Hello Friends:

Greetings from Madrid.  Tonight is the final show of my tour.  Tomorrow, I'll be back in New York and back at Smalls.

This tour has been an amazing experience on so many levels.  Most encouraging has been the incredible reception we've received at all the venues and concerts that we've performed.  We did not have a bad show or a disappointing turnout.  In nearly all cases the show was sold out - packed house!  Most inspiring has been how many folks knew about Smalls and had either been there or had heard good things about it or had watched shows live on our stream.  Everyone spoke so glowingly and lovingly about our club.  Smalls, it seems, is really international.  More importantly is the people that I met who have dedicated the passion of their lives to this music - promoters and club owners here in Europe that are so dedicated to this art form and love it so much.  I want to mention Sebastien Vidal and his club Duc Des Lombards in Paris.  The "Duc" is a high-class establishment, imposing and very well run with incredible jazz programs nightly.  I want to mention Gabriella Piccolo, Silvia Bazza, Enzo Capua, Enzo Carpentieri & Sara Pazzato - they ran the Padova Jazz Festival with great love and soulfulness and treated us like family.  The feeling of jazz is very strong there.  I want to mention Joan Cararach and his team at the Barcelona Jazz Festival.  This is an enormous festival - 5 weeks long!  The amount of work and planning involved is mind boggling.  We appreciate being invited to perform as part of it and also my thanks to Inaki Sandoval and his amazing school of music The Conservatori de Liceu - it was a pleasure to meet the students and share our music with them.  My very special love to Chevi and his jazz club "Jimmy Glass" in Valencia and to Dick Angstadt and his club "Bogui" in Madrid.  Both of these men have amazing, popular jazz clubs with great vibes, packed with jazz loving folks.  Both of these men run their clubs in the way that I know is correct - with great personal attention and true dedication to the music.  It is obvious in the environment of the clubs.

I come back to New York encouraged.  Encouraged by the fact that the message of Smalls is clearly beyond the boundaries of New York City.  Encouraged by the dedication and love of passionate individuals who are creating festivals and venues for this music.  Encouraged by the large amount of people who really want to hear jazz music performed and appreciate it in an honest way and embrace it as their own.  Mostly I am encouraged by the fact that the mission of "world peace through music", our SmallsLIVE credo, seems plausible.  Jazz Music is an international language that any sensitive and intelligent person can relate to and understand.  Music is the great unifier and it is within our grasp to make it happen!

This Week At Smalls: