Not enough time for music, earning a crust and blogging, so blogging had to take a back seat for a while. Most recent number I've worked on is Lea DeLaria's Longview, which is a kind of stripped-down Killer Joe, with radical-feminist-lesbian lyrics. We performed it at last Friday's gig and the singer gave it both barrels, including the famous "masturbation" line. We're so cutting edge, doncha know. I'm having a big rethink about the way I approach writing parts for this band. The rule has to be - get...

Last night was a bit unusual for me these days - a Real Book gig with a visiting tenor sax man fronting a pickup rhythm section. It's good for the chops when someone drops a chart on your stand and counts in before you've had time to clean your glasses. It's amazing what can be achieved by the power of the adrenaline rush that comes from jumping into the unknown. Most recent projects in the practice room as follows: 1. The singer would like to perform "Feelin' good", a groovy Nina Simone thing with a ...

It's Friday night and the object of my domestic affection has just telephoned from the airport to say she's back from two weeks away teaching in Spain, so I'm frantically washing dishes and straightening out the apartment. Here's a tip for all you temporary bachelors out there: before serving a meal, wrap your plate in cling film (that's Saran wrap for non-Europeans). Then when you've finished eating, just strip the wrap off and bin it. Voila - no dishpan hands. Anyway, this emergency has limited toni...

OK, let's give this blogging lark a try. Things going on in my musical life at the moment: Tonight is Science Cafe at the local Arts Centre, a science-meets-the-people thing I'm involved with, and the idea was the band and singer would entertain afterwards. But my co-organisers think the music would inhibit discussion so we've been bumped. I haven't had time to tell the Arts Centre people, so I hope the gig still stands and we can get another night. But next week there's a science conference here...