No play today

November. The Grey Month. Time, if you’re in the northern hemisphere, to consolidate, practise, sharpen the sound.

Two stags fight over a good busking spot.

Played Monmouth on a recent Saturday morning and it was good. Moved to Church Street, but stopped playing in an empty shop doorway by a bookseller who’s setting up here (He kindly commissioned a talk from me on Fifty Plants That Changed The Course of History not three months back. We, both of us, were embarrassed to recognise each other. But I had to go.)

The following day to Ludlow, by train. I bought a Remembrance Day poppy before going to play. Then discovered the streets were closed off for the Remembrance Day Parade. No play today!  

Summertime New Zealand

Make a note

It's Saxaphone Day on November 6.
(Of course: you had it written in your diary - you just forgot to look). 


It is the birthday of Adolphe Sax (seen here with professional saxaphonist Mandy Grezeszah html www.mandysax.com/gallery/more.html) who invented the instrument in 1846 for military bands. 
Taken to higher levels by busk-don't-battle jazz musicians, the sax spawned the likes of Johnny Hodges, Lester Young, Charlie Parker and Sidney Bechet. 
I'm working up his Petite Fleur for a street performance in Monmouth on Friday. 
How are you celebrating?