Years ago Rick was shuffling around New York in a band
playing a variety of venues, and this birthday party was the chance to celebrate
(?) a band mate's and long time friend's turning 50 (and I guess at 50 it's a
*very* long time friend).
And, of course, Rick and Vicki are turning 50 as well
around now (Summer '01), but they really don't want that secret out and have
gone on holiday in Europe to avoid the whole TURNING 50 thing. So I won't
say anything if you don't.
And what better way to celebrate TURNING 50 than by...
...Puttin' The Band Back Together
Birthday Boy Ray "ElRay" MacDonald and Rick
I arrived at the party just
in time to see the last song or two of the set that they did. Darn!
Wish I could have seen (and heard) the whole thing.
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Rick backs up The Band
on the B3
(click for larger image)
It was amazing watching these seasoned musicians
improvising and talking to each other through their instruments. In
one tune Rick began an improv of "Happy Birthday", and the horn players
picked up and followed. Pretty cool! |
The Band
(click for larger image) |
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Does Rick fit that Blues
Brothers part or what!!! Note
that the hat is genuine Blues Brothers. It was one of the
hats ordered for the movie Blues Brothers 2000.
The B3 was rented. :-)
This was the first time Your Humble
Scribe had heard a B3 in person. Despite one of the Leslies being
down for the count, let's just say that powerful B3 sound blew my socks
off---to the point where I landed an A-102 to make noise on. |
Rick and Vicki on the B3 singing "Help" in the original way that John Lennon had
written it.
Nope, the original "Help" was not the uptempo version the Beatles eventually
recorded.
(click for larger image)
Vicki Blechta contributed a wonderful Japanese song to
our evening. |
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Late night jam with an improv of "Mustang Sally" with vocals by
Whoever Wanted To Sing
Mr. and Mrs. Blechta (at FIFTY)
