09.11.07: Winnipeg, MB: West End Cultural Centre

After two days of being in "the-middle-of-no-where, Canada" without cell phone service and internet, it's nice to be in a place that provides such lifelines. I can understand how there is a certain beauty to being disconnected, out in the big wide open spaces, basking in the breath-taking scenes of creation, but that's great when you are with your better-half perhaps; in other words, touring is already hard (i.e., being away from my family and home), but without these electrical lifelines, it really sucks.



So, finally, we are in Winnipeg, MB, and I believe that we'll have a nice show tonight. I pray that the sound system is in check. You never know with these small cities. Regardless, we'll make the best of it.

Today marks six years since the 9.11 attacks. It also marks one year since I closed on my house. I vividly remember both days, one of horror and fear and the other of joy and fear!

Another mark for this seemingly ominous day is the death of Joe Zawinul. The headline reads: "Jazz Legend Joe Zawinul Dies at 75 . . . Joe Zawinul, who soared to fame as one of the creators of jazz fusion and performed and recorded with Miles Davis . . . Zawinul suffered from a rare form of skin cancer . . . Zawinul, who was born in the Austrian capital, Vienna, and emigrated to the United States in 1959, is credited with bringing the electric piano and synthesizer into the jazz mainstream . . . Zawinul wrote several important songs, among them the slow and funky hit 'Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.'"

I'll report back on the show later this evening. Au revoir!

ps. I'm addicted to this video:





Tonight's show went well. First of all, it was a sell-out, which is always nice, especially since we've never been here before. I was feeling a bit out-of-it during the show; however, things turned around when we hit "Obsolete," namely because I felt like I connected with the vibe of the music. Unfortunately, we couldn't use any of our lights tonight due to inadequate power. Hopefully, next time we come around, we'll be able to do so. The pictures above were hanging in the venue; the first is of a painting down on plywood. The second is one of my favorite guitarist. Next city: Regina.

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