http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vC4RpXkLLY

My friend plays incredibly!

This place was more like a dorm than a hotel. After putting me in a first floor room near some crazy machine that made constant noise I took the front desk clerks advise and went out to the restaurant affiliated with the hotel. It was a block up the street and shared the same name.
I ordered the lunch special fish stew. It was so terrible and tough that I told the waitress I couldn't eat it, thank very much and I left without paying for it. I was so pissed off that this place was ruining my vacation I immediately went back to my room and called Expedia insisting that they get me out of this place. Expedia had not updated the phone number of the hotel so they had me on hold for 30 minutes before coming back and saying "the phone number is disconnected." I gave them the right phone number (I had gotten it from the travel magazine at Avis before I left the airport.)
Long story short, Coqui Inn insisted I pay for 2 nights. I insisted on a better room. They put me upstairs in a much nicer room. This time the only thing I heard was all the talking, I mean ALL THE TALKING, at the front desk. That's because my "window" was actually a former vertical louvered type that had been glued shut. And this window was right over the front desk!
So whenever I'd call downstairs, I heard the phone ring and the desk person pickup and talk to me in "stereo"! Not to mention any other conversation and activity! I stayed the 2 days plus one extra day and moved to The Coral by the Sea, which was the same price range, maybe cheaper. It was in a much better area of Isle Verde. A short walk to the beach, walking distance to clubs and restaurants. And the rooms were quiet! Thank god I got 2 nights of sleep!

Sorry I was so unclear Vincent.
The cover I was referring to is my new CD cover. I had an artist from Atlanta, Laura Coyle, do art work for me. She’s kinda famous in illustration world. You’ve probably seen it on my website.

And yes Asia’s itinerary!! Man am I dense sometimes.

I started out in Singapore on Wed the 20th after flying JFK to Frankfurt on Monday Feb 18th.
I spent two days there Wed-Thu staying in the Geylang district then went to Kuala Lumpur on the bus for Fri, 1 night.
Came back to Singapore next day, for two more days, Sat and Sun. I ended up using 2 different hotels because I didn’t book the first hotel, a nice one closer to downtown, for two days in time. My mistake!
That was the weekend of the air show, largest in Asia. I should have realized all the hotels would be sold out! It worked out though. I walked to Chinatown and found a new hotel that wasn’t known and got a room for $50.

When I was planning this trip a year ago I said I’d take the train from Singapore to Bangkok. But it’s like taking the train from LA to at least Chicago. It made better sense for me to fly for $115. Planes can be so cheap here compared to the US as you know. Even at the last minute.

Anyway, I flew here to Bangkok last Monday the 25th and stayed 2 nights. Went on a tour of the Grand Palace on Tue morning and then found a tailor to make me a suit before coming back to the hotel.

Then on Wed morning 9:30am decided to have the travel agent from the hotel (she’s very nice, like everyone here) book me a trip to Chiang Mai. ($405 for airfare, airport transfer, lodging, breakfast and dinner and show. All booked by 12 noon for a 3:30 flight!) It was for 2 nights at the Hmong Hilltribe Lodge, one hour from Chiang Mai. I wanted a rural experience. It reminded me of Piney Green a lot.
So Wed and Thur it was the Hmong Hilltribe. Everyone was so nice but not much English spoken. Great food for almost nothing! On Fri morning the driver took me on a quick two hour shopping spree before taking me back to the airport in Chaing Mai.

Flew back to Bangkok. I was tired of living out of a suitcase every other day so I decided I’d stay put for awhile here in Bangkok and not go to Pattaya the beach area 2 hours away.
So I’ve had two days and nights here so far. Tomorrow, Monday, and my last full day in Asia, I’ll take a day trip to The River Kwia and the Tiger park. But I’ll be back in Bangkok by 7pm.

Then on Tuesday I’m back to Singapore airport, the worlds best!... To pickup my dry cleaning (Coats and sweaters are useless in 80 to 100 degree SE Asia) and get my flight to Frankfurt. It’ll be Wednesday morning by the time I get there. From there I’ll fly to Munich and be picked up by the festivals shuttle and then on to Burghausen.

I’ve got a 5pm sound check and 9:30pm hit!

I hope I make it!

Sonny?
PS, the hotel lobby where the free internet works is always jumping!

Hello people.
Here we go again. Another journey with the fantastic singing talents of Ernestine Anderson.
If you missed us at the Jazz Standard back in February, now's your chance to redeem that "second chance coupon."
This time no Frank Wess but you'll get to hear the venerable Houston Person.

Lafayette

Hello all. I just had a great week of gigs in New York City this past Tuesday thru Sunday.

I'll call it, 8 GIGS ON A STEINWAY. That's because I played at the great club called the JAZZ STANDARD and at the TRIBECA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. They both have fine Steinway pianos on their stages. That's quite a rarity these days with portable keyboards taking over everywhere!

Anyway, it was a pleasure to play for the great Ernestine Anderson. She is almost the last of the really swinging jazz divas. At 78, she can still sing sweetly and then turn around and shout a blues riff like BB King!

Also, the main man, Mr. Frank Wess graced the stage as well. He played tenor like few have been able to and also blessed us with some fantastic flute playing.

What a treat for me to play for two of the most prominent jazz artists alive at the same time on the same stage. It's opportunities like these that keep myself and other musicians on their toes and always practicing!

What I'm reading these days? I just finished a fine book called New Boy by Julian Houston. It's a fictionalized account of the school experinece of a young black man going away to boarding school during the period of segregation and Jim Crowism.