Bill Small's Blog » music http://www.billsmallmusic.com/blog music, creativity, and the life of an entrepreneurial artist, coach and internet wanderer Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:30:11 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 Memphis Chicken and a Well Placed Espresso http://www.billsmallmusic.com/blog/2011/02/memphis-chicken-and-a-well-placed-espresso/ http://www.billsmallmusic.com/blog/2011/02/memphis-chicken-and-a-well-placed-espresso/#comments Sat, 19 Feb 2011 21:45:18 +0000 billsmall http://www.billsmallmusic.com/blog/?p=225 When I first talked to Jimmy (Davis that is) about coming to Memphis and playing for a week I let him know that my alterior motive was food. Mostly barbecued pork and fried chicken. It is Memphis after all. My first afternoon here we re-visited Central BBQ in midtown and I fell hungrily onto a pulled pork plate that I remembered from my last visit here. Still fantastic. So yesterday I had to get my other food group covered. As many people have told me, the place to go is Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken in downtown Memphis. By the time we arrived I was really hungry, having been thinking about eating for awhile and taking a drive through various parts of town with Jimmy as tour guide, I was ready to eat. Joining us was a singer/songwriter friend of Jimmy’s, Kathleen Haskard, who’s in from London for the Folk Alliance music conference and also played an opening set for us last night at The Otherlands Coffee Bar.

I ordered an unsweet tea, and as usual the iced tea here in Memphis is really good, and a 3 piece dark plate. Kathleen had the forethought to order us some fried green tomatoes and fried pickle spears which came out quick and started my fried food frenzy. They were hot and fresh and had this perfect chewy crusty goodness on the outside. When my plate arrived it was actually too hot to eat right away. The smell was amazing and the slaw and baked beans held my attention for a few minutes while my chicken cooled enough to dig in. Perfect brown, crispy, spicy crust and hot, juicy, steaming inside. Amazing. So right and so good. Enough spice to heat you up just a bit, but not too much. Exactly the way fried chicken is supposed to be.

Then we were off to the Buccaneer Lounge where we had a couple of beers and got to hang with a Chef Fitz and a few of his famous Cookin Hookers band that I got to see play in that very room last year. Good fellows all and many a groan and grunt of appreciation when we told them we just had lunch at Gus’s.

We then arrived at The Otherlands to set up and wait for Walt and Brian Langlinais to arrive from Nashville. I had some time before the show and with the three piece dark and the beers making my eyes droop and my brain fuzzy, and since I was at a coffee bar, I ordered myself a lovely double espresso. I learned long ago while playing the 12:30 AM to 4:30 AM slot on Bleeker Street in NYC that a well placed espresso can make all the difference. I found a quiet place to sit, and while Kathleen Haskard’s voice drifted through the air, I sipped my coffee and got my head together for another night of music madness in Memphis.

We had a full house at The Otherlands and for me it was like coming home having Walt and Brian onstage with Jimmy and I. We ran the night like an “in the round” and each took our turns playing songs with everyone joining in to play and sing. I had a great time singing with some of my favorite musicians in the whole world. It was family and it was cool. The crowd was attentive, and as always in Memphis, sending lots of love back to us all night long. And they sent us beer too! Shiner Bock no less! Drinking Texas beer and playing music with my Texas compadres. A good night indeed.

Ok, I’ve already had BBQ again today and it’s time to rest up before we infiltrate the Folk Alliance Conference tonight.

Onward……

]]> http://www.billsmallmusic.com/blog/2011/02/memphis-chicken-and-a-well-placed-espresso/feed/ 1 Back At It http://www.billsmallmusic.com/blog/2009/10/back-at-it/ http://www.billsmallmusic.com/blog/2009/10/back-at-it/#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:43:25 +0000 billsmall http://www.billsmallmusic.com/blog/2009/10/back-at-it/ I’m back in Moonhouse Studio today putting the finishing touches on my new record with producer Chris Gage. It’s good to be getting it done! I know it’ll make my parents happy at least. I’ll keep you posted on the release date. It looks like I’ll have the support of the brand new Texas label, Blue Boot Records. Thanks for all the patience and support. Onward!

My view today:

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