Mudcat's one of my favorite places. Even post now and then when the spirit moves me, though can't seem to use the same name more than twice; just too goofy!

Mornings here right now seem pretty cool & chilly to me which would amaze you cold climate folks. Shirt sleeves and hat at noon to keep clear of the sun. Big mountain to the north of me has been visual companion all my life.

So where am I? Tucson,in USA's southwest near border with Mexico. Home of both the International Mariachi Festival & the Tucson Friends of Traditional Music: which makes for a strange cross-cultural milieu...

A friend gave his homemade mountain-style banjo 10 or so years ago & so I mess around on that for pure pleasure; strickly amateur. Also, been playing Eb alto horn in old-time brass band: dress up in 1878 cavalry outfit & play pop music of the 19th century: polkas, quicksteps, schotiches, galops, and whole raft of great old tunes no one has heard in 100 years. (blue wool uniform in July on the desert is "an experience.")

Celtic & folk types pass through every so often; have heard great concerts here, believe it or not. Especially one years ago when most beautiful sounds I ever heard came popping out of the "small pipes" (Northumberland style?) Can't remember the performer, mostly played concertina; any idea who?

Too bad don't have too many spanish speakers reading the forum; a lot of fun music has been made south of the border not far from Tucson...

tucjazz@juno.com