Last night, I went to a jam session at a nearby university to kick off a weeklong vocal jazz and pop singing workshop, for which I was asked to do a couple sessions on solo singing.

Well that was fun. Hadn’t been in front of a band in quite awhile. And the best part of the night: I sang a duet with this guy. How cool is that? He was really nice, too. We sang an impromptu version of Time After Time (not the old jazz standard, but the Cyndi Lauper version). He was sitting at the table next to me and we’d struck up a conversation. Then someone asked, “Who’s singing this?” (meaning the Lauper tune) and I made some comment about it not being the version I was thinking of, but that I knew the tune. Next thing I knew, Deke and I were onstage with it. Cat is an amazing singer, and if you close your eyes you won’t know that it’s not a human making those trombone, trumpet and electric guitar sounds.

Reminds me of Stephen Bishop’s mouth-trombone stuff on Careless.

I like being surrounded by good players/singers. I could get used to that. What I didn’t like was:

• Out of a faculty of 10 people, I’m the only woman (ok, I don’t exactly hate it)
• Out of a faculty of 10 people, I’m the oldest (that I hate)

Going back today to work with some aspiring jazz singers in preparation for their turn onstage at the jam session tonight. Should be a blast.

Ok, gotta make like a tree. Future Ella Fitzgeralds and Mel Tormés await.

Fink out.