The music business is always an up and down trip. Trip being the operative word here. It goes great and then stops on a dime. No surprises here. It has always done this and likely will always do this.

The last 3 months seemed like a storm that would never end. Not complaining, but it was pretty crazy in a good kind of way! As of Monday morning, my calendar reports some less than staggering statistics. Very little going on for the next few years. It will change, but it still looks bad every time you get to that point of looking thru month after month with small amounts of work showing.

What does the kid do? Freaks! What does the old pro do? Freaks a little less!

My steady Friday Saturday gig "gave me the weekend off" this week and my steady Church gig "gave me the weekend off" from 6 services next weekend. This week and next equal a whole lost week of work and there is little to make up for the disaster. So, we have a little surplus that will have to last thru March it seems!

With time off, what does a sax player do?? A lot of catch up and some hanging! I have been scanning images from the olden days into digital format and reminiscing much about bands and gigs from yesterday due to this. I have been adding to image galleries on Face Book and will get some of this up on Flickr or GregVail.com too.

I have been trying to get out and see what's going on while I'm stuck on my gigs week to week. Last night I hit Dana Point to find Harpoon Henry's dark, the Renaissance Cafe pretty packed with a guitar based Island sound, and landed at Hennessey's for a great blues rock hang with Martin Gerschwitz and the boys.

This is a loud room and very old school in vibe and function. Oddly, the music is the important thing and not wallpaper - very cool. People are loud, drink, dance and love the band! The guys are actually really good at what they are doing right then and not doctors that are pretending to be players! All very cool and reminding me of a few years ago when music seemed to be more about music.

I got to hang with my good friend and fellow sax player Paul Navidad and saw a few guys I have known for years but seldom see. I was invited by Debbie Parks of Star PR but we missed hooking up last night. I had a ball, listened lots of great music and got to play too - very enjoyable evening.

Tonight the options are many and the decision is yet to be made. I just know I gotta get out and see what is happening and be apart of some of it somewhere if I can!! Have a great weekend all!

Greg

Edit and post a few days later. Yes I suck....