Jamming in Bali

After the hike we moved on to the north coast tourist town of Lovina. Karel and I wandered down to the beach to find dinner. There was a restaurant called Sea Breeze that we’d heard had live music, so Karel brought his guitar along, just in case.

Sure enough, there was a band of four entertaining the diners, and they were willing to let a couple of amateurs join them for a song or two. After we’d eaten, Karel plugged in, and we chose a song from the band’s request list. They were excellent musicians, and the song went well. The audience —mostly “regulars,” I think, foreigners who were staying long-term in Lovina— were enthusiastic. Mostly they enjoyed getting to hear something a little different. People started coming up to stuff money in the tip jar, and after a few songs together, we started getting requests for songs with female vocals (e.g., Linda Rondstadt tunes).

The band took a break, but gave us the nod when they returned to the stage. This time we tried a couple of our regular tunes. The musicians caught on with impressive skill. Then the lead singer opened his book to a Frank Sinatra tune: Something Stupid, and asked if I could sing the harmony. When I was very young, my friend’s mother used to play Sinatra all the time. I told him I’d try, and hoped I could dredge the tune out of my memory. By the end of the first two lines, I was singing along, and it was great to see the smile spreading across the lead singer’s face. I suspect he’s been performing that song alone for years, wishing he could find someone who could sing the female harmony with him. I was happy to oblige.