The year that was different...

January is typically a quiet time in my date book, so in order to use my time well, I thought I should just write a book. In the last twenty years I have amassed piles of information on hand and arm physiology, gained many useful understandings about their efficient usage, and designed countless exercises to help students gain a strong, efficient and safe technique. Nine months later, my creation, Calm Hands, is approaching the final moments of design and layout, and is soon to be printed. Watch this space.

And then of course, everything went sideways. The weekly trio gig that Dave Sanders, Thierry Fossemalle and I had been doing for a while had finally been discovered by the true jazz lovers of Byron Bay and was becoming most enjoyable, all of a sudden gone. Since March I have done two gigs, one online in May, and one actual live gig at the Brisbane Jazz Club in July, when they thought the bug might be beat.

I can't complain. My heart goes out to all my colleagues who depend on performance for their living; this can't have been easy for them. I had a huge teaching load across three campuses that has given me more than enough to do, and I've had the privilege of networking with music educators across the country working together to answer questions like "How do you share application sound on Zoom?", and "How do you rehearse a band online?"

Here we are in October, and things might be taking a turn for the better, but none would dare lay odds. Still, some performance bookings are creeping back in. I'm really looking forward to another Brisbane Jazz Club gig coming up next weekend, with Aaron Jansz, Lachlan McKenzie, Luke McIntosh and of course Kristin Berardi. Maybe I'll see you there?