Just back from Turkey
On Christmas day some dear friends called and asked if we could join them on the Greek Island of Skiathos in May of this year, it took less than a minute to agree. We decided to extend the trip and go to Turkey as well, which has turned out to be the best ….
We’ve just returned in body, our minds to follow at a later date ? When people heard we were going they asked if we were going there to tour or if we were bringing instruments at least? No, just bringing ours ears and hoping to search out some of the local music, which we did. We celebrated Bob Dylan’s Birthday on Rhodes Island, Greece with a group of ex pats, swapping songs and telling stories of what Dylan’s songs meant to each of us. I also played a few songs on a borrowed guitar at a dinner party we were invited to at a carpet shop in Ürgüp Cappadocia but that was it and that was just fine.
We heard some wonderful musicians mostly playing traditional Turkish instruments, dumbek, saz, a banjo type instrument (çumbuş) that was really loud because of the aluminum pot. We went to a Whirling Dervish show at a Caravansaray in Cappadocia, the musicians and dancers where amazing. We came away from the ceremony truly humbled by the beauty and conviction of the performers. Rumi lived not far from the area we were visiting in a city called Konya.
“In generosity and helping others be like a river…” Rumi
It was good to be away and good to come home. I feel out of the loop here but have crossed over another one that will forever be part of my experience. How lucky we are…
“Turkey is like a jewel in my memory” Randy Adams
Here comes the New Year !!
2010 certainly had it’s moments, good and bad…
Bill and I had a very successful tour in the spring adding in a cattle drive and some visiting. This was our first time out on the road playing music together and I must say that touring with your partner is wonderful at least in my experience. He is such a talented musician , adds so much to my songs. We’re great traveling companions. Thank you so much to all the venues and wonderful people who put together shows for us.
We’ve lost some very dear friends this past year. It’s time to live every moment , live life to it’s fullest … I still waste as much time as ever and don’t pay enough attention. Will that change ?? Can’t say for sure…
Same old things I’d like to do or change for the New Year …. a couple things I’m sure of is that Danny Barnes is still my main inspiration for banjo music and Ken Hamm’s coming back to town for a bit at the end of Feb. and we’re going share a night over at the Roxy Theatre on Gabriola on Thursday Feb. 24th. Will be so great to play along side Ken once again. Bill will join us for that gig too.
There’s some new music on the horizon… Leslie Alexander has a new record coming out as well as Jenny Allen both produced by John Ellis, both will be amazing . Also Russ Wilson, bass player from Junkhouse is sending me his records plus he’s recording a new one. Tom Wilson was here recently with his band “Lee Harvey Osmond” incredible show. I haven’t been that excited about music for a while. He calls it “Acid Folk” . Seems he’s found a pretty cool groove, some where between Junkhouse and Blackie & the Rodeo Kings.
I still miss Willie P. Bennett like crazy. I was playing “Country Squall” today and it was bitter sweet. Also learning a Townes Van Zandt tune called “Flyin’ Shoes “.
I’ve been doing some writing too and look forward to spending more time playing in the year to come.
Here’s to a good 2011 …..
Here’s to music and family and friends and love and peace …wouldn’t that be good.
And here’s to Greece in May and possibly Istanbul.
Thank you to everyone for supporting live music .
Jerry
Jerry Paquette is the man behind, in front and in the middle of Nanaimo’s music scene. So many, including me would have never accomplished musically what we have with out his skill, knowledge, humor and down right love of music.
When your sitting in a isolation recording room for the first time, a big microphone in front of you it’s comforting to look out the little window and see the engineer smiling and tapping along to the beat. He always made you feel compfortable.
I have been so fortunate to work with Ken Hamm and Jerry as a Producer/Engineer team.
There were times when we would just get together to visit. Jerry would talk about setting out on the road again, telling us of his travels with Susan years ago when they went across Canada playing music. He talked about supporting his daughter Alyse in her up and coming music career.
Now it seems Jerry is heading off on another road, one none of us know, there’s no maps, no GPS . It’s the road we’ll all travel one of these days. Alyse will carry Jerry’s music down the road that we can follow and will, she is so talented. I wonder if Jerry’s son Lucas will be the next Nanaimo Recording Engineer (here’s hoping).
Jerry became sick on New Years Day of this year, 2010. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer , one of the most aggressive.
He is with his wonderful family in the Palliative Care Unit @ Nanaimo General Hospital . They have been so generous in creating a blog so that all of us that love him and care so much for his family can check in and send our thoughts and prayers, share stories for everyone to read.
http://jerrypaquetteandfriends.wordpress.com/feed/
Tour in late May
Bill and I will be doing a tour in late May. Heading to Dawson Creek. Joining our friends to help take the cattle up to mountain pastures. Then heading off to Alberta and Saskatchewan. I’ll be posting the dates later on .
painting by Kelley Clark
Danny Barnes Pizza Box
For all the Danny Barnes fans out there I hope you know by now that his new album “Pizza Box” is coming out on Oct 13th. For the past couple years I’ve made Danny’s web site part of my music world, part of my practice time reading his blog etc. I’m so thankful for all he shares . It’s great when you run into someone you can really learn from..not only banjo playing but his outlook on life in general. He’s teamed up with Dave Matthews on this album. www.dannybarnes.com
