Memphis in the Mean Time

The City Champs at the Hi Tone in Memphis last Sunday afternoon.

I've been wanting to see the Hi Tone since I first wandered through Memphis with Balthrop, Alabama, but we always end up playing somewhere else. If anything, starting a new year of music by spending an afternoon at the Hi Tone with Laura's dad (who seems to know everyone and to whom all table-wanderers wander) only makes me want to get up on the stage there and draw with the town even more.

We got there kind of early as the City Champs began their Booker T-influenced soul set. As we were sitting there, we were joined by a variety of folks, including sax-man Jim Spake who set down his instrument, leaned back and took it all in, before joining in on the third set.

The City Champs are coming to New York next month with the North Mississippi Allstars and I expect I'll try to see them again then and I'll bring my memory of a cold afternoon in Memphis at a great club along for the ride.

"The sound here is just great. It always is," said Laura's dad like a proud poppa. I hope we get to find out for ourselves one of these days . . .