2000

Lance & Donna at ...

some fond memories.

click on the images to enlarge
Centre de Gérontologie Léopold Bellan
We really enjoyed playing at Centre de Gérontologie Léopold Bellan and at the Blues s/Seine festival. This is a wonderful festival since it takes the festival to the people. People that would not be able to attend get the opportunity to feel the music. Many times since playing at the Centre we have told the story of the afternoon we shared. It was our pleasure to see a foot tapping or a finger moving to the rhythm of the music.

It was our pleasure to see the glow in the eyes when Donna would play the tambourine with the lovely oldsters normally unable to do this. It was our pleasure to dance with those who could, and to visit with those who could not. Many surprised us with remembering the English they learned many years ago. And it was our pleasure to have your oldest patient of 103 years enjoy our music! It brought us more pleasure than you could imagine, to be a part of each others lives for those few, precious moments.
Mèzières-sur-Seine - A really powerful evening with a great audience!
As we got on stage the sound of the public was deafening, they were ready for some blues! We filmed the concert and will be using this footage for an EPK (elecronic press kit) that will be available for free downloading from our site in the near future. Until then, here's a nice photo from Mike Lecuyer!
One morning I tagged along with Jean Guillermo to another event of the festival, a school for mentally handicapped children. Disney donated thier Dixie Land Jazz Band, Mickey & Minnie, and Chip & Dale. When the band broke into "Bill Bailly", "Hello Dolly", "King Louie"... I was just singing along... and they handed me a wireless mic! The kids there were so excited, and a good time was had by all.
Everyone got souvenir Polaroids, even me!
WINNER!
We didn't see all of the contestants, only the last evening of finalists. We were very happy to find that the winners, were people we knew but I must say that I did not envy the task of the judges. All the musicians and groups that we heard were very talented and have something to offer to the future of blues in France!
Hanging out with two different Rollands ... and a René!
Click here for a RealPlayer clip from Mike Lecurier of a part of the jam with MC Patrick Verbeke after the contest!
A confession
I just can't seem to help myself! If there is a jam, I love to be in the middle of it! The music has always been my life and my love, and I believe it's always best shared with friends new and old!
So after the Big Jam with Patrick Verbeke, and several of the contest finalists, when it was all over, what do you think we did?
We packed up the guitars and went over to a local Couscouserie/Bar and jumped right back into another jam lasting until the "wee hours" when the police came to say, "OK, enough is enough! Stop!"
Donna says her "instrument, when it comes to jamming ...
is a chair, a nice cup of tea, and a pair of ears. The public is very important too!"
© Honey Pumpkin Music 2000