33 hours ago I was talking to Lea on the phone before she headed off to the Victoria airport to fly to Seattle. The 10pm flight from SeaTac arrived at Boston Logan at 7:45 am East Coast time. I considered making a sign that said "Canadian Rock Stars," but then I'd have to carry it around with me on and off the T from home. At baggage claim, I stood watching all the passengers mill around to get their bags, keeping an eye out for three musicians with a viola, guitar and sax between them. I couldn't help how excited I felt. I remembered getting off the plane in Vancouver and wandering around outside the terminal waiting for Lea and Chelsea to pick me up, only to discover that they were at the wrong terminal. Hilarity ensued. The anticipation only made my happiness at seeing them grow. It was the same now in Boston - any minute they'd come walking down that hallway to begin the next chapter in The String Revolution!
Bags. Shuttle. Standing on the T. Drop things off at the apartment, then it was off to Trident for breakfast. Then...a nap. Everyone was tired and needed showers. Thank goodness I have two extra beds here in my room...for no apparent reason. Lea provided some appropriate Oli tunes for sleepytime music. It made me think of hymns and psalms and the fluidity of a master fiddler's bow.
Mom had sent more posters and postcards, so we plastered the Berklee campus with them before our slew of rehearsals at 4. After sitting in on a chamber recital (Yeah Eric Law!) and picking up the spare cello from Eden (and falling into a gaggle friends in the 150 lobby in the process) we were off to George's house to rehearse Fiddle Phil tunes. Lea picked them up in no time, and thanks to George's complete lack of sleep the previous night, we all had a ridiculously good time.
Then - BAM - to pavement for free coffee handouts. Ahh....sitting down in a booth with friends and some excellent expresso. Truly a moment to be treasured.
Up next, Ron Burgundy rehearsal with Emilio. Lea performed some show-don't-tell teaching magic and he picked up the chopping pattern in no time. Patrick M'Gonigle arrived just in time for dinner (which Reenie and Jeff whipped up - swirly pasta with alfredo sauce, onions, mushrooms, red peppers, and cooked tofu. Living with vegetarians is something I could get used to...) and to run through Nutwist, with Lea's added big bottom cello harmonies!! Amazing...it's just what we've been missing. Thank's to Emilio's multi-talented iPhone, we recorded Lea and me dueling over Nutwist and sent the recording to everyone so they could hear the cello part.
Then, an intense rehearsal over Spain. I wasn't going to let it sound as sloppy as last time. We drilled the phrasing of the melody, the timing, the chord changes in the introduction, the solos, all transitions...I think it's going to sound exponentially better this time around. Such a beautiful tune!!
Patrick stuck around a bit to jam on Doxy and gush over the new Chris Howes/Bily Contreras album, which he says has had more influence over his playing than any other album in his life. Dude. I gotta get me some of this. He was late to the hockey game with Trent...I hope the Canucks won.
BREAK TIME!!!
Then, Remember Blake rehearsal..a very sleepy and ethereal Remember Blake rehearsal, where everything felt like it was slowly coming together, like the threads of a cloth being pulled tight, closing up holes and loose parts, creating a whole seamless unit, securely and effortlessly. Yeah...the way rehearsals should be.
And now we're tired and I'm going to bed. Jeff has put his book away on the top bunk. Lea and Reenie are snuggling on the pull out bed. I'm going to put on my pjs and collapse in a bit. But damn, do we feel good. Things are coming together...the threads of our String Revolution tapestry are tightening...into something grand, I expect!
All's I know is, I still owe these guys some Pho. Oh yeah baby.
Peace
Sue
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