Rossinis

Good morning. (After reading this I promise to keep away from so much "personal stuff" not directly related to the Band, just could not resist this one time so I hope you will indulge me and not fall asleep)
Another amazing saturday afternoon at Rossinis. You have to love this place and I'm quite sure most of the 'regulars" understand just how fortunate we all are to have such a remarkable venue. I was about to say 'institution" but we surely are not there yet and have many more years of fun, conversation and entertainment ahead of us.
In my case it's a real throwback to my playing days in England, we would invariably have a gig on a Sunday lunchtime from 11am 'til 2pm at some pub or other sometimes out in the middle of nowhere but because Sunday lunchtime has always been major get together and boozing time for Brits the atmosphere was just as elbow to elbow as Rossinis and still is today.
Pay was appalling but the beer was free (to us) and good but of course the best thing was the sheer number of bands that got to play, lots of "Guest Players" and sometimes, if we were in the Countryside with only the local bobby to be of concern about 2pm closing then we could and did just jam for as long as the landlord would stand for it.
Before finishing on this and so as not to bore you anymore than I have already was the fun we had with the Americans, they just could not understand this Sunday "thing" at all. I lived in North Yorkshire and for a day job sold Restaurant Equipment and my best account was the US Spy Listening Station at Menwith Hill just outside Harrogate so over time i got to know American musicians from all walks of life and all corners of that great country. They were really anxious to be a part of the community and many, many times I would phone one or the other at 8 or 9am on a sunday morning and relate that the band was playing at such and such pub and would they like to come watch and perhaps sit in. They were convinced we were completely nuts but bleary eyed and unbelieving they would show up and I don't know one over the years that did not have a ball.
If you ever get the chance there is one single venue I would suggest you visit, if you are ever "over there" and want a taste of the very best Jazz the UK has to offer on a Sunday morning then go to 'The Bulls Head"(Established 1684) at Barnes on the south side of the Thames. www.thebullshead.com
The pub, which is always packed has had jazz of all descriptions being played there without a break since 1959 and some of the worlds best musicians have played there and still do, check the site out it is such an interesting place. For me when I was not playing I would regularly get on the Train and travel from Leeds to London (200 miles) catch the number nine bus across the river and arrive just as the doors were opening, didn't matter who was playing it was always first class.
AND now you know why I love Rossinis, particularly when its jam packed to the rafters which it always is rain or shine when The SoTight Band is performing, the energy of the people in the room is fantastic and in my Canadian experience very unusual. I was always told how reserved and quiet and a bit boring the people of this nation could be (something us Brits have been wrongly labled with for centuries) well I ain't seen it and very much the opposite at this little spot in Kits. Great stuff, I love it.

Now, back to THE BAND. I have decided to leave it up to others to comment on any particular gig, most know my feelings about this group so other than drawing attention to things that stand out to me personally I would really appreciate what YOU think of the Band, its members,Rossinis and other venues. That is what this Blog is for so don't be shy,step up and give us YOUR input. That is what is going to help the band the most, lots and lots of people offering their thoughts WHATEVER they may be. I am grateful to the few who have shown interest so far "Ancient Den" "Mr all-Night6" (Hell of a handle sir) the Rossinis Dance Group etc and also for the Band themselves who have an appreciation of what we are trying to do here and believe me they DO read this "Blog Thingy" as JT loves to call it.
As I have mentioned before we will be adding different features to the Blog to keep it informative and interesting such as Photos, a new section called SPOTLIGHT ON........... a member of the band AND on individuals who support them (wives and friends IF they'll let me) and YOU so watch out.I eventually want to do this by Video if possible but this is just as new to me as it is to you so not sure I can carry that off, bit scary but WOULD be fun, we shall see.
I am glad to see the Link to this Blog is up on The SoTight Website, thanks to the Band and Andra for that, the more we all co-operate the more interesting it will become.
If you have suggestions as to what I should add or what YOU would do in my shoes I need all the help I can get, if you don't want to send them via the Blog then send to 'sotightbandblog@yahoo.ca'


Don't forget to keep checking the Band's website for where they are playing next. This month is great, this weekend Fri and Sat with KENT at The Fairview Pub on West Broadway,The Yale on the 16th, back at "HOME" Rossinis on the 19th and a very special occasion on the 26th, the SoTightBands very first "Party" at The Wise Club on Adanac Street, that will be something else.

Last, this is what I noticed about the Band's performance on Saturday which really impressed me. As always with the "practiced" part of each number they were as Tight as ever but the fun came with the new "Looseness" they are each giving when soloing, there is a freedom being given here to really let the individual FLY and they are really starting to understand that. It is just so intriguing to see the growth in such a short period of time as they grow more comfortable with each other, with Nadine (who was simply wonderful, didn't she LOOK great and leads from the front when singing) and the fact that they know their audience so well and so obviously grateful for it. So TELL US WHAT YOU THOUGHT about saturday, what stood out for YOU? Was it a particular band member or something else that happened?

Forgot to mention there is one NEW AREA of this blog that I need your participation with and people we are going to have some fun with this. It's amazing how, with so much noise generated at Rossinis that one can pick out a few words of presumably private conversation here and there quite clearly whether standing still, moving about, on the dance floor and very often in the area where the washrooms are. This will be called "Overheard at Rossinis" and should be no more than a sentence or so long. No names please.
My own this last saturday stuck with me all the way home to White Rock and what gave me the idea.

Very Attractive Woman to man standing next to her near the bar.

"I HAVEN"T HAD SEX FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS"

What an opening line folks, wish we men could get away with that one.
What have YOU heard" Just try to keep it RELATIVELY clean.


Keep It Tight, Keep it SoTight.

Richard Winn

White Rock