Hola!

Transatlantic flights wipe me out. Chalk it up to being an old man I guess. But after a connection through a dark deserted Heathrow, I arrived in Barcelona for the 41st Barcelona Jazz Festival and within a couple of days, semi-disaster had struck. Not to me mind you but to American jazz saxophonist Joe Lovano who fell, not once but twice and broke an arm and a shoulder. He had to cancel his show here in Barcelona, his European tour and then had surgery with the chief orthopedic surgeon of Barcelona’s much beloved soccer team, FCBarcelona, presiding. I saw Lovano this morning as he was leaving for a flight home. He had both arms strapped up in this elastic, soft cast contraption but was in good spirits and ready to head back to NYC. He says he’ll be able to play again in about 15 days, but he’ll have to lay off performing until after the first of the year. No word yet however on what caused his tumble, which is the bigger question.

American saxophonist Javon Jackson, who played the festival with Jimmy Cobb’s Kind of Blue Band who is staying in the same hotel that I am, unloaded his luggage while checking in, and unfortunately allowed his NYC guard down and turned his back. In seconds, it vanished. Passport, credit cards, the works. Thankfully, he did keep ahold of his horn. After a trip to the consulate, he continued on with the band to Italy but it was a colossal hassle.

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