Darice arrived at my place from Northern Cal this evening for our 3-day roaming jmdler party. We were in frequent cell communication with the contingent down in Anaheim (Paz, Nikki, Alison & Julius) who were mixing Cosmopolitans, singing Joni and Stevie (Nicks) and otherwise having a great time celebrating Alison's birthday. Darice and I headed over to Laurel Canyon for dinner at the charming Pace restaurant. We stopped into the famous Canyon General Store and were peering at the vintage photos in there of the Doors and others from the old neighborhood when the owner told us to check out Jim Morrison's old house directly behind the store - he said to look for the big wood house with the totem pole running through it.. Darice instantly turned into a 13 year old again as we gingerly eased my car onto the 4 foot wide street going the wrong way. There it was - the original Morrison Hotel - a kind of all unfinished redwood three story with a 35 foot high carved white stone totem pole running through it. We noticed a couple "For Sale" signs on the place and Darice took down the realtor info and started calculating how to finance the buy. We got back on Hollywood and stopped into Les Deux Cafes for a nightcap. The formerly Parisian style nightclub in the back has been remodeled and transformed into post-millenium Industrial, but that somehow has made the acoustics phenomenal. There was a jazz group that absolutely blew us away. These guys were a fascinating combination of Van Morrison, Miles Davis, Prince, Stevie Wonder and Marlene Dietrich all rolled into one. We were just mesmerized but about fell off our chairs when they went into an extended and wonderful Cyndi Lauper-ish version of "Carey." Darice dropped her jaw and immediately looked to see if "someone" had just entered the room. Well, in spirit only, but oh my my my. The guys said they don't have a group name but suggested they be called the "Les Deux Quartet" and said they regularly play Friday nights. Wow. We were a bit concerned to notice that Joni's TI litho was no longer hanging over the main bar, but the bartender assured us that it was around there somewhere in a new place ;-) We're all meeting up with Paz, et all and joining Kate Bennett and Steve Dulson tomorrow in the Taylor Guitar room at NAMM for many more hours of incredible music starting with Jeff Pevar at Noon at Taylor. Yee hah de dah! More when we resurface - wish you all were here! Kakki NP: Lydia Van Damme Group - All I Want (from the outstanding Covers Vol. 13)
