Sanibel and InterFaith Music Festival

Wife leaves tonight for Sanibel Island for a vacation with her girlfriend and girlfriend's mother.

I have band rehearsal at 10 a.m. this morning for tonight's gig at the Lipstick Lounge, so I got up at 6 a.m. to make coffee, put my charts in order, run through the piano intro to "Rose Colored Glasses," pack up my equipment in the van, make breakfast for us, shower and dress in time to leave by 9:15. It was very odd getting up this early on a Saturday morning; when I turned on the radio our NPR station was still playing classical music.

Her flight leaves at 8 p.m., so with any luck I'll get back home in time to take her and her girlfriend out to supper before taking them to the airport, returning and leaving for the gig.

Tomorrow afternoon I have another gig of a completely different nature. Our church's Music Director asked me to loan my Alesis QS-8 for the annual Interfaith Music Festival, which will be held at the downtown Presbyterian Church. He also asked if I knew anyone who could operate the church's PA system. I volunteered to do that as well, since I'm going to be there anyway, and I've run PA systems for years. I also agreed to bring a portable CD player for one group that needs to perform to recorded music and to record the event on my video camera.

Here's what it's about:

"The 1st Annual Nashville InterfaithMusic Festival will be held on Sunday, March 5th from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. The event will feature wonderfully talented groups representing the rich diversity found in our ever-expanding community of faith. Singers and musicians from Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Bahai and Unitarian Universalist traditions will share music fromm their hearts, celebrating the spirit of oneness which, through music, transcends all boundaries."

I've been told that besides choral groups, there will be Klezmer and bluegrass bands.

I had to back out of participating in another musical event, the Just Plain Folks jam.

So, it'll be a busy, music-filled weekend of mixed blessings, because my dear wifie is leaving for a week. :( Howver, I think this week of relaxation and time alone with her best friend will be a tonic for her soul. And of course our reunion next Friday will be stupendous!

Well, its 7:10 a.m and time to get to work.