Paul Read News

Hi everyone
Breaking several months of silence. Here it is August and things are going well. Hope they are with you too. I am back to playing a bit and writing. Hope to have some new things in due course. The jazz orchestra (PRO) is playing at the REX in Toronto on September 20. If anyone reading this would pass the word along and perhaps consider coming out and hearing these fabulous musicians, that would be greatly appreciated. Visit the orchestra website for details.
See you soon
Paul

Just did another gig with Joe Amato and Pat Collins yesterday afternoon. Very enjoyable group. Joe is the leader of the band but has chosen to share the name with the rest of us. We played for a fund raising event at the prestigious National Club in downtown Toronto. Lovely place and the paintings up for bids were quite good. My favourite was gone in no time. Not that I had 3 grand in my pocket to start with.

Doing lots of writing these days and organizing for the next PRO gig in June. Will keep you posted. I would like to play some of the newer pieces in the works and this time we actually have managed to find rehearsal time.

PRO: Paul’s Really Optimistic

Later

If you’d like to know more about the Port Hope Jazz Festival where my new big band, PRO will be performing on Sunday, September 24, 2006, please visit their excellent website.

This ALL-CANADIAN festival is unique in concept and has established itself as a major festival in just a few short years.

Here is the link: Peforming Jazz Artists – All-Canadian Jazz Festival Port Hope, Ontario, Canada – Port Hope jazz festival

Well the new big band (PRO) is in dry dock and getting some finishing coats of paint, a little spit and polish and new music is being pulled together for our maiden voyage on June 19. That’s a Monday night and we are at the REX Jazz and Blues Bar in Toronto (194 Queen Street West). The fun starts at 9:30 and hopefully you will be able to come by. If not, I’ll write down all the notes we play and post them here later for your amusement. I’ve got some originals and arrangements, but we’ll also be playing some music by band members, Terry Promane, Andrew Jones and Andy Ballantyne. Trish Colter (that’d be my wife you know) will be singing a couple of well chosen words and phrases. It should be a good time.

On the personal side, I’ve DONE IT AGAIN and wound up spending 6 days in the local horse pistol dealing with gall bladder problems. But no more….am scheduled to have the little rascal exorcised on June 5. Seems like one of those organs we don’t really need and can be quite a nuisance. Mine has certainly been that. So good news from many fronts. Improving health and musical prospects.

Thanks for dropping by.

OH…..

I am going to send out a notice about the REX to a mail list I have created. You are invited to join the mailing list on your own (instructions are over there on the right hand side), but I am taking the liberty of adding some on my own. If yours appears and you want to unsubscribe, that’s cool and it is very easy to do. Again just go to the subscribe page and it should be easily explained.

Happy Birthday, Queen Victoria…..only in Canada do we celebrate the birthday of a British monarch. But hey….it’s a holiday and we set off fireworks….bing bang pop she bam.

The first official gig for the Paul Read Jazz Orchestra is booked! It is at the Port Hope Jazz Festival, September 24, 2006 from 5-8pm. This is an all Canadian jazz festival and has grown in stature and size in recent years. Hope you can mark it in your calendar and come out to hear this wonderful new band.

Paul