Mark letting his music shine...
Video-man, Gennadi, from Russia.Mark & I were singing one night when a cutie named Gennadi showed up and asked if he could shoot some video: he was on his way camping in France, but decided to swing by the festival to have a first time experience. I missed my bus home because of our late night hanging in the Jazz Cafe. He stayed around to help me hitch home, but had to catch a 5:15 train. Eventually, I got a lift with a beatboxer who is working for the festival. Geez... another 6am arrival home. Thank God the festival is almost done. I would be dead if there was another week to go.
15 y/o Beatrice getting in on the street action for the first time! Courageous!!
David on the keys. Tony on lead guitar.
Vevey, where I live for now... that's a fork in Lake Geneva.
15 y/o Beatrice getting in on the street action for the first time! Courageous!!
There are so many wonderful musicians all over the place. Some play on the rue, like Mark & me. Others are booked for the stages. The difficult part is waiting for the late night jams. We perform most of the evening and sometimes both day and night. Then Mark & I head for the Jazz Cafe where some of the band members for the big names come to play together. We've been trying to get on stage as a duo, but no luck with that so far. However, we have both gotten on the stage in the Jazz Cafe. I had 2 opportunities. One night I did freestyle with musicians from Tower of Power and Roberta Flack. On another occasion, I sang with David Delhomme, guys from Chaka Khan, and from the Crusaders. What an honor! I have to tell a bit more about that night.
It was the big 75th Anniversary Celebration night for Quincy. Mark & I were gifted some tickets for the show where many of Quincy's friends gathered to celebrate his life in music. Herbie Hancock, Patti Austin, Chaka, James Moody and many others performed. Toots Thielemans, famous jazz harmonica player, made a surprise appearance. We knew there would be an incredible jam that evening. There was even a possibility that we might get invited to the private party upstairs at the Cafe where, the evening prior, I chatted with Q. Unfortunately, the invite never came, but no matter. Our goal was to get on that damn stage. Q was in da house!!! We sought everyone we knew with access to the stage to inquire about the jam: when would it begin-by this time it was well after 3am- could we perform as a duet, etc. No answers were forthcoming, but the stage was definitely set for something to happen. I was told the stage was set for Q's guests and he would determine when everything would begin. Mark was so nervous it was driving me crazy! We could see Q from where we positioned ourselves. I mentioned to Mark that we should make a sign and hold it up for the Big Man to see. He nodded in agreement and continued twitching. You know how I think I can wiggle my booty into anywhere. Well I wrote a note, sashayed upstairs, and talked security into letting me enter the VIP party to give Q a note. Once inside there was a personal body guard who stopped me. I asked him to pass the note to Q. He read it and put it in his pocket. Outraged, I asked what he was doing? "I'll give it to him at the hotel", he answered with his bass voice. "That won't do", I quickly quipped back, careful not to anger the gigantic guy. "Give it back! I'll just reach over and give it to him myself", I continued. Bodyguard dude told me that would be the rudest thing I could do and finally gave me the info I needed in the first place. He pointed out the musicians who would be in charge of the jam and off I went to introduce myself. I asked when the jam would begin and explained that I wanted to sing. "You wanna sing? What's your name?, he inquired. "Katt", I answered. He told me he was David and said he would look out for me. I returned downstairs to inform Mark and we strategized. It was bittersweet in the end because David kept his word and I got to sing. After that Chaka's guitarist, Tony, took over and there was no getting on for anyone else. The session began so late and was beginning to continue so long that the club actually ended it for us all. Mark & I watched the sunrise over the mountains as we waited for our bus home to Vevey.
It was the big 75th Anniversary Celebration night for Quincy. Mark & I were gifted some tickets for the show where many of Quincy's friends gathered to celebrate his life in music. Herbie Hancock, Patti Austin, Chaka, James Moody and many others performed. Toots Thielemans, famous jazz harmonica player, made a surprise appearance. We knew there would be an incredible jam that evening. There was even a possibility that we might get invited to the private party upstairs at the Cafe where, the evening prior, I chatted with Q. Unfortunately, the invite never came, but no matter. Our goal was to get on that damn stage. Q was in da house!!! We sought everyone we knew with access to the stage to inquire about the jam: when would it begin-by this time it was well after 3am- could we perform as a duet, etc. No answers were forthcoming, but the stage was definitely set for something to happen. I was told the stage was set for Q's guests and he would determine when everything would begin. Mark was so nervous it was driving me crazy! We could see Q from where we positioned ourselves. I mentioned to Mark that we should make a sign and hold it up for the Big Man to see. He nodded in agreement and continued twitching. You know how I think I can wiggle my booty into anywhere. Well I wrote a note, sashayed upstairs, and talked security into letting me enter the VIP party to give Q a note. Once inside there was a personal body guard who stopped me. I asked him to pass the note to Q. He read it and put it in his pocket. Outraged, I asked what he was doing? "I'll give it to him at the hotel", he answered with his bass voice. "That won't do", I quickly quipped back, careful not to anger the gigantic guy. "Give it back! I'll just reach over and give it to him myself", I continued. Bodyguard dude told me that would be the rudest thing I could do and finally gave me the info I needed in the first place. He pointed out the musicians who would be in charge of the jam and off I went to introduce myself. I asked when the jam would begin and explained that I wanted to sing. "You wanna sing? What's your name?, he inquired. "Katt", I answered. He told me he was David and said he would look out for me. I returned downstairs to inform Mark and we strategized. It was bittersweet in the end because David kept his word and I got to sing. After that Chaka's guitarist, Tony, took over and there was no getting on for anyone else. The session began so late and was beginning to continue so long that the club actually ended it for us all. Mark & I watched the sunrise over the mountains as we waited for our bus home to Vevey.
David on the keys. Tony on lead guitar.
Vevey, where I live for now... that's a fork in Lake Geneva.I am truly blessed & I am having the time of my life!! Be happy... it's your choice.
1 comment:
Dang, Kitty, some good stuff! Can I have an Amen? I think so!
Post a Comment