Ah, a rainy Fourth of July in Baker Park in Frederick, MD. A Lovely tiny crowd hiding from the rain and finding us.
I’m checking out a new venue in Mount Ranier, MD called Artmosphere – meeting up with Sharif and maybe just hanging out for a bit. It’s a pretty nice space – I’m sitting here now watching a jazz trio jam away. They’ve got a really nice PA system, big chunky JBLs that ought to be able to put holes in the opposing walls. I’m about to try their quiche. The waitress can’t do math, but I tip well anyways because… I just do. Besides, I like letting her know I’m not holding a grudge.
Oh, my faithful steed passes one hundred grand!
The bass player is sort of bad ass. Not in his playing, but I like seeing an instrument that’s obviously seen so much life. It’s chipped and battered and the worn away finish shows exactly where the player rests his hands in between sets. He’s a younger guy and I can’t imagine he’s done all that damage to his bass on his own, but it’s beautiful as the evening sun filters in, highlighting the reds in the depths of the wood.
It was a long day at the store today. It must be nice to work at something as small as RMC or as focused as Guitar Centre or something. Today I’ve fielded questions about Brazilian percussion instruments, electric jazz amplifiers, 1920’s banjo-mandolins, why you shouldn’t buy wooden drums on your own in Ghana, how to get a 40 year-old harp that almost out-weighs me to Switzerland… I sold a $1500 accordion and had someone return at 15-button autoharp.
All in all, not a bad day.
And in between customers I get to play the Alvarez Masterworks MF350C that I’m absolutely in Love with. The beauty of something that glides like that, that sings like that on the high-end and growls down in the belly… I want to slip backwards into satin sheets and play it in the dark.
Indian Rosewood makes me moan.
OUR College Perk, unfortunately,it is currently missing many a part. From the outside of the building you can see where our little musician feets would normally be a’tapping.
But at least they’ve got a sense of humour about it. It’s the only way to survive.
Chris Gordon, the owner of the College Perk and Sharif, my dearest noodle. I admire some things that Chris does in his vigilante way and yet some of his business practices are just backwards. However, there’s a definite genius to recreating the coffeehouse as a mobile set of couches and coffeemakers that can by set up out of a truck in under an hour – complete with rugs, grill and tent with ceiling fans. At least ALLGOOD Festival got a Perk.
