We are up in Montreal and have put in two very long rehearsals this weekend. The band is sounding very, very good -- I feel incredibly lucky to be working with such incredibly dedicated and generous musicians. Still a lot to do before our final rehearsal tonight, so I've got to keep the posting short and sweet.
Matt and I are staying on Avenue de l'Hôtel-de-Ville with an incredibly gracious couple and their adorable, surreally well-behaved 8-month old baby. I was worried about the winter weather, especially on the drive up, but these past few days it's been freakishly warm -- which means there are perilously wet icy patches and puddles of freezing slush everywhere.
Saw Nordic Connect at Upstairs on Saturday (with Secret Society North's Gordon Webster subbing for an ailing Maggi Olin on piano), and Lina Allemano's quartet last night at Casa Del Popolo -- so yes, that means many of the players in Secret Society North are plugging away at our marathon rehearsals during the day and then going out to play two or three sets at night.
We've been lucky to have some very nice advance writeups -- here's one from Irwin Block at the Montreal Gazette, and here's a great post from Juan Rodgriuez, who I met last night at Lina's hit.
Hope to see some of you Montrealers tomorrow night at La Sala Rossa!
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Glad things are going well up north.
Have a great show tonight!
Posted by: D0nnaTr0y | 08 January 2008 at 09:46 AM
Heh, heh! "U.S." trombonist Mike Fahie, indeed! He's an Ottawa born and bred Canadian lad! We don't give up our own THAT easily!
Nice write-ups! I'm looking forward to the show tonight!
Posted by: Christopher | 08 January 2008 at 12:11 PM