Shredding The 88s

Hi Folks
You might recall a recent post I wrote about The Bill Bell Band. I saw them at a club in Port Credit a few weeks ago. Bill, of course, is also the lead guitarist with The Lightfoot Band.
After the rave review I gave them, I mentioned that they sounded amazingly full for a trio….. but I couldn’t help but hear (in my mind) some keyboard parts weaving in and out. I went on to say that it would be fun to sit in on one of their gigs. When the post was published, I sent a link for it to Bill.
Yes, I shamelessly used the blog to sell myself. For this, I make no apologies. I mean, it’s not like I’m peddling subscriptions for face cream.
Whether my pleading and pandering had anything to do with it I don’t know, but Bill invited me to join them on stage for their next booking which was this past Sunday, June 14.

I played all three sets with them. Twenty-five songs. It was a lot of fun. Bill and I traded off solos in most of the instrumental sections, even weaving in and out on a few, as if it were planned. It wasn’t. In fact, there was no rehearsal at all. There was a small discussion about key signatures, but that was it.
It isn’t mental telepathy or musical voodoo. Success in this kind of situation depends on listening, great musicianship and careful cueing, and these guys are excellent at all three.. The cues can be subtle, a nod, a facial expression, or simply a raised guitar neck. They can also be blatant, like the drummer raising his sticks before the final crash, or Gord’s specialty, a loud foot stomp.
It wasn’t perfect; there were riffs I could have been doing in unison or harmony with Bill and Stan. I missed a shot or two, and at one point, my cheat notes fluttered away and I had to poke around a bit to find the key of the next song. 
But the crowd, a lot of whom were familiar with this band, were very appreciative. This was a relief because they could just as easily have been saying to each other, “Who is this bum and why is he making all that noise?”
My anchor and most fervent supporter (who also happens to be my girlfriend), Jeanette, was there. She thought it sounded (this is the word she used), incredible. 
At the end, I was asked by a few people if I would be back. “Maybe, if I’m invited”.
Well, I’ve been invited. Aug. 16
To Bill, Stan, and Blake:
Thank you, Sunday was a real pleasure.

YOU GUYS ROCK