More Rain!

It's been a wet week, and that's trimmed my opportunities to play.

Yesterday, I was booked at the Cannery. It was a heavy mist, not quite rain, here in the East Bay. But when I looked to the west, I could see a beautiful smear of blue beyond the Golden Gate.

By the time I got to the City, of course, the blue was gone. A steady drizzle was falling.

I played in the rain (under a cafe umbrella) to make back my train fare, had a lovely chat with a Yorkshireman and enjoyed a free Crepe (Ham and Cheese).

Even the bad days have their good points.

The Philly Piper

One of the best and most educational experiences I had when I was first Busking was dealing with the "Philly Piper" - he played a set of customised recorders on the streets of Center City, and he could play just about anything. He had a hand painted sign, and a radioactive grin.

He also played Flute and Sax, but on the street, it was Jazz Recorder.

He was always friendly and upbeat, always encouraging, and when he found me playing in one of his spots, his response was brilliant.

He suggested that he and I add a game to our performances - if one of us went past a corner where the other was playing, we'd get together on one number - and then switch places, changing up. We did this many times, and it added a cordial vibe to the day. The times that I left the pitch to him, I always walked off feeling really GOOD - and that was a good feeling to bring to the next spot. The audiences that saw us doing this seemed to get a warm fuzzy out of it as well.