A very Famous View
They said it couldn’t be done. And yet here I am smokin’ in the Blog-O-Sphere.
The Blog-O-Sphere is Everywhere
Big “G” Scholarship Fund Drive
Hi Everyone,
It has been a while since my friend and brother musician David “Big G” Gelinas passed away from complications resulting from diabetes. He was a part of my band for so many years that I lost count. It just seemed that he was always there and would always be there. It is a shock to the system when your contemporaries leave this world and I have lost my share over the last few years. I think we all go into some sort of denial about losing someone close, and it takes a while to get your feet back under you.
All of us in the band wish to remember Big G in a positive way. I think the best way for us to do that is to ask everyone we know to make a small donation to the “Big G Scholarship Fund”. This money is used to help deserving students in the Key West High School music program, specifically students of percussion. What better way to honor someone who loved music as much as Big G did.
So, if you can, we’ll be taking donations at the show every night at the Hog’s Breath Saloon and we’ll also be taking donations at the annual “Fan Appreciation Party” upstairs at the Hog on Friday, November 6th.
If you’re not going to go to Key West this year for MOTM, you can send your donations to the mailing address on our website and we’ll forward them on for you. Thanks a million in advance for your kindness and generosity.
Best Wishes, Hugo
While We’re Talking About House Concerts…
I thought that I’d share an email I received from one of our House Concert Hosts in California. We’ve known each other for a while. They’ve been to a few of my shows in Key West and Las Vegas. This email really touched me. I thought that I’d share it with you on the off-chance that you’re considering hosting a House Concert for some performer/s and were teetering on the fence!
Kind of Summing Things Up…
Hi Hugo,
Well it almost feels like it never even happened…
I wish I had video taped the whole thing. I talked about doing that prior to your show, but never dug out the old video camera, checked to see if the batteries even worked, or bought 6 cassette tapes… or assigned someone to be videographer. I guess next time I should just mount the camera on the roof.
I really didn’t even take that many pictures, like I usually do. In part, my camera was on its last battery leg and the re-charger was broken… I was saving pictures for any last minute special occurrences. I did get some really nice pictures, and a long video of you doing “We’ve Got dreams”, which I simply love. Had to choke back the tears during that one.
My wife, after you guys left, said she wished she had requested a private song on Sunday. Had she mentioned it, I would have asked too, but truthfully, the mode of mind I tried to set myself in for that day was that we were just hanging with friends… I was trying to stifle my desire to jump up and down and scream “My God Hugo Duarte is in my house!”
Man its weird how you can look back and see what went right and what I should have done differently. But MAN, I had fun. I wasn’t able to hold the tears back that day either… maybe you noticed.
I was happy that the Parrotheads from the Sacramento club made the trek, though there were some I had never met before. We did talk as they arrived and as they were leaving and they were most complimentary and thankful, and thrilled with the evening… So, oh well, just gotta move on. I am sending out a thank you to everyone via e-mail this week.
But MAN I had fun last Saturday. I made sure I sat and watched every minute of the show. I wish we could do that every weekend for a month. No question word has gotten around. Every time I see a friend it’s “We had SO MUCH fun! That was SO NICE. Incredible time! Can’t wait till next year!” Me neither!
A final tally: 12 bottles of tequila, 130 limes, 95 cans of squirt, 20 pounds of meat. Counting all the kids (7 including my two) the bartender, my two closest neighbors, the cook and his wife, plus two of their friends that slipped in late, that’s 60 people including us. WOW! And I thought it was going to be hard getting 25 people to show. And I’ll say it again… everyone was SO PLEASED with the whole evening.
Man it was so worth all the effort. And the added bonus, we worked so hard to get our pool up, the gazebo, get the grass growing green, hanging lights, the stage… that this weekend we just sat back and enjoyed and relaxed and reveled in it all. The stage is still in place and we look at it and sigh. My wife made the comment, “we will always look at that back corner and see Hugo and Rob standing there.”
Speaking of our neighbors, it’s almost like their lives were transformed. She says she bought two CDs from each you and we hear them playing them at night in the evening as the sun goes down. I popped over the fence for a look and they got their tiki torches blazing, having some drinks, listening to your music, and dancing together in the middle of the grass. She made the comment that seeing the show and having such a good time and meeting new friends, (they sat at the tables with the Parrotheads, who they said were super fun to hang with), that they decided they don’t get out and enjoy life enough. Man, talk about a successful night!
And speaking of Rob Mehl, I was turned on to new music that night and it was really pleasing. Rob is such a nice laid-back guy. I admit I only heard some of his music samples on CD baby before last weekend, and I didn’t buy any of his CDs cause I was cashless that night, but I will be ordering some of his favorites real soon and sit down to expand my mind.
I know I can’t be your BIGGEST fan, but I know every one of your songs and can tell you which song is one which album and I can sing them all. That list I handed you that night was first penciled out and was about 20+ songs long. I darkened with a purple pen my favorites out of the 10 songs I ripped that portion of paper off then handed you… sorry if it was hard to read. Really though, I will listen to whatever you want to play, because I love ‘em all!
It went by too fast Hugo. The flyer I made will hang on my wall here at work until I replace it with a new one. Next year will be even bigger and better!
By the way they, (Dave and Jim), both sent me e-mails of thanks saying they had a fabulous time… and that’s rare… I usually don’t get thank-you e-mails from them, so it’s apparent that they really enjoyed themselves. Heck I usually don’t get e-mails from them at all… we just call and say, “hey I’m coming by”.
Well I’ll leave it at that. Just wanted to express my feelings and let you and Rob know we love you guys and “mi casa es tu casa”. Anytime my friends.
Sincerely,
Rob and Olga and kids
Well, I think that just about sums it all up, as Rob said at the outset. I’ll add some photos to this post as soon as I find them! Thanks Rob B for such a great message! Your Friend, Hugo
From North Carolina to Seattle to Los Angeles and Beyond
It’s been a very busy summer for us traveling back and forth across the nation. I haven’t had much time to post anything here, but I’m home for a couple of days and thought that I’d share some things with you.
As many of you already know, we’ve been doing an increasing number of House Concerts. This type of performance is quickly becoming my personal favorite way to do music live. People attending these events are walking away saying what a great time they had, asking how they can do one at their home, raving about the music, and talking about how different it is as compared to going out to a bar or other venue to hear music. I think it is the future of live music.
Everyone does it a little differently, but most folks will invite people they really like, invite people who will be potential friends, share the evening with family and neighbors, bring pot-luck food, (most times it’s really great food!), and some will even build a stage for the performers, even though it’s not really necessary.
Setting the stage in place over the pool!
The performers usually try to work off some of the pre-show stress in their own particular way. I usually do arm curls with a small hand weight.
Excersize does help one relax!
Sometimes the hosts will manage the seating for the guests and sometimes, folks just bring their own favorite lounge chair, camp chair, raft, beach towel, bean bag, well, you see that it can be “anything goes”.
At this particular concert at Tom & Terri’s home, Rob Mehl and I worked off the pre-show jitters by writing a new song which will make its debut at “Six String Music” in New Orleans this week.
Working on a new tune with Rob Mehl.
We had been talking about the idea for the song for a little while, so it came together pretty quickly. It’s called “Native Tongue”. I really like it and we were able to perform it a couple of times in California. The photos I’m sharing with you are out of chronological order, so if you were at one of the shows in Washington, Oregon, or California, you may know the story on the time line. For most of the shows, we only had a little while to spend with our hosts. Everyone was so warm and gracious, welcoming us into their homes, introducing us to so many wonderful folks, and making the time that we did get to share something to remember always.
While we were with our friends Ron & Cindy in Washington State, I had the opportunity to prepare a meal for them; something that I totally enjoy doing and don’t get a chance to do very often. I made one of my favorite Cuban dishes for everyone and we all enjoyed an al fresco dinner a la Chef Hugo!
I was so pleased with the way it turned out, although there was not much conversation going on at the dinner table!
There will be more photos posted on the facebook gallery as time goes on. For now, we’re getting ready to take off for New Orleans, Louisiana for the “Six String Music Festival”. I’m really excited about this trip, especially since it’s the first time I’ve been invited to participate.
So for now, let me close this little travelogue with a word of gratitude to the folks who hosted our shows. My whole-hearted Thank You goes out to: Wanker’s Corner, the Puffin Cafe, Chris, Andrea, Captain Bill and the Portland Rowing Club, The Island Cafe, Ken and the good folks at “Team Innovative”, Alicia and Annie, Ron and Cindy (our home away from home), Vern and Ruth, Andy at Harmony Del Sol, Tom and Terri, Rob and Olga, Chris Ann, Cliff and Jennifer, Susan and Melinda, Steve Orr, Cecilia and Joey, Randy & Michelle, and Bill and Melinda. These folks are listed in chronological order. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! I hope we get to do all of them again next year!
Until next time Friends,
Best Wishes, Hugo
Humbly Apologizing For Gaps in the Posts!
Friends,
I am sorry that it has been so long since I could find time to post a new entry here. Let’s see… I have done so many thing since I last wrote. I have added on to my house, I’m still in the process of painting it, had a new Grandchild, played some fun gigs, and have travelled to the West Coast, where we currently are. We just spent almost a week in Portland Oregon and now, we’re in the Seattle area doing some shows and visiting with some dear friends. Along the way, I’ve received some cool emails from some folks who either made me laugh or touched me in a good way. I thought that I’d share a couple of these emails with you. So, here we go…
I got this email out of the blue from Kevin:
Hugo,
We are sitting here planning our next forgetful moment and can’t figure out the words on “Back to the Islands” where you sing “a round one for me and a square one for you”. We have many ideas but can’t agree on one. Please help this fustrated sailor figure it out. Thanks, Kevin
Here is the answer I sent back:
Kevin,
I’m tickled at your planning your next forgetful moment! I do that all the time! I don’t often get an opportunity to explain what I was thinking when I wrote a specific song and although you didn’t ask for that, I’m going to tell you anyway.
When I first began to perform in the Keys, there were a large number of marijuana bales washing up on the beach from time to time. I had met some folks who claimed to be in the “Biz” and they taught me all of the jargon associated with that “Biz”. Anyway, I always wanted to find me a bale, but never did. I could have paid off my credit cards…all of them… with one
bale! But, I digress…
The verse you’re asking about is:
Well, maybe we’ll find us a floater or two (bale or a football in the water)
A round one for me (cocaine football) and a square one for you (marijuana)
We’ll haul ‘em both up and stash ‘em below
The wind will take us anywhere that you want to go
Anyway, I hope that answers your question. Thanks for listening close enough to have a question about a lyric.
Best Wishes,
Hugo
I’ll put the next email I’d like to share with you in the next post. I hope to see you somewhere along thge road.
Hugo
