Jimmy Street Productions

Another year has passed. Wow, it seems like only a few weeks ago I was celebrating the 2005-2006 New Years’ in…yes, I remember…at the Bel Air Hotel. (That’s a very ritzy hotel snuggled in a canyon-full of $10,000,000.00 homes in Bel Air, California)

How nutty to reminisce about that gig. Of all my New Year’s gigs, it was by far the tamest…and perhaps lamest. I didn’t even play until midnight. I played at a private banquet for some of the party guests, and from there they left (around 11:00) to go to the main party for the actual New Years’ celebration…I was able to get home early!

It was me on sax and my friend Michael Monigan on acoustic guitar– playing standards from the 40’s. We were rockin’ hard (lol)! I don’t think we even had a request (well, there may have been one: “Keep it quiet.”)…we were strictly background. Those sort of gigs are humbling…too humbling. I’m always glad to be working, but it’d be nice to actually be listened to (and not feel like some kind of servant). In fact it’d be real nice. If anybody has a band of renown, and they actually get listened to, please put my name in the hat next time you consider adding a sax. No, really. Please.

The good news is: this New Years’ was a kicking band with 3 girls up front plus a 3-piece horn section with ‘ringer’ cats on board. It was still a very exclusive, ritzy crowd, but at least they were partying and enjoying the music. Our status was elevated above “background” music.

Happy New Year! J.S.

“Give me the beat boy to free my soul, I want to get lost in your rock n roll and Drift Away.”