soft grumbles

Taken last night at the Meralco Theater. with Rhea Patti and Tuck. See how happy Tuck is to see me in person at last. hehehe  

I can't believe it! I actually made it to the concert last night! It was AWESOME!!!
Tuck and Patti didn't fail me. And to think I have been waiting all these years to see them play. It was a spectacular night worth remembering. I have never seen a duo that was really meant for each other.

The stage was simple. Nothing except Tuck's gadgets on the floor, his amp, a stool which neither of them used, and a bouquet of flowers. When Tuck and Patti finally went onstage, they played practically every song that I know. Patti's voice was so unique, it seemed like she sang only-Patti-can-sing songs. Tuck's guitar works were marvelous. I thought I could have a glimpse at his chord progressions and de-mystify him, but no way! The voicings he made with his guitar are those which a would-be guitarist like myself can sit for days figuring them out and still come out with nothing. Well, maybe rob the surface but that's as close as I can get. His alterations, extensions are perfect, the guitar sings on its own. He played a running bass and melody simultaneously like no other. He would slap the guitar and at the same time, produce artificial harmonics no end and one can only guess how he did it. At one time, Patti removed her shoes and started telling a story with a tune. Soon, we were listening to a blues song - a capella. If my hunches are correct, it's called "High heels blues".

When Patti left the stage, I said to myself, this is it! The one I've been wanting to hear him play. And just like I figured, he introduced it as: "The next number is a Michael Jackson song" and everybody went wild. His album Reckless Precision, where the song is, is just how one can describe the way he played it - looked like reckless but precise.

They ended up singing Time after Time where Patti urged the audience to sing with her in three parts. The song was mixed with another and I didn't recognize it immediately. Naturally, the people gave them a standing ovation. They gave in to the request for an encore. Patti, a master scat singer, started the encore with percussion sounds then Tuck eventually joined in.

When we went out of the theatre, the queue to the autograph signing was very long and packed already. But what the heck, I don't know when this will happen again. So, I took out the CD I bought and joined the queue. Some people even brought their guitars to be signed. (If only there was a guitar vendor...)

Anyway, as I was waiting for my turn, I was thinking of something intelligent to say to Tuck..."It's so nice to see you man!" or "How do you make your Les Paul sound like a Strat?" or "What were your settings?"..."I was hoping you'd play "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/If I only had a brain".... Guess what? When I finally reached him, this is what I blurted out! "Hi!"
Tuck and PAtti: "Hi, how are you?"
Me to Tuck: "Can I shake your hand?"
Tuck: "Oh, please!" Firm handshake then,
me: "My God, you're human!"