Friday, June 27, 2008

Jazzfest 2008 - Day 1

2 pm: Get down to the JazzFest site. Fulfill press room duties. See Gilberto Gil walk by.
2:30 pm: Check out the Djembe jam at the SIMM (Montreal Musical Iinstrument Salon) tent. Play until my hands get a little sore. Walk around the rest of the Festival site, including a Roland/Rock Band/Guitar Hero tent. Fail at Rock Band.
4 pm: Press room hang with usual suspects Len Dobbin & Mike Chamberlain from Hour. See Joe Lovano walk in.
5 pm: Press cocktail @ the Heineken Pavillion with The Lost Fingers. Laugh my ass off at manouche Gypsy swing versions of Technotronic's "Pump Up The Jams" and "Billie Jean." Talk to Stewart D'Arrieta (of Belly of a Drunken Piano) and That 1 Guy.
9:30 pm: Gilberto Gil @ Théâtre Maisonneuve. Got my hopes up from eavesdropping on the soundcheck, in which they played Jorge Ben's "Ponta de Lanca Africano." Highlights were great, but at some points the set dragged. He played one of my favourite songs - "Andar Com Fé" - among other new and old tunes and covers in a 2-hour set.

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