The Longest Day
I'm writing this on June 21, the summer solstice. It's 7:15 AM, and for no particular reason I've already been awake for a couple of hours. That's unusual for me, as I'm not really a morning person.

20 Years ago, I was living in Sweden as an exchange student. This day is called Midsommer. In certain parts of the country, it is light almost 24 hours. They have a big celebration. I found it a bit strange, and exhausting. Our bodies get conditioned to certain cues, like the need for sleep when it gets dark out. When it doesn't get dark, stange things happen. You get tired, but it's difficult to go to bed when the sun is shining. Consequently, you see lots of people walking around like sleep deprived zombies.

This is my music website, so I suppose I should mention something musical. To tie the Swedish theme in, I guess I'll admit to the world that I kind of liked ABBA in their day.

Music, music, music
I don't smoke, wouldn't touch drugs, I rarely drink. My one great vice is concerts. I just love going to see live shows. I've seen hundreds of shows in my lifetime. Everyone from Julio Iglasias to Motley Crew. For a good number of years, I was fortunate enough to be in a position that allowed me to see a lot of concerts for free. Many of them are shows I wouldn't have otherwise gone to see, but I'm glad I did.

Summer is the time when a lot of acts come through Upstate New York. There are lots of outdoor venues that attract some big names. I eat it up. Next week, Etta James is coming to town. I can hardly contain myself. She's one of the few people left on my list that I really want to see but haven't had the opportunity to see before. I've also got plans this summer to see Bonnie Raitt, Keb' Mo', Shemekia Copeland, and more. There's also a treasure trove of local talent that deserves more spotlight than they get.

I hope you'll join me at a show some time this summer. Who knows, maybe some day you'll be able to tell your friends that you saw Steve West when he was just playing small clubs around Upstate NY.

Hot Fun In The Summertime
Things are really heating up now. I've got a bunch of "outdoor" gigs on the schedule and I just can't wait. Places like Club 41, The Brown Hound, The Strathallan all have outdoor decks or patios, and it just adds a whole different dimension to playing. You get the smell of the grill, a little ambient noise from the birds or the street. There's just a little more energy to it. I hope to see you at some of these great gigs.

The Long Weekend
Many people won't be working on Monday. Memorial Day weekend is the "unofficial start of summer." There will be parades and back yard barbeques. People will use the day to get their boats out, or plant their flower gardens, or just spend time with the family.

I hope that at some point, you take a moment to ponder why we have the day off. Over the years many many brave men and women have heard the call to serve our country. Memorial Day is to remember and honor those who did not come home. Whether they lost their lives in combat, or in some freak accident does not matter. If they were engaged in a struggle to win our independence, or if they were part of what some deem an "unpopular war" is irrelevant on Memorial Day. What matters most is that those men and women died while serving their country.......while serving us. We must never forget their sacrifice

Now Playing: Good stuff coming up
I usually use the "upcoming gigs" page to announce what I'm doing, but I've got a couple of special gigs coming this week that I'm very excited about.

On Thursday, my band, The W.B. Blues Trio will be playing at The Grill at Strathallan. The Strathallan has always been one of the more upscale places in Rochester. They typically have some of the area's best jazz musicians play there. Our appearance represents a departure from that format, and a real opportunity for us to get some exposure in a different arena than we've been used to playing.

On Friday, I will be appearing at Chocolate Bar with Connie Deming. I've played Chocolate Bar quite often, but this will be the first time performing with Connie. She is a great singer. The way she interprets songs is really something special, and her original music is inspiring. On top of that, she's a genuinely nice person.

You can get the details of times and places on the "upcoming gigs" page.

Runs in the family......
Music has always been a big part of my life. I remember as a child going to school band concerts and plays that my older brother and sisters were in. My parents even used to watch Lawrence Welk and make us kids dance. We all thought it was pretty corny, but I suppose on some level even that added to our appreciation of music. I've seen old yearbooks that show my parents in the bands and chorus musicals too.

Not surprisingly, it has carried to the next generation. Last week I went to see my brother's son in the final jazz band concert of his high school career. Phil is a drummer. He's damn good too. He's better than most adult drummers I know, in fact. The band director chose a final number that featured a drum solo. When it came time for the solo, boy, did Phil shine. Not because he's flashy, but because he's so restrained and tasteful. He really gets it. It's not about how hard or how fast you can hit the drums, but how well you can stay within the song and still add something spectacular. I was pretty proud. Look out for this kid. You'll be hearing the name Phil West in music circles soon.

What a Bonehead
Well, I finally did it. I went home after a gig and forgot something. An extension cord? Maybe a capo? No, that wouldn't be that big a deal. Last night after a rather long gig, I packed up my P.A. system, wound up all my cords, got paid, had a bite to eat, then got in my car and drove home. I was about 30 miles away when I realized I didn't put my guitars in the car. We had put our cases in a back room to keep them out of the way. When we were done playing, I carried my guitars back there and put them away in the cases, then left them right there.

What a bonehead!!! At least it's a nice day for a drive.

Now Playing: The Social Lives of Working Musicians
There's something they never tell you when you decide you want to be a musician for a living: you don't get to do things on the weekends with your friends anymore.

I was just updating my calendar, and I have a gig almost every weekend through the summer. Don't get me wrong, that's a good thing. It means I can pay my bills and continue doing what I love to do. It's just that my non-musician friends work regular jobs, so their time to do things is on the weekends.

The other thing I've noticed lately is that as my particular group of musical friends become more successful, we don't get to support each other as much because we've all got gigs at the same time. I think that sometimes we end up cannibalizing each others audiences.

All that being said, I still think I'm one of the luckiest guys around. I get to sing and play guitar for a living. Can you imagine that?

shhhhh......
My friend Robbie and I were sitting at the Statesmen the other night listening to the performers at Tim Bucci's Open Mic. Tim has been running the open mic for years, and quite honestly, when I run one, I'm just stealing a lot of stuff I've picked up from him over the years.

Anyway, Robbie and I were discussing musical styles, and the topic of rests; musical rests, that is, came up. We both agreed that it took us a while to learn their value. A lot of younger players never put any space in their songs. Their main way of trying to capture the audiences' attention is by being lound. Constant strumming at high volume is an easy trap to fall into. It takes a fair amount of energy, so the performer gets lulled into thinking that it will always pump up the crowd. I've been guilty of it at times. So has Robbie. It's effective at times, but as we discussed it, we agreed that if it's overdone, it just becomes a background drone, and the audience loses interest. What we discovered is that nothing captures the attention of the crowd like a well placed moment of quiet. If forces the audience to listen, and makes for more interesting performances.

Gigs Wanted....
I bought a new car today. I wrote a front page a couple of weeks ago on my feelings about car shopping. You can look at my blog page for that. I'm just glad the process is over. Now I have to pay for it. Please hire me!