WHAT’S HAPPENING
what's the racket?
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Nice gigs with nice people who can all play and sing their asses off. What more can a guy want?
The next months have me appearing with Helge Schneider and Henrik Freischläder in a jazzy trio in which each set is like a jam session. Big ears and big smiles all round. Only a couple of gigs but maybe more will come along.
My treasured group of Munich pals will be with me in various combinations in far flung places. Claus Koch, Stephan Holstein, Andi Kissenbeck, Torsten Goods, Rocky Knauer and our singer, Nina Michelle, are by now much valued mates on gigs. Their experience in jazz, blues and rock gives me the kind of sounds around me which I love.
The last time I wis involved an international rock combination was the Jon Lord Blues Project which ended with Jon’s tragic death. This knocked the stuffing out of all of us for a while.
Recently I began to feel that the rock side of my life was missing somewhat and I thought of my old Brit friends who I have had so much fun with over the years. Miller Anderson, Zoot Money and Albie Donnelly are all very strong personalities totally capable of holding an audience individually. The great Bass player Colin Hodgkinson had moved on to Ten Years After where he is kept very busy and deserves all the exposure he gets. Who to play bass? Did I really have the cheek to call Roger Glover of Deep Purple legend? He is an old friend with whom I spent delightful times over the years. Plus he is one man who knows what a solid bass line should be. I wondered whether he would like to play with us and was thrilled when he said yes. So this little tour before Christmas will be exciting.
I’ve got a couple of days in Vienna with the legendary Abi Wallenstein in duo which will be challenging but I know we can get along very well. Once again, he is in himself a pillar of strength.