Nice to drop by

"I did but see her passing by and yet I love her till I die". So said PM Menzies about the then-young Queen. It's not exactly that, but I'm glad I passed by Smiths this afternoon when the jam session was on. Peter Barta was on bass and I got to sit in for a few tunes and it was great fun. My tunes were with a singer so Stella so in non-standard keys. Mostly dropped a minor third so the chords looked strangley unexpected on very common tunes. Strange but interesting how the progressions worked differently. Keys are techincally parallel but, in practice, different on each instrument given its layout and idiosyncrasies. Con Campbell was there, returned from Chicago. Sadly I missed playing with him. But the band was pretty cluey and it was a pleasant and effective few tunes. Peter took over for the last and he's playing a treat on his lithe 5-string Eminence. Decent fun on a warm afternoon with a few beers.

Smiths Alternative stages an open jazz jam each Sunday 1-30-4pm.