So it's Wednesday already...

I'm sure I only just arrived back from Glasgow. Could be because I've been asleep for the last three days. Having said that, I have managed to fit in a busted loo (not easy for a home with just one loo - good job there's a Starbucks nearby) and dental excavation equivalent to the building of the Channel Tunnel. My face is now looking something akin to The Joker off Batman but inside all my teeth are gleaming white. I finally decided to take the plunge and have all my mercury fillings removed - something to do with tumours and not wanting any more of them. Talk to a homeopath and they'll explain. I think it was just about worth it... just about, I think... possibly.

Anyway, Glasgow was completely brilliant. The gigs were excellent - sweat included - especially at Laurie's Bar where we had a fab crowd in for the ride. Dan Whieldon on piano and Gavin Barras on bass were on top form and we certainly seemed to hit a groove. Splendid! Let's hope we'll be returning next year. You might just catch us popping up around and about in between too.

And as if that weren't enough, I had a top up of Fionna and her excellent posse at the Fionna Duncan Vocal Jazz Workshop. You might just have noticed that I've mentioned it before but that's because it's excellent. Huge thanks once again to the whole gang. I just love it. Great to meet some familiar faces returning like me for the umpteenth time and a whole gaggle of new jazzers too. We kicked ass at the final day concert. Nice one. And meeting Jay Clayton for the very first time - she's amazing. If you see the words Scatlab and Jay Clayton together, sign up immediately. Because you're worth it. And the jam sessions at the Millenium Bar - one of my highlights of the week. Jamming with Brian Kellock, Ronnie Rae, John Rae, Robert Henderson and a fab sax player whose name I don't know on a million mile an hour blues. Outstanding!

By the way, Sophie Bancroft is playing at the Half Moon in Putney TONIGHT!! I'm going, hope to see you there. Starts at 8.30pm.

So, tunes to find, gigs to get, long tones to ooh and maybe even a 4,10,2! And need to dab antiseptic on my Joker mouth...

Rx

Gawd it's warm...

...and you might remember me mentioning the sweat thing. Can't wait to go up north to get a bit of cool air. If you've ever seen me, you'll know that I've never had the fortune of ticking the 'tans easily' box in women's magazine surveys. With a bit of patience, factor 60 and several weeks of constant sunshine, I can go dark white but that's about it. And that's just when all my freckles join together. Still, I'm making the best of a difficult situation and have filled my summer wardrobe (two t-shirts, a skirt and a pair of shorts) with pale blue and white which shows off dark white to a tee. Oh, and beige of course...

I have just spent the afternoon transcribing 'When he danced with me' which is the romantic waltz from The Slipper and The Rose, the real people (as opposed to animated - keep up) film version of Cinderella. A bit of an odd tune to go for you might think but I love it - it makes me want to dance around the room. The score is written by The Sherman brothers and is a rather well hidden gem, but this fraternal duo were also responsible for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book and many other Disney Classics. Worth a look in anyone's book. Anyway, I might just take it to Scotland with me - see how I feel. Prepare to waltz.

What am I doing? It's coming up for 10.30pm, I'm sitting here blogging and I haven't even started packing yet... another of my least favourite activities. It takes me standard packing time just to work out what combination of tablets I need to take with me which puts me at something of a disadvantage from the start. I had better move on.

Rx

Huge guffaw!

Huge guffaw - I now have a website. Launch day Friday 17th June 2005. How exciting. Big thanks to Terry from optimaltools for designing such a fab site. His contact details are on my contact page in case you're in the market for a website yourself...

I've just done my Friday exercise session so am still a bit sweaty but thought that shouldn't stop me from recording this day for posterity. Only a few days to go now before the Glasgow Jazz Festival. If any of you up in Glasgow are up for it the gig details are listed on the gigs page. It would be great to see you there. I'm now trying to liaise with a Glasgow printer to get some postcards and business cards printed so I can distribute them with gay abandon around the town. There's nothing like a bit of marketing - all a bit last minute but hey, it's the thought that counts.

I also wanted to say a massive thanks to all of you who came along to The Progress Bar for the gig with Pete, Dave and Simon. What an excellent evening - you could probably tell I rather enjoyed it. I think I need to work on my visible calm and cool image. It would probably help if I wasn't the world's no.1 sweater - as in sweat, not jumper... you know what I mean, you witnessed it. I managed to get the ocean drum back off Dave you'll be glad to know, although it was a struggle. I can't tell you what fun that thing is. Forget stress toys, go and buy yourself an ocean drum. Hobgoblin Music on Rathbone Place do a nice little line.

So, hopefully I haven't put you off with the sweat comment. I'm not sure it's recommended in the 'How to Market yourself successfully' manual. Looking forward to adding the odd note on what's happening as I wander down the path that is jazz. As long as it doesn't involve wetsuits at any stage, things should go fairly smoothly.

Rx