Your Blues are Like Mine...

Hotel Congress 5-30-10

Hotel Congress in Tuscon, Arizona

We had a 3 hr layover in Tuscon in part because the train got in too early. I decided to get off the train to walk around the station only to find on the opposing side I could hear some serious Etta James blues wafting through the air. I followed to sounds to find across the street at Hotel Congress a wonderful 4pc band wailing away on an Etta James song. The singer then broke into the song Jelly.

I was caught up in the sounds and had for a moment forget I needed to be counscious of the time to make it back to the train before leaving as it would be another 3 days if I missed it to get another one. But this balding, Hispanic man was doing mad justice to "Belly"...

So I thought I would be smart & stand on the outside so I could listen & still pay some attention to the train. It actually gave me a much better vantage point where I stood on the sidewalk. The bass player notice me, cane and all & smile which embolded me to make a request of them to "play something for New Orleans"...

The singer obliged and played an original piece he wrote called "I Loved the French Quarter" which was a pretty good with a second line rhythm. He shouted out to the audience to cheer for the woman on the other side of the fence from n'Awlins and the audience obliged. The song was so good I did a jig or 2 (well ok 3) to the rhythms & then had to force myself to leave...

Of course I misplaced the name of the group, but called the hotel this morning to find it out & waiting for the call.

Seems like everytime I go through Tuscon, something like this happens to me...

Go figure (and enjoy)...