Devin gets the real Route 66 experience...

Our beloved Cow Bop bassist Devin gets a real taste of some the characters on Route 66...



Stay tuned for a phenomenal performance by Harley.....

New Mexicali Rose

Swung across New Mexico today, left Tucumcari...try saying that three times fast, at 9 am!!! Stopped at a few curio shops (weird how most of the stuff was made on a reservation called "China"?). Had lunch at a great cafe, they played mambo as we dined, Pammy and I had time for a quick table dance.

We were excited to get to Albuquerque...try to say that one as well! Pat Kelley, a compatriot, fellow professor at USC and swingin jazz guitar player is joining the band for two nights as he heads west (on his way home to Tulsa...where we just came from). We made our way into the heart of Phil Salazar's family, he has more cousins here than you can imagine, it bodes well for a decent showing at the gig, although, I have done a bunch of radio interviews, they are so helpful here. The Salazars run a mortuary, we took a quick tour (not everyday you do that!? and never thought I'd volunteer for one...other than my own) We went to a lunch of the best red chile I can remember macking down! (A Salazar family establishment) I'll let you know how the gig went...check out the eye candy too.

Can I ask you to make a pledge....pleeeze

Blue Ribbon Day

We headed out of OK City early and as the prarie opened up we fell into great stuff. We played at the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum (were covered by the local paper) and then made our way to Erick, home of Harley and Annabelle, The Mediocre Melody Makers. These people are the greatest, a force of nature. They took us in, played for us and with us, fed us and entertained us, I can't even begin to describe it. While they use the term 'medicore', they are anything but, and Harley can pick with the very best of them, and I should know. It is no surprise that they are are the only living people who are designated as Route 66 landmarks...wow! No trip down the Route is complete without a stop there...but be forewarned...it will change your life!

Then we gobbled up a lot of the road, which is actually frontage to I-40 and made it into Amarillo as the sun was sinking into the horizon. The air was warm like velvet and the customary winds that rip across the plains there were unusualy silent. We decided to make a twilight visit to the Cadillac Ranch, found some people there (taggin the caddies) and we played a short concert. Then we headed into the sunset, crossed the halfway point and bunked down for the night as the biggest full moon rose to sing us a desert lullaby...this is what these trips are about!!! That, and raising funds and awareness for kids music-mentoring programs...will you help?
Stay tunded for video ...wahoo!

Route 66 Jam Session

A jam session along Route 66...



More to come soon!

Checkin in

Howdy! Sorry to have been so remiss in my posts, and brief at best, but as you can imagine, I've been busier than a one-legged man in a butt kickin' contest! So many miles, so many cool people and situations, many jams...wow!



















We made our tri-state trek yesterday, finished of Missouri, swung through the corner of Kansas and into Oklahoma. Played at Galena, KS, the place that Tow-Mater comes from, the actual tow truck that inspired the character in movie, Cars. We got some video I think, should be posted soon. Then we arrived in Tulsa, the home of western swing, Bob Wills got his start and spent most of his career here, a town full of music history.















The Jazz Hall of Fame, where we played, boasts Charlie Christian, Barney Kessel, Oscar Pettiford, Chet Baker and many others as inductees...all from OK! (Pat Kelley, my compatriot at USC, and a homegrown Tulsan who is going to sit in with us in New Mexico while he is on his way home for a visit) Our sets had some great guests: Whit Smith from Hot Club of Cowtown, Rick Bentley and Chuck Cissell, who runs the place.
Then we went to a jam session at Rick's where Shelby Eicher (from our CD, Route 66) sat in...we played til 3 am! More today, a Bar B Q art Whit's, gonna have trouble getting out of this town.

Remember: we can use all the pledges we can get!

got some photos: the world's largest totem pole, a collection of fiddles made from various exotic woods, and the Missouri Hick (only on Route 66), gonna be posting more photos as I get the emailed to me, thanks for being patient!

Bruce

Meet me in St. Louis

Hung out in St. Louis for the day, after a rousing gig at the Stagger Inn...we staggered out last night, we had a relaxing day (you really come to appreciate these on a tour like this) and played at Fazio's Frets & Friends, a great guitar store on the west side of town, right on old Route 66. Stephen Rekas, an old pal at Mel Bay came by and drew some cool pictures of the concert, I'll try and see if I can't post them. (Check out their site for some interviews about the past trips the books that I did with them).

Had an interview on the radio too, and got in a final hang with Mike and Judy the Catsup Bottle folks (That has come to be a relaxing day, funny how one's perspective can quickly alter) Now for a long stretch, we hope to make Springfield and find a place to Cow Bop for the night...it is Friday night so it'll take some doing. Between here and there there is a lot of 66 history. Gotta head west now so expect more detail and pictures on the next post. So far, everyone is getting along and happy...I hope their medication doesn't wear off?!

A mild suggestion: Consider helping out JazzMasters Workshop with a per-mile pledge?

Bruce

Loading Up for Route 66...

Loading up...what was I thinking? A minivan? I told everyone to pack light, but how do you compact a double bass? I've got between here and Chicago to figure out how to do this (the guys are flying in). I guess we can always tie Devin to the roof...maybe I'll bring the dogs too?

Isn't that Joey? He looks familiar...

I hope I don't need to remind you all why we are doing this?? Why are we doing this??? Go to JazzMasters Workshop and find out!

Bruce

Route 66 - My Way

Did I say I would do this again? I don't' remember agreeing to this, after all I have traveled down this road with this band twice already, and though those trips had some unforgettable moments, they also had those "other" moments. Think about it - one woman; 4 men (boys, some); one van; lots of instruments, bags, amps and other flotsam; and the stress and strain (and sometimes smell) of touring and playing music.

But, you know what? I love it!!! I love music and singing, and I love men. Don't get me wrong, I have really profound and special relationships with my close girlfriends, but I have loved the company of that other sex since childhood. I come by this honestly; my mother, and even her mother are the same way (I could tell you stories about them, we'll save that for another day . . .). We are of Scottish descent, and i guess we've got that Celtic blood a'boilin.

So here we go again - I'll rest when I'm old . . .

Luv,

Pinto Pammy

Devin Shares his thoughts on Route 66, Part 2

Cow Bop bassist Devin sat down recently to talk about some of his thoughts on the upcoming Route 66 tour...and a couple of things he's a little concerned about...

Devin shares his thoughts on the Route 66 Tour

Recently, I sat down and talked to Devin about his thoughts on the upcoming Route 66 tour with Cow Bop. He's by far the youngest member of the band, so check out what he had to say...

Challenging Times

It seems like every time we go on one of these trips, the price of gas makes the Route 66 Challenge more of an odyssey. But $4 a gallon...that's $1 a quart! Well, we'll tough it out no matter how, we've gone too far with this to turn back. Plus, with all of our going away parties I'd hate to disappoint my friends by sticking around.

Show biz is in my life: the smell of the crowd, the roar of the grease paint! Watch out everyone, we're coming to a town near you...and you can help out by pledging to ensure that music performance remains an important part of youngsters lives...I'll bet you can find a button to push that'll make that happen...look around!

Keep swingin'!

Bruce

Point of No Return

Can't turn back now.

Sitting in with a couple of Jazz Masters!

We had a fun party at the Carmel Valley Athletic Club to begin the push for the trip. About 140 people showed up. We had three bands of kids from the workshops that played: high schoolers, elementary schoolers and a band of alums (now gone pro, some finishing up college as well). Of course, we couldn't help but sit in and grab a few choruses ourselves. Then Cow Bop finished it off with our trademark acoustic set with Mike playing the box, he'd better get his chops up for that, gonna be doing it a lot on the road.

A younger Jazz Master!

Lots of people were very generous and we are in good shape to start some new programs at the Boys & Girls Clubs this summer. Now we have all the logistical details to sort out and believe me those dates on the calendar are much closer than they appear!

If any of you have an ideas for something out on the open road, let us know, and hey, why not come and play a tune or two? Or make a pledge?

See you soon!

Bruce

So where did this crazy idea come from, anyway?

A great question...Bruce, you want to take it from here?