Week in Review – September 15, 2019

“Bill Frisell at C-Boys Heart and Soul?”

We’re making that drive again? Yes – back down from McKinney to Austin on Monday morning – I’m getting a pretty good routine going with where to stop along the way. The drive came with all the usual treats – McD click clacking on her laptop, and various conference calls for both of us.

You’ll remember that Diana didn’t love the Allmans tribute band last week. She did, however, love the Eagles tribute (“Fake it to the Limit”) this week. Mark and Damon joined us at the One to One club, and everyone agreed that the musicians really had it down. Here’s the classic dual guitar solo from Hotel California:

Here’s Diana’s favourite, Desperado:

We enjoyed hanging out and telling stories after the show. Lots of good laughs – I’m fortunate to work with such good friends and Diana certainly holds her own with the crew – I know that’s a surprise to all of you.

The rest of the week was mostly work and lazy evenings. Then I found something interesting for Friday evening. Reading through the Chronicle weekly newspaper, I noticed Bill Frisell playing at C-Boys Heart and Soul on Friday and Saturday evenings. A double take was necessary – Frisell is a world class jazz guitarist that I’ve enjoyed a few times in the famous New York jazz clubs, and C-Boys is a small dive bar that usually features blues and soul music. Further research on the C-Boys website confirmed that this was all on the up and up.

We arrived early and were amazed to find front row seats – literally 2 feet from Frisell’s guitar – were still available. Talking to the lady next to me, also a jazz guitarist, before the show, revealed that Frisell is good friends with Steve, owner of C-Boys and the Continental Club, and loves to play on South Congress in Austin. The seats allowed me to fully appreciate what was happening on the guitar and with the pedals.

Frisell delivered a beautifully nuanced and quiet solo set, and the small audience seemed to really appreciate the innovative musicianship. What an unexpected treat.

Here’s a video that Diana made from the concert:

We made the short walk down South Congress after the show for dinner at June’s All Day. Diana took control of ordering, and chose very well with steak tartare and seared foie gras. Great choices Diana – I haven’t had a seared foie gras in ages – and this one was excellent.

Saturday featured all the regulars: workout; crossword; lazy afternoon reading. In the evening we walked over to Peche (rapidly becoming a leading contender for favourite Austin restaurant for both of us). We enjoyed steak tartare and an amazing rabbit and mushroom barley risotto. Cat had tried this a month ago when I took him to Peche, and I was hoping it was still on the menu. What great flavour mixes and plenty to share between both of us. Our waitress recommended a delicious French Pinot Noir that paired perfectly The owner stopped by a couple of times to check on us and I could tell he was pleased with how much we enjoyed the dish.

Sunday began with the same regulars as Saturday. Different was that the printer was out of ink, so we headed to Opa and did the crossword on our devices. From Opa we traveled to Aussie’s – a sports bar right next to our apartment with sand volleyball courts out back. We watched the first half of the Cowboys game there, and split a burger. I noted that this was a good place to take Tim – classic rock music playing, sports on TVs throughout and lots of burgers and other Timmy staples on the menu. You would be proud of me for sitting on the patio while it was over 90 degrees – low humidity makes it possible. I ran into a work colleague, Nick, who was on the US Olympic volleyball team until destroying his shoulder weeks before the Olympics started – he still loves everything volleyball. That’s the Catherine parking garage with the slits in the concrete from Aussie’s patio and volleyball court.

We watched the second half of the Cowboys game in the refreshing air conditioning of our apartment, and then took a walk down South Congress to the Continental Club for the free afternoon show. Steve has been good to us this weekend – first Bill Frisell and then the Crescent Soul Review.

But wait, I forgot to revel in the Cowboys victory over the Washington Redskins – and another classic Jason Witten touchdown – number 70 for him, and Campbell commented that 50 of them must have been the same play – every team knows it’s coming, but none of them can defend against it.

Back at the Continental Club, the band worked their way through New Orleans flavoured soul music, with some excellent Band and Little Feat covers. The Band’s “Ophelia”:

Followed by a personal favourite, Little Feat’s “Dixie Chicken”:

And finally the Professor Longhair classic, “Big Chief”:

What a benefit of our location – free Sunday afternoon shows at the Continental Club – a fifteen minute walk away.

Many miles away, Will made it to the BMW M racing school in Palm Springs. I’m looking forward to his videos and stories from the experience. He really loves his M edition BMW and I’m a bit nervous about how he’s going to be driving it through Redwood City after all this “training”.

Even more miles away, my Mum and Dad enjoyed a week in Jersey and Guernsey. I didn’t realize that both islands were occupied by Germany during the Second World War. Churchill having decided that the civilian loss associated with defending the islands would be too great. My Dad told us a story today about his shortest airline flight – 10 minutes end to end. The ferry between islands was having mechanical difficulty, and the passengers were diverted to an island hopper flight.

My book this week was “Always Happy Hour” by Mary Miller. I ordered it up several months ago, and can’t remember what led me to do that. Did I read an interesting review, or get a recommendation from some other book I really enjoyed? Either way, not a good decision on my part. This is a collection of short stories, all told from the female point of view. Remind me that I really don’t enjoy short story collections as much as I think I do. I loved William McIlvanney’s “Walking Wounded” short story collection (having read it at least 3 times now), and haven’t enjoyed any collection very much since. I don’t recommend this one and I hope women don’t think like the characters in these stories. Here’s a review I found that seems positive:

“Claustrophobic and lonesome, acerbic and magnetic, the women in Always Happy Hour seek understanding in the most unlikely places—a dilapidated foster home where love is a liability, a trailer park laden with a history of bad decisions, and the empty corners of a dream home bought after a bitter divorce. Miller evokes the particular gritty comfort found in bad habits as hope turns to dust, and proves yet again her essential role in American fiction.”

Here’s something else from Bill Frisell’s excellent “Guitar in the Space Age” album:

Here’s a good example of his spare and nuanced guitar work – a cover of the over-covered “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen:

Robert Randolph and the Family Band have an excellent new album out. I’ve enjoyed Randolph live a number of times, opening for Clapton, sitting in at Tipitinas and the Blue Note – always a delight.

Have you ever heard of a band named the Sheepdogs? I haven’t either, until this song popped up. They are from Canada and started in Saskatoon in 2006 – plenty of good music to explore. I would love to have a sheepdog if we ever live in a place with enough land to provide the daily exercise needed.