This is our second time to Santa Cruz this year and our second time at this venue. So we weren't surprised when we were told that, unlike the last time through, we hadn't sold out the place out. But we've always have terrific shows in these parts so when we booked the gig we thought, what the hell, lets take a shot and see who turns up.

Well, it may not have been a sold out show but there was great energy in the theater helped by the fact that they left the first 20 feet in front of the stage bare of chairs, so that those who chose to, could stand up close. We had another spectacular night of music. I don't know what is going on. Maybe it's something the soil.

****

We've never played Oakland. We've certainly been across the Bay in San Fran many, many times, but have never played over here. It was a two show night in a small, but very nicely laid out jazz club called Yoshie's. And once again we had two excellent shows and two excellent audiences. …I'm telling you it's the soil up here.

I didn't really get a chance to see the city as our hotel and the club were both located on the waterfront (in The Jack London Square). There is obviously an effort going on to revitalize the waterfront area and turn it into a type of entertainment district. There are a lot of restaurants, a few clubs, several art galleries and most uniquely, a fully functioning set of railroad tracks going right down the main drag: several times every hour a huge freight or passenger train comes rumbling through, blasting its horn. It's very impressive and I think gives the area a very unique vibe. But woe to that young college student, who is out on the town on his first real bender, feeling his oats, and decides to test his mettle against the freight train screaming down him to get out of the way.