Back from Holiday

What a week...

I've returned from Cheltenham where I went to their Jazz Festival and ate at their lovely restaurants, although Jazz seems to be pushing it a bit seeing as they had seemingly booked any band they liked which contained a brass section or a double bassist. One such band was Polly and the Billet Doux who had a great set of songs, a bit folky with a very busy guitarist and a quite petite singer. Between songs the singer stalled for time by singing Pump up the Jam and Mr. Boombastic. On both occasions the band, when ready, joined in causing great mirth for the audience.

However, the greatest parts were seeing Phantom Limb and John Scofield. Two very different acts but equality fantastic. The former full of vocal harmonies, soft melodies and a general feeling of easygoing-ness (I actually almost fell asleep! Not a bad thing in this case. The latter a hard hitting, heavy on the improvisation, bout of real Jazz from a legend in the (Sco)field. Both were really eye opening; my girlfriend said she understood Jazz after seeing Scofield (Quote: "I get why people use notes out a scale now").

On top of this I can't recommend the following restaurants enough: Ask Italian and The Everest Curry House as well as an unknown Greek food vendour who made some of the most delicious food ever to pass my lips (as seen in the picture, it makes me drool just looking at it!).

Now I'm back it's full steam ahead with Mike Hough and his performance at the O2. Last night we had our first full band rehearsal with a pianist and I'm feeling a bit worried because she (through no fault of her own) is taking up all the space I was on guitar. I'm really going to have to have a think so I can sort out some new arrangements to play in these songs that don't let me get lost in the mix.

One last thing: I've been listening to a fair bit of Oscar Peterson since going to the Jazz festival, he really is amazing and I urge all to listen some of his songs. One such song sounds like a jazz version of Blind Date.