[Harp-L] Ricci story at Jersey Shore

[Reach Mann <imreach@xxxxxxxxx>]

. . . so there I was at the Jersey Shore Jazz and
Blues Foundations weekend show in Red Bank New Jersey
on a rainy Friday. I had voluteered my time as a stage
security person from 8 to 10 pm Friday. Gee, how bout
that, it just happened to be Ricci's New Blood spot !
Well I got there early so as to maybe help this great
organization a bit more. Asked what I could do for
them, as the rain was falling, and they put me as the
security checker at the musicians entrance to give the
guy there a break for an hour. Slapped on a poncho,
head set and popped out an umbrella and stood out in
the warm rain. So it's about 50 minutes into it and up
drives a white van that I recongized as the Ricci rig,
packed with New Blood. The window rolls down and with
a tone of voice and expression that you would get from
doing gigs night after night all over our great
country and just driving several hours and then it
rains, he says, matter of factly, "Jason Ricci". Now
me being the practical joker that Iam saw this as an
oppertunity. I always get a kick out of looking
someone dead in the eyes while saying some outragious
thing while showing no emotion.
Just thinking of his reaction again while writing this
made my laugh again. It was beautiful ! So I said in
my best deadpan,"who cares" ! As the lighting bolts
were shooting out of his eyes he said,"well that's a
hellofa
way to start a conversation". Told him I was joking
and waved them through. He was pissed and didn't
recongnize me.  So after I got back down to the stage
area I made a point of straighting things out. We had
a good laugh and he explained his mood. The last
couple of gigs didn't go so well and he prceded to
tell me the story. Now I don't think it's my business
to disclose it here without asking first, maybe he'll
tell you sometime, so I'll just say that their
contract for the gig had rooms and food included, it
was two in the morning with no place left to go. Well
they made him pay for the rooms and the straw that
broke the Ricci's back, he ordered a chicken sandwich
and they made him pay for that also. So there you are
with the reason for the short fuse. We laughed at it
and I suggested he write a song called "Chicken
Sandwich" about some experiances from the road. We'll
see.
 He then went out and kicked the usual butt for the
anxious raingear crowd in Red Bank. After the gig we
all went over to the Walt Street Pub where Dennis
Gruenling showed up along with a cast of other players
and the party rolled on. Other emails described it so
I'll just end here with a "Who Cares" and "Chicken
Sandwich" 
Puck puck, 
Reach


		
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