Rita di Ghent: Blog

so very, very content on the eve of my birthday...i feel as though i'm in a dream..started the day striking out to Unity, Sask to find my grandfather's homestead...with leads and help from many wonderful people around here was soon standing on the land my grandfather proved and where my father was born and i stood on the foundation of the burnt down school where my father went and i was made a gift of an artifact from the ruins...i squeezed my ancestors' soil through my fingers and drunk in the intoxicating smell of the wolf willows...later a walk along the beach near the reserve and a full-moonlight drive back to the farm...now relaxing and drinking tea and eating a slice of saskatoon berry pie...what a perfect birthday...sigh...

the midnight train from Edmonton to Saskatoon didn't leave the station until 2:00 a.m...wondered if i was going to make it to the interview at CTV...the overnight ride was glorious...i was so snug in my sleeper cabin...cheese popcorn and a book about the prairies (Wolf Willow by Wallace Stegner)...waking up at dawn and seeing Saskatchewan by train for the first time was a thrill...the air was foggy and the sun white and bright...barely made it on time...was met by brothers Sam The Shark Sharkawy and Bradley Harder at the station...no time to change or shower so I went to the station with a hat on my head...heading out now to present a concert/songwriting workshop at the Art Alcove at McNally's! it's so thrilling to be in Saskatoon!
 
ps: nice article by THE Ned Powers in the Saskatoon Express

good times working with the singers at the all-day workshop today...proud of them for lasting the whole day doing grunt work...singing progressions, rhythmic exercises, paraphrasing concepts, etc... after the workshop, Glennis, Mary (our beloved workshop host) and i went to eat sushi...later crashed in front of the TV watching episodes of Mad Men...

met the drummer (Robin) for dinner at Cafe Koi before the gig tonight...Glennis and i had a full room at the very groovy Beatniq Jazz and Social Club....she hired a great band: Sheldon Zandboer, Simon Fisk, and Robin Tufts...G did a set, then i did a set...ended by playing a few tunes alone at the piano and then bringing everybody back up on stage for "She's Got It, She Keeps It, She Sits Right On It", a fast blues.

flight to calgary was uneventful...Glennis was there to meet me at the airport...went to the jam at Cafe Koi and had a ball! good guitar man Brian Chellas won me over...met lots of singers and the owner of Cafe Koi, Frederick, is very groovy...looking forward to singing at The Beatniq tonight with fellow vocalist and dear friend Glennis Houston! http://beatniq.com/events/special_vocal_show_featuring_glennis_houston_quartet_with_special_guest_rita_dighent_2011_08_