As luck would have it, a fine guitarist we’d seen playing with another band a year back, became available after his own band evaporated.  Chito Salazar plays a different style from Jim and, unlike Jim, enjoys the front of the stage.  A married couple, Monique & Claude Hache, answered an ad for backup vocals and turned out to be professional singers in their own right with a lot of broadway-type show experience.  The band has a different feel and energy.

The final day there were several of the “song pitching” panels…so I had to choose between that lottery or hearing Jason Blume.  I chose the lottery.  Sure, the song is important.  But luck can be a wonderful thing.  Then I checked into “Better Guitar Recordings” which was more about correct guitar technique, per se, than recording tips.

One panel included Lamont Dozier.  I confess that I did not know his name before the Rally.  But let me tell you, it brought tears to my eyes when they played the compilation montage of his hits.  Turns out he is the most successful songwriter in the U.S., having written many, if not most, of the biggest Motown (Supremes) and other hits (How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You) from the 60’s on up.  I grew up grooving to this guy’s stuff sung by other artists.  What a huge talent this guy is.

The Rally is an amazing experience.  Perhaps a little lonely to go it alone as I did, but still worth it.  It had some shortcomings (I wrote a long letter to the CEO about), but much more that was right.  And it was free.

About 5 sessions happen over the course of the 3 days where registrants submit songs to be heard by a panel.  If they like what they hear, they ask for a copy.  Some musicians have been “signed on the spot” as a result of such sessions.  Others get some polite constructive criticism.  The songs are chosen at random and you never know if yours will be chosen.  The only way to know is to attend the session itself.  Let me tell you, it is a nail-biting 90 minutes.  I want to get chosen and, at the same time, am terrified that if I do, the song will flop.  My songs never got chosen over the 3 days.  I perspired for nothing.

Ate at the hotel bar and had good conversation with seat-mates.  Then I checked out the open mic performances.  Opening the night was a diminutive blond-haired attractive 17 year old who confidently belted out a stunning song she wrote.  Her name is Brittaney Geisler and she happens to come from the Vancouver area.  If her other material is anything like this song, watch out.  This is a star.

Had a good workout Friday morning.  It was incredible…at 6:15 a.m. the exercise room was overflowing.  Not a single machine was free.  Luckily, I don’t use a machine for exercise.  So no problem for me.  I grabbed a Starbucks and found a place in the main ballroom for the opening session.  It was a tribute to Michael Lloyd, a celebrated hit songwriter and musician.  Mostly a feel-good session.  Then went to a session on ‘you’re never too old to rock and roll’.  Looking around the room at the plenary sessions, I was shocked to learn that I was one of many grey-haired musicians.  In fact, I would say that 1/3^rd to ½ of the registrants were over 40.

I neglected to mention that when I left the hotel at 12:30, I noticed people already lining up for registration.  The early birds get their pick of the one-on-one mentor sessions.  These sessions last just 10 minutes.  But it is your opportunity to access an industry professional that you may not otherwise ever be able to talk with…let alone for 10 minutes.  Some, it was clear, were hotter picks than others and there were lots of keen Taxi members willing to camp out for hours for the chance to snag one.  Registration was set to begin at 5:30 and I lined up at about 4.  By this time the line snaked through the lobby and out into the parking garage for some distance…only half of what it was to become.  My line mates were friendly and talkative and the time went by relatively quickly.  EVERYBODY, it seemed, was friendly and talkative and interested in networking.

Well…that was interesting.  On the one hand I felt guilty for feeling resentful that she might be the reason for my cancelling.  On the other hand, I think I had a secret wish that if I did cancel, I could blame it on someone else.  I would be relieved of having to come down to L.A. alone, not knowing what to expect, vulnerable as usual as any struggling musician and it wouldn’t appear that I had chickened out (no offence to chickens).  I love my wife and only want what is best for her.  But boy, if I’m really honest with myself, what a lot of ugly feelings and thoughts permeate my soul from time to time.  Vulnerable…I never really understood it before.

We couldn’t get a table at the resort’s renowned restaurant, Solbar, until 8:30 in spite of reserving well in advance.  We arrived at the appointed time to discover that there were no tables available on the outdoor patio…clearly the place to be, for another 25 minutes.  We were seated in a corner of the inside restaurant which was 2/3rds empty.  When we requested a better table, the response was that “they were expecting more diners to be arriving”.  The place emptied out as we ate…no new diners arrived.  It was the only disappointing service/treatment we experienced during this California trip.

The most revealing aspect of the meeting had less to do with Mr. H. and more to do with me. It was this overwhelming and distasteful feeling that I was coming across as a ‘victim’ with half my answers to his questions. “Are you going to the Folk Festival?”, he asked. I blurted out that I’d nailed an audition spot but had to back out last minute because my mother-in-law was ill in Montreal. “Have you gotten airplay on CBC radio?”. I explained why I thought I was blacklisted by CBC radio (legitimate reasoning…but still sounding like a victim). “What about the new DAWG FM radio station in Ottawa?”. I sent them a CD and they think it got lost… they suggested that I send another. When I reflected on the meeting, I shuddered to think how I must have come across. The bottom line here is that nobody…nobody can make this happen except me. No excuses. Life is tough.

We dined at Boulevard our last night, also along the Embarcadero.  Great fresh bread.  I had, yes, pork prime rib for dinner, starting with the dungeness & jonah crab salad.  It was good.  The restaurant itself is obviously a hot spot as well and visually appealing.  The ceiling in one section is slightly vaulted and made of brick…cool to look at.  Again, great service.  And good people-watching.