I just returned from a week long sojourn in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. I was booked to perform 4 shows following their annual jazz festival, which I played 2 years ago with Marcia Ball and Oscar Castro-Neves (guitarist on “Girl From Ipanema and Black Orpheus!).
San Miguel is a really cool artist/music town in the mountains of central Mexico. Our band was stellar with Rick Schlosser on drums (Van Morisson, Rod Stewart etc.) Doug Robinson on keys(phenomenal musician and Musical Director for these shows) and Antonio Lozoya (director of Jazz Festival) on bass.
We had a wonderful run with great crowds every night. I got a chance to play my complete catalog pulling out some tunes I haven’t done since touring in Europe which was fun…I ran into an old friend, Johnny Starbuck, who is one of the guitar techs for Keith Richards and Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones (he keeps the strings changed and fresh on the 60 plus axes the boys take on tour!)
We had a great dinner together and discussed Keith’s new book “Life” which if you haven’t read yet y’all should check out. I played a funky version of “Honky Tonk Women” in G tuning of course…in honor of our man Keef Riff Hard…what a legend!
I must say it was great to arrive in this amazing town and have the band super tight on all my material, it got better each night. On my final day I went to Doug’s studio outside of town and recorded a new tune called “Every Once in a While” that turned out great. I ll be posting some pix and videos and am excited about our new project “Eclectic Electric” coming out Jan. 25th 2011…Stay tuned.
Adios,
JD
Photos: top -“Showtime”
On the street w/ new “amigo”
The Band w/ “percussionist” Kelli
JD and Doug Robinson in the studio.
