Professionalism

Hi Folks.

Took my wife and daughter to Rossinis on saturday. They both were very sceptical of my enthusiasm for "THE BAND" feeling it was just a good excuse for yours truly to "Get Single" for a day as my wife puts it and come home generally worse for wear but smiling. Well, "She who must be obeyed" is 100% correct but then as I have discovered, she always is.
I confess to being a little leary of taking them this last weekend knowing that JT was not playing and it was bound to have an effect on the overall SOUND of the band, in fairness Mr Platt also brings such great personal presence in addition to his amazing ability on the sax.
It was a strange day and took some time for the Band to really get going. Also perhaps due to the earlier start the place was eerily empty, here is me telling my "family" to be prepared to be surrounded by a bunch of loudmouthed drunks shoulder to shoulder with no room to breathe (naively thinking they wouldn't want to go) and blow me down it was very quiet, too quiet, I'm getting anxious and jumpy, I've told my daughter this is the best party band in Vancouver and she needs to book them for her upcoming 40th Birthday, which immediately pisses her off to be reminded of, another carafe of wine , waitress please, make it two.

The sheer professionalism of the SoTight Band comes through and i must give huge credit to KENT WALLACE who all afternoon was simply amazing in his ability to play what were surely saxophone parts on the trumpet, no matter his ability on that instrument it just MUST have been something of an ordeal to front the band at it's "Home Base" and carry it off the way he did, you are something else Mr Wallace, kudos too you and hope the later Salsa gig went well.

Then there was Miss Nadine. The more I see of this lady the more excited I get for her future, like Kent it cannot have been easy for her, and in addition seemed a little tired, maybe not well and yet she stepped up to the plate, got it going and just WORKED her tail off the whole afternoon. I know at some point, just by looking at the reaction of both members of my family they were simply astonished by her range, her presence, her command of the audience and as my daughter put it, her obvious love for what she does. (Actually, Nadine says she would really have rather been a comedian, interesting isn't it, mind you I would rather have sung like Sinatra but the s.o.b got there first) Which reminds me when is Mr Buble going to pay his dues to this city and give us a song or two at Rossinis (no cover charge Arni) No time soon methinks.

There is no doubt that the second and third sets got everybody going, the place was filling up and the dance floor was starting to rock. In those sets I thought PETER's keyboard playing was superb, really relaxed and into it, and along with the always wonderful and hard working guitar playing of Cliff all is well. Or is it?
Mr Marr was strangely quiet, no solos, no vocals and was often seen playing with his back to the audience. Turns out poor Robby had done some serious damage to his back and probably should not have been there at all, so definitley struggled all afternoon but NEVER let the others down and THATS professionalism. Get well quick Mr Marr.

Drummers never get the accolade they should and yet in Rob Neumann the SoTightBand simply could not have a better one. Here is such an unassuming guy who takes his art seriously, listens intently to what is happening around him, supports the soloists very, very well and on saturday let his hair down with the best solo effort I have seen from him yet. Perhaps being allowed to solo without having to play around the beat of the song still prompted by the others, his true ability to show his technical expertise shines through. I DO know this is just the beginning of what is coming from Rob and wasn't it absolutely seemless the transition from drum solo back to the band, loved every minute of it Rob but then I would wouldn't I.

So it ends up, the band showed a wonderful degree of (that word again) professionalism under difficult circumstances. My daughter can't sit still and wants to dance and best of all cannot believe how a bunch of 'old buggers' can possibly have so much fun on a Saturday afternoon. My wifes impressed and wants to come every time the band plays now so I'm quitting effective immediately.

Did you hear the great news that the SoTightBand is having a BOAT CRUISE on Sunday JULY 15, I just had a call from my daughter who has returned home to Edmonton to make sure we book tickets for her and husband and for her sister and husband which together with my wife and son makes seven of us. The point here people, is the SoTightBand and the excitement they ALWAYS create to anyone around them NEW and old. BRING NEW FRIENDS to any of this bands gigs and they will always become SoTight Friends.

OVERHEARD AT ROSSINIS,

1) Outside ladies washroom,excellent aroma of marridgeuanna:

"When the F%%% do you think they'll fix the leaks?"

2) Passing comment from lady regarding Mr Wallaces expertise;

"He sure can BUMP-IT with that TRUMP_IT"

Gotta love those ladies.



Richard Winn

White Rock