Blues/Roots Jam at Bar Mendocino

Yesterday was Monday jam night at Bar Mendocino in Helsinki. I invited Lidia from International friends meeting with me, and she seemed to enjoy herself totally. Looks like this place is a well-kept secret, I only discovered it last fall.

The bands played sturdy blues, rock and roots type music. Even Elvis Presley showed up!!
Other singers colored the atmosphere in 60s, 70s style.

I joined few pieces with my tenor sax where I could manage with blues scale and chords. Because of guitar players some songs had 4-5 sharps for me, but who cares - in blues they are flattened, anyway. :-)

From my musician friends Anders Jansson was there playing keyboard and baritone sax, excellent solos. Hannu Rantanen came later to play bass and Pekka played his trumpet.

Good time was had by everyone, thanks for the accompaniment.

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BASICS of ROCK & ROLL for a saxophonist

Digital Ten Years After - Still Going Strong

It was party time on August 15, 2008 at Kaapelitehdas in Helsinki.

With disappearing of Digital Equipment Corp. (DEC) from the business map its Finnish subsidiary was closed exactly 10 years ago. 250 ex-DECcies gathered at Kaapelitehdas restaurant to reminisce and enjoy food, drinks, music and each other's company. The organizing committee undertook a huge task in putting it all together, and everything worked out to perfection. Thank you Tiina, Sirpa, Kaj and Pältsy.

Although I worked for DEC in Finland in 1974-77 I met also many ex-DECcies whom I got to know while I was working at Headquarters in Maynard, Mass.

Enjoyed talking with (at least) following "old-timers" from the golden period, the formative years of DEC Finland:

Marketta Forssell, Antti Halila, Göran Hietarinta, Raimo Kajanen, Tuija Karviala, Helinä Lehmann, Calle Lindqvist, Sven-Erik Nyberg, Matti Pätäri, Pekka Roine (all the way from Geneva), Hannu Tamminen (another European vagrant) and Martti Vainio.

Why am I posting this in my music blog? During the cause of festivities "Digibandi" of ex-DECcies was playing with great groove and success. Among others, Pasi Leino was in base and Jokke Lahtiranta in drums. I had a pleasure to play with Jokke two weeks earlier at Otava Jazz camp; that is the connection.

I hope to get my hands on some pictures from the party to be posted here.

Like several participants here, I had the pleasure attending the German/Internat'l DEC gathering in Berlin last September. This was in Helsinki was another memorable DEC-night, thanks you everyone.