Summer '07, R.I.P./California Man

I'm not sure if summer is over technically speaking (you know, lunar calendar, solstice and all that) but by most accounts and by my calendar it is.

I went in to this summer wanting to do two things: spend lots of time with Milo and play more quality music around L.A. Going in to the summer I knew my touring schedule was going to be very light and I'd have more time to accomplish both and looking back I'd say I did. Carrie and I were lucky enough to find a Babysitter who would only charge us for the days we took Milo to her house (most places make you pay by the week, every week). I've seen his hair fill in, teeth pop out, and watched him scoot (he's not quite crawling yet) across the floor with astonishing speed.

On the music side I've played around town about as much as I could've expected. I've reconnected with some old musician friends and made some great new ones as well playing some really great creative music. Technically speaking I'm of the belief (and it's a popular one) that you get better on you instrument in plateaus as opposed to slowly and steadily making progress. That is to say you go through periods of sharp growth in your playing then it levels out, sharp growth, level out, etc. I feel I've hit another plateau this summer which is great.

Now that October has started my touring/work schedule with Tyrell fills up again. We are literally all over the state of California this week. Last night we played in Santa Barbra (it was a casual, a private party somebody hired Steve for, but I think he charges upwards of $20,000 for private functions like this so folks are usually a lot cooler when shelling out that kind of dough for an artist), today we rehearse in Hollywood (we are working on a bunch of Burt Bacharach tunes, fun stuff), tomorrow we fly up to Napa, Friday we fly back and play in Glendora (east of Pasadena), Saturday we have a gig in Malibu, and on Sunday we wrap it up with a concert in San Diego. That's a lot of driving.

Work is pretty consistent all the way through March. I am indeed making the NYC trip for the third year in row playing in the city during November and December. That gig is looming large and I leave in less than a month. YIKES! Being away from Milo is going to be tough as hell! But I'll be coming home a couple of times and of course mommy and baby will come to the city for Christmas.

And how was your summer?