.  I thought I'd be quicker at it.

So it goes…I was in and out in under an hour, and everybody seemed happy with it.  Success!

davidfreemanmusic.net