Around London in 80 days
In these uncertain times, I need a lifeline and a horizon so I have — somewhat arbitrarily I’ll admit — set a date. April 1st will be my horizon ; my lifeline will be the 80 days separating me from it.
And as I cannot go around the world right now, I give you A Mad Belgian’s “Around London in 80 Days” : eighty impressions of London, eighty stories, places, thoughts from my experience of this wonderfully mad and maddening city.
Day 56: Ealing Blues Festival
21st of July 2019 in Walpole Park. One by one, the other members of the band arrive. Important gig today: it’ll be recorded and filmed in the hope of making a good trailer.
The Cosimo Matassa Project comes in different sizes, from trio to sextet. Today, it’s the jumbo version: piano, bass, drums and a brass section: trumpet, trombone and tenor sax.
I’m stepping in as trombone player for the day. I’ve never met the trumpet player but we get on instantly: he shares my enthusiasm for the music we play and he, too, dances between his lines.
It’s a beautiful summer day, there’s music and smiling people, dance and laughter, cold beer and hot sauce*.
*the band doesn’t have an album yet but they are passionate about New Orleans culture so they sell their very own hot sauce.
