---

---

The Dates:

June-July 2011

The Boys:

Charlie

Speedy

Markus

Ivan

The Gigs:

La Coquette
Madrid E

Hoffest
Langenthal CH

Bonny B's Wedding
Yverdon CH

Fribourg Jazz Parade
Fribourg CH

Restaurant du Lac
Vallamand CH

Music Friends
Aegeri CH

Best Hotel:

The Hotel Bären in Langenthal is a favorite, and a close runner-up for the title.

However, the Seminar Hotel in Aegeri takes the top spot for this tour, with its spotless four-star rooms, its lovely idyllic lake view, and the breakfast, which was so vast that we almost decided to hang around all morning and call it lunch as well.

Most Poignant Moment:

Aegeri was one of those gigs where you have a strong contingent of fans (40 of the Music Friends showed up, thanks very much!) but also some diners who weren't there to hear the band, and would have been happier if we had turned it down, off or disappeared. One nervy old duffer walked right up to the bandstand and told us we were simply too loud.

We were about to take a break anyway, so I segued into a syrupy version of Misty and wound it up with a loungey flourish, earning a round of laughter and applause (along with some derisive comments from the audience for the old party-pooper).

I made a dignified exit, but was seething inside. However, my mood did an instant U-turn when a local couple walked up, heaped praise upon us, bought a complete set of CDs and offered us a gig at a private party later in the year.

Encore Fribourg!

It was another wonderful Summer in Europe. Hot days, cool nights, everything just right. The biggest gig of the tour was the Fribourg Jazz Parade, where we played for a crowd of about 3,000, opening for John Lee Hooker, Jr. This yearly festival lasts two weeks, with a great variety of musical acts right on the main square in Fribourg. This was our third time appearing at the Parade, and it's always a lot of fun to play at such a well-organized event.

The trip began in Spain, where I dipped into the Flamenco scene in Seville, then did a solo blues gig in Madrid. La Coquette is as bluesy a spot as you could ask for, a stuffy subterranean cellar with bluesy brick walls. Bassman and linguist extraordinaire Paul Larnaudie got me the gig, as well as my entrée into the local Blues posse.

The first show of the Swiss tour was the Langenthaler Hoffest, home territory for the Tigress. Our second time at this festival, we had a good crowd and a fine time. Phibu (Philipp Bühlmann) filled in on bass and did a great job.

Next it was time to see a fellow musician down the aisle. Harmonica champion Bonny B and his bride Fabienne are both old friends of ours, and we were honored to play at their wedding. They put on one of the greatest parties ever, with several great musicians and dancers paying their respects. Yes, Bonny was allowed to play at his own wedding. What a gal! Yves Häusermann (also known as Chichille or the Swiss Dude, played bass).

Speedy and his bride, Dadou. Aren't they cute?

At the Restaurant Du Lac, we had a lovely evening by the lake and a plate of filet de perche.

At a show for Music Friends in Aegeri, we had another lovely evening by the lake and an assortment of goodies from the grill. Great audience, splendid hotel and even a red carpet. The perfect gig to wind up the tour.