more from Stevens Point

Still in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

Just a quick update to be ameliorated with some recordings soon.

Last week, a very mellow, creative session 'round at Dan Miller's. I met him last year playing at the acoustic open mic at Clark Place. He and his family have recently moved to a new place on the southside, and he's made a music room in the basement. This was the first time it got put to use - Dan playing six-string electric bass guitar, plus acoustic and elecric guitars, me accompanying on saz. I recorded quite a bit, some of it very pleasing to my ears.

Last night I rehearsed with Ryan Biesack plus a couple of percussionist i'd not met before - Debbie and Cathy (who also plays a bit of ney). This is for a performance next week accompanying the dance group "Shuvani" (Pam and Tiata are 2/3 of this, I've worked with them in previous years). It all worked very well and I recorded almost all of it (the first improvisation was the best thing we did, typically that was unrecorded).

Afterwards, Tiata and the other Cathy (a dancer) came along to Clark Place with me - I was expecting the weekly open mic, but it was in fact the more informal "song swap". I got to jam with a couple of guitarists, then Gavin turned up, having forgotten to bring a banjo - he borrowed a guitar and we played our way through a weird and wonderful songs, including Guy Clark's "Cape", the Dead's "Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Step Toodeloo", Neil Young's "Powderfinger", Dylan's "You Ain't Going Nowhere", etc.

Stef from Sloppy Joe has also been in touch, wanting to do some recording with me at Jeff (their bass player)'s studio which is somewhere south of here.