Back in The Windy City

Howdy, Friends -

I’m now back in Chicago after a terrific five weeks in Germany.  During my time there we managed to launch ‘Never Let The Truth Get In The Way Of A Good Story’, which got a great critical reception; the Melvin Touché & The Tom Toms band played a few cool gigs and the boys sounded better than ever; I did a few solo gigs; and Stephan Hoppe, the Tom Toms’ keyboard player, and I did an intimate record release show at Berlin Guitars.  We limited the audience size to 30 and the place was filled with old friends and few new faces too. 

I’m still as much in love with Berlin as ever, but it’s also nice to be home in Chicago, where it’s getting cold as it does this time of year. As most of you know, I’ve spent the last 19 years in either Cairo or Los Angeles, so I’m reveling in the newness of winter. We’ll see how long that lasts. But I’m very thankful that I’ve got a warm place to live and work, which is more than many people have. 

I arrived home earlier this month with the kind of creative exhaustion that comes after making a record and doing some touring, so getting started again has been slow.  I’m now keeping busy in my little studio trying to flesh out song ideas. I’’m also doing lots of reading and am looking for a new volunteer job, which I think I’ve found at a food pantry.  

Oklahoma is on the calendar for early December. I’ll be playing a couple of gigs, one in Norman and one in OKC.  The Norman show on Friday, December 3rd is a song swap with my old pals Terry ‘Buffalo’ Ware, Gregg Standridge and TZ Wright.  The next night Buff and I head up to Oklahoma City for a show at the Full Circle Book Store with Mary Catherine Reynolds and Louise Goldberg.  I’ll be doing a set with the amazing musicians backing me, then Mary and Louise will play a set.  More on both of these shows soon. 

In the meantime, ya’ll have a great Thanksgiving week if you’re in the USofA, and a wonderful normal week if you’re elsewhere.