Sept 20, 2008 - Harborside International Golf Center

Wedding reception for Chris and Jessica Wilson, at a location we've never performed at. Funny thing about the Harborside International Golf Center, its really hard to find. It looks like it should be easy -  right at the 111st exit off of the Bishop Ford. Even with GoogleMaps, Mapquest and GPS, no one had an easy time. So I got three calls from Claudia, two from Keith, and one from John Ruf. Unless you know to take an unmarked turn off from the exit or entrance ramps at 111th, you end up driving around and around.

Matt Kern sat in on drums, regaling us with one snare, one kick drum, two cymbals and an apparent aversion to sheet music. Nicely done. Sing Sing Sing with a New Orleans beat. Dan Gorski came in from Los Angeles to play trumpet and help unload and setup.

It was a musically tuned crowd - lots of musicians and artsy types. How often will you hear Coltrane's 'A Love Supreme' on the dinner music playlist?

Sept 14, 2008 - St John Fisher Fest

This had the makings of a miserable afternoon. On paper, it looked pretty good - go back to the neighborhood in which we got our start 27 years ago, see some people, do the whole Church carnival thing. It started raining on Friday and didn't stop. Sunday morning's torrential downpour had us thinking that the event would be called. Not St John Fisher! They didn't let a little rain stop them. They didn't let a lot of rain stop them - like a Chicago area record 7 inches in one day lot of rain. Sure enough, we arrived to see everyone walking around in the pouring rain, riding rides, eating funnel cakes and drinking tap beer from the beer tent. OK, we can do this.

We were proceeded on the stage by a tight quartet called Girl Next Door. They cleared the stage by 3:15, and with all of us there, we got set up in 15 minutes. Maureen from Fisher kept the plastic pitchers of Genuine on tap coming and coming, and all things considered, we played very well. The obsequious Brian Sandstrom sat in on bass, and really gave us a solid foundation to wrap around. Gina Knight played a wicked Sing Sing.

And it was good to see some old friends. Tom Scannell, Julie Collins, and even a couple whose wedding reception we performed at 25 years ago. That was very cool!

Sometimes you play for 5000 down at Grant Park, sometimes you play for 20 people in a rain soaked tent.

Aug 22, 2008 - Chicago SummerDance

How fun was this? It's always a ball playing this gig because the crowd's enthusiasm is infectious and downtown Chicago makes for a sweet backdrop to a show. It was hot and sticky, but otherwise beautiful.

We were joined on stage by Steve Hashimoto on bass, and the fabulous Terry Connell on trumpet. Both sounded great.

Most of the band hung out before the show across Michigan Ave at the Hilton's bar - an irish name that escapes me right now. Molly Malone's? Kitty O'Shea's - thats it - where we quaffed many pints with an endless parade of triathletes from around the world who were staying at the Hilton. The O'Shea staff was a little pissy, but maybe drinking triathletes will do that to you.

The Enright and Klinger clans were in full force. Thanks to the Klingers for the pictures.

The post performance gathering took place at our favorite downtown spot after a gig, The South Loop Club. Its changed over the years - we used to watch old Louie Jordan videos on the video screens, but its still a good hang (as long as you can control the music they play).

And Steve Hashimoto left his stool on stage. I only mention it because in his most recent email missive, he tells of leaving his BASS on a street corner in Andersonville after a gig. Age is a cruel mistress.

So here we are.

In effort to preserve our past, we will now begin documenting the good, the bad and the ugly.
We are the Outcast Jazz Band. Established in August of 1981 on the south side of Chicago.