Hot Buttered Rum

It’s such an odd thing to be home for my day off this week, to be both on tour and, well, not on tour. My nervous system doesn’t know what to make of it: “Am I home now?” it asks me every couple of hours. “Should I reload on sleep, or push you to catch up on those chores? Am I unplugging from the alternating current of adrenaline and torpor that powers me through every tour, or are we just doing some laundry for a day?” “Laundry,” I say, tapping my toes. I have to keep the motion going, have to let my right foot know that, while it may rest today on a familiar kitchen floor, it’ll be back on the gas pedal tomorrow, pushing me and everyone else down towards southern California for our run’s final four shows. Read More

My head is swimming with funk, people. I close my eyes on the plane back to Oakland and the riffs flood in like saltwater through a submarine hatch. Saxophones and Hammond organs hover around my mind’s ear like it’s the pretty girl at the middle-school dance. Backbeats frame every thought. I have no problem with this. Who’d complain about a George Porter bassline keeping them company? Please introduce me to this person. They need help.

December 20, 2012 came and went, and we’re still all here despite Mayan prophecies, so let’s make the most of the time extension!  We had a great time in San Francisco with our three sold-out nights at the Brick & Mortar Music Hall with musical friends new and old.  We’ll be sailing the high seas for a week on Jamcruise, but when we get back, we have a busy tour calendar for the spring.  Until then, here’s a great video shot by our friend Sid of an oldie but a goodie from the NYE run.