Ruby reporting on Roy Hargrove in Ischia

Roy Hargrove meets Ruby in Ischia

We’ve been here in Ischia (Italy) for the past six days and it has been really a great trip! Yesterday was my birthday, I’m 2 years old now, which means I’m actually 14 in human years. The folks here had a birthday party for me last night, and it sure was fun. Got lots of dog biscuits and a birthday cake too. The Allan Harris Band sang me Happy Birthday during their show which made all the other dogs envious, I could tell…especially this dog named Du Du…(isn’t that a Sting song???)

Any way, reporting on music: Our first night in town I was happy to be invited to see Roy Hargrove and his quintet. Man they really were swinging that night, Roy plays a mean trumpet. The restaurant was this cool location about 10 miles from where we’re staying so we took a taxi. I love riding in the car with my head hanging out the window. When we arrived we were ushered downstairs and into this huge restaurant built underground with one whole wall of mirrors. We stayed for the first show (even though Allan and Pat were really jet lagged). Our drummer, Jerome Jennings, sat in and boy did he kick butt. The audience went wild and then we left to get a good night’s sleep. It’s been a fantastic trip … music, food, people. Oh yeah and I’ve really got my swimming stroke down now. This is my second year of practice!

It’s a dog’s life… on the road with Allan

Backstage at Joe's Pub

They say it’s a “dog’s life”…yeah right, and what a great life I have! Last week I hit the road with my “Big Dawg” (that would be Allan) cruisin’ the National Mall in DC while Allan played the Mandarin Oriental DC with Chris Grasso’s cool house trio. I never knew there was that much grass (and so many fire hydrants) in Washington, DC. Oh yeah, and Allan brought the house down when he saluted our troops with his fantastic version of “Bring Them Home” and finished the gig off with his original American Anthem…”I Do Believe”. I can’t wait to come back to DC and roll around on the Capitol Lawn when Allan is singing “I Do Believe” during Fourth of July. I think he also got a standing O, but to me, every O seems like a standing one since all I see are legs that stretch waaay far above my head. And the day after the DC gigs we rushed back to NYC (with one little rest stop near Baltimore so I could stretch my little paws) and my Big Dawg (yup, that would be Allan, again) lit up Joe’s Pub in the W.Village with his original rockin’ blues show. I give my Big Dawg “4 Bones” and a Big BowWow for that smokin’ hot performance! What a fun night…and thanks to all my peeps for coming backstage to scratch behind my ears and rub my belly (just can’t get enough of that!) while I held court in my very cool Joe’s Pub chair (check out the pic).

Arrivederci…does that give you a clue where I’ll be dloggin’ from next?

I’ll see you at Joe’s Pub August 15

Hey all you dlog followers…this post is all about Joe’s Pub in NYC. I have been there before to see Doug Womble but they didn’t let me out of the travel case to say hello and check out the stage. From what I’ve overheard at rehearsal yesterday at Gibson’s Hit Factory, it’s going to be a hot rockin’/blues performance by The Allan Harris Band. Now you know I’ve seen them before, and they are probably my favorite band out there. But I have to tell you that there are two new singers …well one new and one I know from Cross That River- Wendy Fox and Leenya Rideout…they are beautiful and they can SANG…plus Uncle Paul on the bass Beaudry and Uncle Alan on the violin Grubner…two of my favorite musicians. Uncle Dan is on the piano and keys…but he’s my neighbor so I get to see him a lot. He likes to walk me because he thinks its going to help him pick up girls…well sometimes it does! So any way stay tuned next week for my next blog all about Joe’s Pub and who was there.

Backstage at Jazz at Lincoln Center rehearsal for Fats Waller Concert

Christian McBride and me backstage in Aspen

Hello friends…my name is Ruby and I am the first (as far as I can tell) dog music critic.  I spend my time traveling around the world with my owners Allan and Pat Harris where I get to hear music at concerts, festivals, rehearsals and theatres.  You can usually find me hanging out backstage where fans and friends like to stop by to say hello. I was recently in Aspen, CO at the Little Nell where Allan Harris and Christian McBride were playing for the Aspen Jazz Festival.  Turns out Christian digs little dogs like me…and of course he is probably the greatest bass player in the world.  So it was a mutual admiration society thing you might say… the picture tells all.  I loved being walked around Aspen, except for the fact that at 8,000 ft above sea level it was hard to catch my breath.  Plus I had to be on the alert for hawks, owls and cayotes who I’m told love little critters like me!  But luckily, I made it out of there in one piece.  Check out the photo of me and Christian McBride!

Christian McBride and me talking music in my dressing room