Brad Spurgeon's Blog

I may have fallen behind by two days on this blog, but that does not, as usual, mean the music has stopped. Friday night was a party at Tory’s place and it was attended by several people from the Paris open mics, so there was music. I was too absent-minded to think of recording it.

Saturday I learned there was another of the at-least-monthly open jam sessions at the Echiquier bar (that means chessboard in French). So I went with my guitar and had an amazing evening not only watching the other musicians, but also playing my songs and cover songs with a band that turned into at one point me singing and playing acoustic and backed by a drummer, two electric guitar players, a drummer, a bass player, a trumpet player and a saxophone player! That was cool.

Thanks to the brass, the evening was a little more jazz than rock – with the exception of the accordian player and singer.

Yesterday, it was back to my weekly brunch at the Mecano bar, after a week off for my concert at the Disquaires last Sunday. The brunch had a few new guest singers, and ended up picking up almost where it left off. A little glitch with a disappearing mic stand, but my friend Romain from The Bellers provided one at the last minute, and Calvin McEnron and Rym when off to collect it before playing.

I enjoyed the visit of a young Corsican named Victor, who showed up without knowing there was a musical brunch, and he treated us with a Corsican song before accompanying my friend Béatrice Di Carlo on a few songs, including Autumn Leaves in French. Béatrice is a jazz and pop singer who also had a career in opera singing. A real talent.