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Newsletter
End of Year Newsletter (2002)
Record
Big Swing Face was released with minimal fanfare and support by RCA Records
and became the biggest commercial stiff of Bruce's career. Some howled
in protest at the lack of piano and "pretty songs"
while for others it was the first Bruce record they had ever liked, making
the world go round and round.
Tour
The Big Swing Face tour kicked off at the Indianapolis Jazz Festival in mid-June,
as the band played some 40-45 dates in support of the ill-fated release.
Highlights included guest appearances by Chick Corea, one of Bruce's
long-time pianistic heroes, at a show in Clearwater, FL (actually performed
in May), Branford Marsalis showing up to play in Westbury, CT in July
(it's got to be all these jazz people with their chromaticisms and harmonic
extensions, that's the problem), and Bonnie Raitt emerging with Bruce
to bark like dogs at the Portsmouth, VA show in August. The major "guest" of
the year was the indefatigable Steve Kimock, who played the entire September
run with the band, resulting in many a fifteen to twenty minute-long
song rendition (that too). Former Range production chief Steve Borges
reprised his "Nick Dixon" role from the old days for the bemused
Philadelphia crowd. Attendance on the summer leg was generally great,
but fell off in the fall.
Bruce played a run of
solo piano concerts in the fall to complete the 60-or-so date tour.
The band appeared on
the Tonight Show in July, and Bruce woke up at 4:30am to appear on the
CBS Saturday morning show, playing solo. Also in July, the band played
at the venerable High Sierra Festival, where Bruce also gave an informal
afternoon solo piano "clinic" which included the initial performance
of new song"Heir Gordon" , resulting in internet bootlegging
and many subsequent requests at future shows.
Events
Bruce was inducted into the inaugural class of the Norfolk, VA Legends of
Music Walk of Fame (so you can now go to Granby Street in Norfolk and
step on him). Tears came to fellow inductee Gary U.S. Bonds' eyes as
he recounted his vast accomplishments in the "rock-and-roll"
field, and then Bruce played solo, much to the befuddlement of the (mostly
over-60) patrons in attendance at Norfolk's Roper Hall.
Looking forward...
Having toured sixteen of the last seventeen years(!) with the last total
break being 1992 (!!), Bruce has decided to play very few public concerts
in the next year, to concentrate on making his new record(s). Some offers
are difficult to refuse, however, so a few special shows are on the slate
for 2003: A Tribute to Elton John concert January 17 at the Arrowhead
Pond in Anaheim, CA. Bruce is part of a fabulous lineup including Vanessa
Carlton, Ray Charles, Amy Grant,Norah Jones, Diana Krall, John Mayer,
Michael McDonald, Rufus Wainwright, Jewel, Brian McKnight, Randy Newman,
Take 6 and Brian Wilson. The Merlefest Bluegrass Festival in Wilkesboro,
NC in April ?, special guest at the "Movie Music of Spike Lee"
concert at Carnegie Hall, New York, New York on June 20; and a return date
with the Roanoke Symphony somewhere in the first weekend of October.
Fans are encouraged to
visit Si Twining's fabulous Bruuuce.com website where there always seems
to be something going on.
And for all who care
about such things, the piano is coming back!
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