Music Sketches

I've had a social few days, so I'm behind on my blog. After thinking I would move mostly toward watercolor again, I spent Sunday just doing pen sketches. The weekends are great street music days, and since it was the only weekend that Stephen is in town to play with Rene (during my trip, anyway), I decided just to sit back and enjoy the show instead of trying to do serious work at the same time. He's an amazing bass player. I wish I were good enough to learn from just watching him. As it is, I just enjoy and marvel.

It was also rainy in spurts, so they'd play a while, and then we'd duck into a cafe for a bit to take cover. Not great painting conditions. So I did a few marker sketches because I just can't help myself (I loved the image of them playing in the Marais in front of a big mura,l) but mostly I just had a good time.

I think I might be a groupie at this point, but they really treat me like a friend and make me feel very welcome here, which is lovely. And they're interesting guys as well as talented. We talked about Shaker theology, early 20th century music, banjos (of course --- four out of five people at dinner last night played the banjo), accents, travel, and touring and who knows what all at a small dinner party last night. Stephen cooked for all of us --- Rene's niece was in town, plus another traveling musician and me, so I had a delightful evening with all of them.

But the sun is supposed to come back out today, and if so, I plan to make good use of it.

Oh! And this pedaled by while the guys were playing. One thing I love about Europe is that all of life, a whole carnival, is out mingling on the sidewalks. In America, people are mostly sealed individually inside their cars, which takes away so many possibilities for joy and interaction.