Super Saturday… heading up the east coast of Florida from Melbourne towards Columbia, SC, via Jacksonville and Savannah, right up I-95. Kind of reminds me of home, I-95 and US 1, because these roads – if you continue straight on ‘em – will eventually take you right near my house.

The weather has been cloudy and rainy here. Yesterday we even had tornado warnings as we drove into Vero Beach, right under some pretty menacing clouds that showed signs of rotation and incomplete funnel shapes. Nothing touched down here, but near Orlando twisters took some 18 lives earlier yesterday. In Vero Beach, we played to two unenthusiastic audiences in a high school auditorium that sounded like it. I dunno, sometimes the energy both in the crowd and the band just isn’t there, and nothing you can do will change it.

So, Super Saturday dawns gray and rainy… we shall see what our 10-hour drive today brings.

Personalities... My god, what a panoply of different types even just among the fifteen of us here on the bus! Some are quiet, some are loud, some are introverted, some are extroverted, some young(er), some old(er)... Fortunately, the main protagonists of our expedition are very positive influences on the rest of us. Their temperaments tend to hold sway and smooth out any rough edges.

Tour manager Pete Dake really is the one who gets us going each day. He’s a no-nonsense, seasoned veteran of the road. Extremely task oriented on a day-to-day basis and able to anticipate and handle many situations – like rooming preferences, people coming and going but still having to be on stage ready-to-play. He obviously has to deal with the largest of issues (theater and stage, hotel and bus, finances and reporting to the top people at the agency) and the smallest of issues (lost and found, water bottles on stage, rest stops) – well, without him the tour just could not operate. He’s an ex-Navy Seal so he can handle many difficult situations, even physically if necessary, but his management style is not militaristic. He’s very humane and understanding, plus he’s a hell of a bus driver in case Bob W. needs a break. A man for all seasons.

Featured artist Steve March Tormé also sets an extraordinarily relaxed tone for the whole trip. To say that his job as singer, entertainer, story teller, dancer, raconteur, bandleader, autograph signer, father of two young ones far away, seller of CD’s and DVD’s… to say that is job is difficult is an understatement. With all the stuff going on, it’s a wonder that he gets through the show each night without breaking a sweat, or forgetting lyrics. He's a highly dedicated and motivated performer, who’s as down-to-earth and as pleasant to deal with as anyone you’re liable to meet in this business. He’s your best supporter, captain and team player, always upbeat with the jokes and levity. The type of fellow musician you want to play your best for. Thanks, Steve.

Similar thoughts for drummer Ron Krasinski, who is a seasoned pro and evolved spirit on the road, and oh, by the way, plays the living daylights out of his custom Pearl drumset. Absolute consistency night to night, always high energy, and a great hang off stage. he and I have so synchronized musically and offstage that we always show up at breakfast at the same time. Coincidence? I don’t think so…

A picture is worth a thousand words...

But it doesn’t show the aches and pains we ALL felt (even the young’uns)

The Kravis… West Palm Beach is very proud of its Center for the Performing Arts and well they should be. The Kravis is absolutely state of the art, a huge stage which I tried to photograph and just couldn’t get it in the lens. Attached a few photos from today’s two shows (11am and 2 pm, um… early bird specials) we played to full houses (ca. 2,000).

Both shows were special to me because of visitors from back home. The first show I had Joe and Jane Belanger and Joe’s brother, Bob, as backstage guests. Joe and Bob actually played with Mel Tormé way back when. Tony and Ginnie Guzzi and Tony’s mom showed up at the second show, looking all Floridian and fit. Good to see ‘em.

Tonight: just chillin’ at the hotel. Tomorrow: depart for Naples, FL.

Photos: l.to.r, Jane, Jeff, Joe, Steve, Bob; interior of the Kravis.

Clearwater, FL… The day dawned clear…and cold! 38ºF, whooda thunk it? We had to get going early cause we had a 1 pm show at the fabulous Ruth Eckerd Hall. First-rate house, stage crew, equipment and sound: all were excellent! And a full house of 1500+ gave us a warm enthusiastic reception. The audience was very well versed in the Mel Tormé songbook and again responded avidly to the choice of songs and the stories Steve told between them.

It was also Steve’s umpteenth birthday (how many? No one knows…) and during the show we surprised him with “Happy Birthday” sung by the band, and after the show we all shared his birthday cake. The photo below actually contains the whole touring company, one of the few I have with everyone in it.

L. to r. (seated) Pete Dake, co. mgr.; Nicole Dessin, stage & lighting dir.; (standing) Charles Trundy, sound; Michael Meza tpt.; Jeff Fuller, bass-ketball; Winston Byrd, tpt.;
Mike Fahn, trb.; Steve March Tormé, vocals and birthday boy; Bob Wiescholek, driver; Wendell Kelly, trb.; Eric Erhardt, ten sax; Steve Rawlins, piano, cond.; Gary Herbig, alto sax; Ron Krasinski, drums; Vito Chiavuzzo, bari sax.

Beaufort, SC, turned out to be a real pleasant surprise for me. First of all, the weather was rather pleasant. 60’s and mostly sunny. The motel was poorly managed and maintained -- my room door lacked an security eyepiece, there was just an open hole instead; the whole place looked liked it hadn’t been seriously cleaned in months.

Nonetheless, among the Spanish moss draped trees, two or three positive things emerged from my experience here. I found that the pre-packaged chef’s salad sold at the local supermarket (Bi-Lo) was an inexpensive and delicious lunch and dinner (I had two, with Ranch). The complimentary wine given to us in Galveston, actually a pretty good Merlot, went down well with the salads. At the local Kmart – 10 min. walk from the hotel -- I finally broke down and bought a basketball (10% off, Pam) so that I could at least dribble and pass even if we haven’t yet found a hoop.

Lastly, I dropped by the bookstore in the mall next to the hotel, and a local author name Roger Pinckney was signing his books. I bought a delightful story about Daufuskie Island, about 6 miles off shore from here, where it’s a completely different world. One of the last of the undeveloped sea islands off South Carolina, it is home to the Gullah people, descendants of former slaves, who don’t very much care to go to the mainland they call “the other side.” Wish I could have gone there. Also, Beaufort and the sea islands is very close to where they filmed “Prince of Tides.”

The concert last night was yet another pleasant surprise. The audience of about 300 was rather sophisticated and knew a lot about both Mel Tormé and his music. Very heartfelt applause and ovation at the end for Steve and the band. We gave one of our better performances, very swingin’ and spirited. The tech crew once again came through despite a serious lack of facilities and personnel.

Today we are en route to Clearwater, FL, about a 450 mi. drive. Obviously the weather is getting nicer as we go: warm sun, puffy clouds in the sky, fresh breeze – FL in Jan. We stopped at a Flying J rest stop – my god! It looked like a convention of RV’s. All shapes and sizes, driven by youngsters and oldsters, all mavericks of the road.

Arrived in Clearwater around sundown. A bit cloudy and breezy... am using night off to do laundry in hotel... yippee!