So I'm out at the open blues/funk jam tonight, where I've been every wednesday for the past month. We get up there and do our usual 3 songs, blah blah, the crowd dug us, I felt it coulda been lots better, but that's the way it always goes, right?

So I see Barry Richman ( www.barryrichman.com ), the local guitar legend in Atlanta - the guy's played with the Allman Bros, Eric Johnson, Buddy Miles, crap, you name them, if they're guitar blues gods from the 70's/80's, he's played with them at some point... and he's complimenting me on my playing and singing. I've seen him around at gigs here and there over the past 4 or 5 years, we're on a nodding acquaintance, so he's familiar with my vast deep pool of inadequacy.

He GOES ON to say my playing has really improved, as has my singing, and he'd like me to join his band!

Pretty damn cool. I've NEVER had someone ask me to join their band - well - never somebody that I thought was way way better than me! It won't get me the gold record, but it'll get me more experience out there, and he wants to do MY songs!

HOLY DOODY!

Oh - on a funny sidenote - I wore the floppy purple hat (see www.flyfunk.com) and we sang Star69, and afterwards, some guy said to me, "I really like that song that sounds like Jamiraquai" I thanked him and walked away, and heard his buddy saying "he didn't sound like Jamiraquai dude! It was the HAT!!"

That's way cool otan!

Don't forget us little people, ok?

Congrats, Otan! I'd love to play with someone that's better than me. BTW, I hate to say it, but I thought of Jamiraquai when I listened to Star69, too. But, I believe that it's a good thang!

Great man, congratulations.

artist08 said:

Yeah, now that I'm listening to them, I totally see the similarity, but I didn't even think about it until a day or two ago.

Doesn't hurt my feelings if you say it sounds like somebody. Except maybe if you said it sounds like Barry Manilow. Yeah. THAT would hurt.

I've always thought you were that good.

Congrats!

Congrats man

Yeah! That's awesome! So you gonna do your songs with him? Excellent! See? It wasn't a "vast deep pool of inadequacy". You go boy!!!

So what does this mean? Are you gonna be touring the country? Are you gonna have your songs recorded all professional like? Whooo-hooo! I'm so excited for you. You deserve it, man.

VinaBlue said:

He doesn't tour the country - does a little southeastern touring - Nashville, etc... I don't know what it means. I'll wait to hear from him and then I'll tell y'all all about it. As far as recording - who knows... I DO know that he hires the best talent in the city - I've played with some of his band at different jams and they're seriously amazing. So, I'll be playing with a whole different calibre of peeps. THAT will push ME to do better.

Congratulations,otan, you really deserve it!

I never thought of Jamiroquai listening to your music, the band that immediately came to my mind was Roachford. Do you know them?