It’s been a hectic weekend of gigs, starting Friday night in central London at the Cafe De Paris. This is a great venue and the gig was fun, playing keys in a band for a  party for Sony. I didn’t get to bed until 3am and at 38 this takes it’s toll a little more than when I was 21. Saturday’s gig was a swing band and again I didn’t get to bed until 3am. Sunday morning, and I’m beginning to feel the effects a bit.. the trouble is that I have two gigs to play today. The afternoon gig was a simple Jazz duo for a birthday party but it turned out to be a great gig. It was with Tim Robertson on bass. He’s a great player and it made playing really easy. The difficulty was that after my lack of sleep I’d developed the biggest headache I’ve had in years which was making me sweat, turn pale, then green and want to throw up over the piano. Having said that, I’ve rarely enjoying playing the piano quite as much as on this occasion! By the end of this gig I really was feeling like death so I tried to get a half an hours sleep in the car and set off for the evening’s gig. I arrived at the evening venue, after a quick detour in order to throw up :-( I didn’t look or feel too good and really didn’t think I’d be able to sit through a concert style gig-where it does tend to look obvious if you run off stage or indeed, throw up on the piano. After a couple of cups of black tea the gig was under way. The rhythm section was myself (James (Jim) Treweek) on piano, Buster Birch on drums and Pete Ringrose on Bass and the guests artists were Joe Fooks and the great Jim Mullen. Jim is one of the UK’s greatest guitarists and is a total joy to play with and to listen to. He’s a great guy and a wonderful guitarist with a faultless ear but overall he has a real uplifting, joyous way of playing. If you get the chance to hear him, please do. Again, I’ve rarely enjoyed a gig quite as much and by the end I’d even managed a small beer :-) Must be feeling better.