Unmanifest

More change.   Steve Jeffries, our sax/harp/percussionist decided to part ways with the band.   He plans to put more attention on jazz ~ he plays with the Dave Leffler group ~ and do a few gigs with his other band, Blue Cat Alley.   I enjoyed the two years that Steve grooved with the band, and I wish him all the best.

After hearing this Monday afternoon that my band now has no established members besides me, a wise friend said, "Your band is in its unmanifest state.   What lies ahead is the field of all possibilities."

It's very encouraging in a strange way.   Totally true, not faky, it calls my spirit to speak clear and strong for the unfolding future, to be ready for the next adventure.

Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis is the band's latest phase.  

We had a great time playing at the mid-July birthday party.  

Russ hosted the party in his recently renovated party room and played bass all night long.   Ark-Hal Karns played his drum kit, which was perfect since we didn't yet have a kit drummer.   Mike played guitar all night, too.   I sang a few songs and other singers filled out a great party.

Two days later, bassist Russ England resigned from the band.   Three weeks after that, guitarist Mike Scanlon resigned.   Russ was my first band member and we made music together for 6 years.   Mike was with us for 4 years, and we three were the core of Burnt Sugar Blues.

What a shock.   I sincerely wish for everyone to do exactly what fills them with joy, and that's where Russ and Mike say they are going.   Burnt Sugar Blues was close-but-not-quite, and life is too precious to put one's time into close-but-not-quite.

I hope they both find joy and fulfillment in their new endeavors.

So . . . we have a crisis.   No drummer, no bassist, no lead guitar, no practice space for ourselves nor to check out new players.

What we got is HEART.   Plus multi-instrumentalist Steve Jeffries, djembe player Josy Welty, sound tech Jesse James, and singer/tambourinist me.   My philosophy of life says that crisis is an opportunity ~~ the deeper the crisis, the bigger the opportunity.   In that case, this has the makings of a phenomenal breakthrough. 

Some very talented musicians are interested to see what the band is about ~~ potentials include 3 kit drummers, 2 bassists, 2 lead guitarists, and a rhythm guitarist.   What we need at this moment is a practice space to pull all this together.

I checked out a room in a barn yesterday.   If we get a crew together to clear out the accumulations, we'll have a place to practice temporarily.   With enough hands, it will take less than two hours.   This is progress, and I feel eager to assemble our new players and the sounds they bring with them.   I sense a whole new evolution for Burnt Sugar Blues.

Music at Ila

Ila on Main Street,
where bands play in a cute little nook
with their backs to the big window

A potential new music venue announced itself during Friday's Artwalk.   The duo of Steve & Michaela McLain inaugurated music at Ila, a downtown restaurant that opened about a year ago, and at the end of the gig, Steve asked, "Wouldn't it be great to have a new music venue in Fairfield?!"

Well, of course, we'd love it!   Steve encouraged musicians in the audience to support the notion by talking to . . . I didn't catch who he said.   But after bouncing from the hostess to the bartender to the owner, I found myself talking to Sharon Stinogel.   She's intrigued by the idea of hosting live music in Ila.   She said, "We've never been open this late," (it was nearly ten) as her eyes sparkled in appraisal of the roomful of happy customers.

I gave her our band's card and added our names and phone numbers.   Ila is a lively place and they care about good food.   I'd love to play for their eaters, drinkers, and makers of merry. 

Sharon Bouquet
as Captain Switch

Just before I spoke with Stinogel, I saw her speaking with Sharon Bousquet.   Bousquet wore Halloween regalia ~ Captain Switch  ~ charming in a roguish sort of way with a dusting of shadow for a beard.   I hope she'll play at Ila, too.

She snapped this photo of her costume on Thursday night.   When I saw her Friday, the beard extended all along her cheeks into sideburns. 

Caught backstage

Mark Soth caught a pic of 3 of us Burnt Cat Blues players behind the gazebo in Bentonsport on Sunday.   We were listening to Keith DeBoer sing and play his unapologetically romantic ballads after we backed Eric Schaffer's set.

Keith DeBoer plays guitar and sings while we stand and listen ~~
Christy Ann Welty, Kevin Wells, Russ England
photo by Mark Soth