As I've been here in Chicago now about 2.5 months, (seems like WAY longer!), it's kind of fun to look back once and awhile.
While I still force myself to go out and jam most nights, I'm now usually visiting the same clubs. I'll still make it a point to occasionally hit up a new jam session once and a while, but I'm getting to the point where I'm fairly sure I'll at least know a musician or two at each place I go. Yeah, Chicago is huge. And yeah, I'm only hitting a very small part of the music scene (that being the jazz, funk, and some of the hip hop scenes), but it's still fun to realize that I actually run into people I know at these jams. The big city has become a little less big.
Since the beginning (a whole 2.5 months ago, remember), I'll admit I've had quite a few intimidating moments. These ranged from my first time at the Green Mill jam, my first "All Pro" session at the Wonderbar, my first solo sax open mic performance at the Uncommon Ground, to my first time street performing in Lincoln Square (without a pass!).
Each of these firsts involved not knowing anyone, and having no idea what might happen. Well, I guess I knew that good music would probably happen, and that seems to be enough. And as has been a repeating theme in my blog so far, the more I've done each of these things, the exponentially easier it has been to keep doing them.
So like I said, it's been fun running into people at various places across the city. But a new one of these actually occurred last night.
I was finishing practicing in my apartment when I, once again, forgot about dinner. I shoved down a few random leftovers (You gotta love Thanksgiving and the week of leftovers it provides!) and raced out of the door to make it to a friend's performance at Jerry's Sandwich's in Wicker Park (and to the @North Bar jam after that). As I was nearing the red line, someone stopped me and said "Hey, don't you recognize me?" It was Rachel, my wife!
She and I have done a lot of fun stuff in the city so far, so it's not that we're apart a ton that I didn't recognize her. It's just that last night we were doing two different events and walking in opposite directions. Plus, I have long legs and like to walk fast, especially in the cold. It was also funny because when I did the little double take in recognizing her, it looked like she had been crying. Nope, just the Windy City doing it's ice cold windy number on the eyes! We chatted briefly about our evenings, and I told her I'd see her late (another common theme of these blogs!).
So of my list of random people I've run into on the streets of Chicago - from musicians and friends, to Rev. Jesse Jackson (seriously!), to a random movie filming crew - I can now add my favorite one...
...my wife.
While I still force myself to go out and jam most nights, I'm now usually visiting the same clubs. I'll still make it a point to occasionally hit up a new jam session once and a while, but I'm getting to the point where I'm fairly sure I'll at least know a musician or two at each place I go. Yeah, Chicago is huge. And yeah, I'm only hitting a very small part of the music scene (that being the jazz, funk, and some of the hip hop scenes), but it's still fun to realize that I actually run into people I know at these jams. The big city has become a little less big.
Since the beginning (a whole 2.5 months ago, remember), I'll admit I've had quite a few intimidating moments. These ranged from my first time at the Green Mill jam, my first "All Pro" session at the Wonderbar, my first solo sax open mic performance at the Uncommon Ground, to my first time street performing in Lincoln Square (without a pass!).
Each of these firsts involved not knowing anyone, and having no idea what might happen. Well, I guess I knew that good music would probably happen, and that seems to be enough. And as has been a repeating theme in my blog so far, the more I've done each of these things, the exponentially easier it has been to keep doing them.
So like I said, it's been fun running into people at various places across the city. But a new one of these actually occurred last night.
I was finishing practicing in my apartment when I, once again, forgot about dinner. I shoved down a few random leftovers (You gotta love Thanksgiving and the week of leftovers it provides!) and raced out of the door to make it to a friend's performance at Jerry's Sandwich's in Wicker Park (and to the @North Bar jam after that). As I was nearing the red line, someone stopped me and said "Hey, don't you recognize me?" It was Rachel, my wife!
She and I have done a lot of fun stuff in the city so far, so it's not that we're apart a ton that I didn't recognize her. It's just that last night we were doing two different events and walking in opposite directions. Plus, I have long legs and like to walk fast, especially in the cold. It was also funny because when I did the little double take in recognizing her, it looked like she had been crying. Nope, just the Windy City doing it's ice cold windy number on the eyes! We chatted briefly about our evenings, and I told her I'd see her late (another common theme of these blogs!).
So of my list of random people I've run into on the streets of Chicago - from musicians and friends, to Rev. Jesse Jackson (seriously!), to a random movie filming crew - I can now add my favorite one...
...my wife.