The last few months of 2008 were incredibly busy but very musically fulfilling. The tour and CD recording with Carla Bley, Steve Swallow and the brass quintet was hard but fun. The Kreisler recording with Theo Bleckmann and the HR Big Band went well. The HR Band sounds great and is ultra professional. The Oli Leicht CD will also be fine (I hope). It was the very last thing everybody did before Xmas and we were all a bit frazzled but Oli’s music was terrific and it should be fine (except for the tuba player).

After two days off I worked with the excellent “Jazz Orchester Regensburg” and then went on to the Blue Note Big Band for a four day workshop. The concert we performed on January 1st went very well. After four short days of sleeping it’s now back to work in Graz. I hope my students still remember me, I know I was gone too often in the fall, but I also think that I can offer my students more if I continue to be an active musician and not just a “teacher”.

With the moron Bush leaving office soon I don’t know who I will be able to rant against, but I’m sure I will find something or someone.

2009 is shaping up to be an equally busy year, with interesting projects and CD recordings both as a sideman and leader. The EPJO will be going inro the studio in August and the brass project will get recorded in Septemeber. Before that I’ve got to write for the HR Big Band and there is a rapidly approaching deadline for the Flip Phillip/Ed Partyka Dectet recording in February.

I suppose I can sleep when I’m dead…..