April 3, Headed for Saudi Arabia
Our embassy contact David Edgington picked us up at the hotel at noon for a drive across the causeway to Saudi Arabia. We load our gear and worldly possessions into the van and hit the road. The causeway is 50km long and the Bahraini/Saudi border is about 1/3 of the way across. We stop near the border

...at the pottery village...

crossing and get out to stretch our legs and take a few photos. The first thing you see on the Saudi side is a McDonalds. Clearing customs and entering Saudi Arabia takes a little time. The port of entry is on an island in the middle of the causeway and the island is ringed with razor wire at the water level. We are finger printed and photographed. It's the first time I see soldiers with automatic weapons. As we drive on to Dhahran you can see that things are going to be different. Not as much English on the road signs and the traffic is much more frantic. The cars are speeding and the drivers seem a little reckless.

We arrive in Dhahran and drive directly to the US Embassy where we are met with very high security. We see armored vehicles, concrete barricades and we have to pass several checkpoints before we enter the embassy compound. The van is inspected top to bottom, inside and out before we're cleared and allowed to enter. Inside we meet our new embassy control officer Ms Cynthia Cook and say goodby to our friend David Edgington. David has agreed to package the rugs we bought in Bahrain and ship them to our homes in Oklahoma. He is a great guy and we will miss him.

Tour Group at Ft Bahrain

Cynthia leads us into the embassy and we meet with several other staffers for a briefing on security in Saudi Arabia. We could tell things were about to really different. We were each issued a cell phone to help us stay in touch with each other and for use in case of an emergency. After the briefing we were driven to our new hotel Le Meridium Al Khobar. This place is truly 5 stars. After checking in we were met in the lobby by reporters for Al Yaum Newspaper, freely translated as "Today" in Arabic. Dr Mubaric, speaking the best English, asked the questions. He was accompanied by two veiled women, one named Fatima. It was very pleasant and they seem genuinely interested in what we had to say. We all called it a night and settled into our rooms.

April 2, Bahrain Fort - Kingdom of Bahrain

Today was supposed to be a rest day for the band. Little Joe and Ronnie Mac decided to do just that and spend the day hanging at the Gold Tulip which I now jokingly refer to as the Golden Turnip.

Billy Banks, David and I, on the other hand, decide to completely run our batteries down. The three of us choose to accept a day of sightseeing organized by the Bahraini-American Cultural Exchanges Society. The society is made up of Bahraini citizens who were educated in the US. The society president Dr. Ali is our host. He and his associates pick us up at the hotel in a small tour bus and start the day with a fabulous lunch at the Coral Beach Restaurant. The food in Bahrain has been splendid, but the buffet served at the Coral Beach is the most amazing spread I have ever seen. We are joined by several other society members at the restaurant, then depart for Bahrain Fort south of Manama.

Ft Bahrain with Manama in the background

Fort Bahrain is an ancient ruin still being excavated. We begin the tour at the Fort museum which houses exhibits and artifacts dating back thousands of years including the mummified remains of early inhabitants. The fort is absolutely amazing and although Dr Ali has planned to include the Bahrain National Museum in the tour we decide to spend the day walking around and through the Fort's many levels and catacomb like design.

On the drive back to the hotel we stop at the King's camel farm. I would estimate I saw 400 camels at the farm kept for the King's pleasure and for racing.
Sidetracked again we stop to visit a pottery village and watch some pots beingthrown and fired the old fashioned way. This pottery village has been here for generations and is in the area of Bahrain known for the burial mounds that dot the desert landscape as far as the eye can see.Dr Ali returns us to the hotel after dark exhausted, but inspired.

April 1, 2010 - Kingdom of Bahrain

I really had a lot of fun today.  After all it was April Fools Day.  Our routine in Bahrain, if you can call it routine, has been to take advantage of the complimentary breakfast served at the Golden Tulip Hotel each morning.   Like all the amenities offered by the hotel, the breakfast buffet is superb.  The full band gathers or in smaller groups to start each day.  It is very colorful to see the varied dress of the other guests.  Many are in the traditional white robes and head gear and some with their entire families.  It's been a great way to start each day.

Today started with a performance/ workshop at a public school known as The Gifted Students Center.  Not too many of the students spoke English so we needed an interpreter.  Janan Shaikh Abdulla, a member of the US Embassy staff, helped us communicate with the kids.  We performed a set for about 100 students ranging in age from 2nd or 3rd grade through high school.  I am always pleased to see how excited our audiences get when they hear our Blues music.  That was another big question in our minds before we set out on this tour.  How will our music be received?  After our performance we broke into smaller groups.  Little Joe had about 20 young guitar players with their guitars, Ronnie was surrounded by potential drummers anxious to learn the shuffle beat and I had a young fellow curious about the bass.  I showed him how to navigate himself through the basic 12 bar blues pattern.  There were a number of young ladies with electric keyboards in hand and questions about the Blues.  Even though I am not a piano player I was able to explain to them the 12 bar standard blues form progression.  David of course had a bunch of kids anxious to blow on that harmonica.  The school provided lunch and the students, parents, school staff and band all sit down and eat together.

Afterward we moved all the gear for a concert at the Bahraini Cultural Hall.  The hall seats about 600 and the event is open to the public.  The Embassy has promoted the concert and we have plugged it at every news conference we've done since arriving in Bahrain.  We do an extensive sound check and return to the hotel for a brief rest. 
The van is to return to the hotel an hour before the show to take us back to the hall.  I take a bit of a nap and dream up my April Fools Day idea.  The band is supposed to meet in the lobby of the hotel at 8PM and return to the hall.  I shower, shave and get changed but I remain in my room and wait.  When Billy Banks calls my room announcing that the van has arrived and should get down there I tell him that I'm not feeling too well and they will probably have to go on without me.  I tell him that I must have gotten some sort of food poisoning at the school lunch.  I hear panic in his voice and he turns the phone over to David.  I continue the ruse with David and can hear David explaining to the group that I'm not well and the panic escalates.  When David returns to the phone I tell him ”April Fools” and continue to the lobby and join the band who is laughing but ready to kick my butt.

We had a great show and performed a 90 min set.  We are able to fill the hall comfortably with about 300 in attendance. Several dignitaries including US Ambassador Adam Ereli were in attendance and the crowd really dug what we were doing.   Afterwards we had a fine Italian dinner at a restaurant across the street from Upstairs/Downstairs where we had played the night before.

On stage at the Cultural Hall in Manama, Bahrain

David Berntsonwith fans at the Cultural Hall in Manama, Bahrain

Joe and Ronnie with fans at the Cultural Hall in Manama, Bahrain

 

Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain - March 31, 2010

Follow the Rhythm Road Tour here...

The Little Joe band has two exceptional travel advisors on this adventure in Bahrain.  First is David Edginton, Deputy Public Affairs Officer with the US Embassy in Bahrain.  David has been stationed in Manama, Bahrain for 2 years and has made a career for himself in the Foreign Service for the past 6 1/2 years.  David is with us at all times when we are out and about making sure we are in the right place at the right time.  He arranges our transportation, makes introductions to the audience at every show, advises us on what not say, questions better left unasked and where we can get a good inexpensive lunch.  He isn't the least bit reluctant to load the gear into the van while we talk to fans at the end of each show.  David really knows his way around.  He is being transferred to Iraq soon.  I feel I have made a friend for life.

David Edgington - US Embassy, Bahrain and Billy Banks - Jazz at Lincoln Center

The other is Billy Banks, our road manager from Jazz at Lincoln Center, who flew to Bahrain from New York last night.  Billy has our back covered.  He's involved with everything from the sound check to making sure David Edginton isn't over looking some small detail.  Billy has worked with Wynton Marsalis since 1981 when Wynton was just 19 years old. Billy I feel will be another friend for life.

Today we traveled to the Royal University for Woman south of Manama where we performed in concert for about an hour.  On the drive down we pasted the Crown Prince's palace although it couldn't be seen from the highway. The school had invited students from four other universities in the surrounding area so the place was packed with screaming coeds and college boys. Most of the women were in traditional dress although not veiled. They really took to the Blues, however it seemed to be their first exposure to Blues music.  We were asked if we knew any country music so we played a few of Little Joe's country blues songs.  It knocked them out. The university president came on stage as we finished and presented the band with a golden plaque in gratitude of our appearance. They really know how to treat their Bluesmen. Afterward the school provided a nice lunch for the band and the gals and fellows who attended the show.  We had a great time visiting with them.

David and Little Joe with students of the Royal University for Women in Bahrain

David Berntson, Little Joe, Ron McRorey & Robbie Mack - Upstairs/Downstairs Jazz Club

That night we played at the beautiful Bahraini jazz club, Upstairs/Downstairs.  Three levels of seating, wood-paneled walls decorated with pictures of all the jazz greats including a mug shot of a 20 year old Frank Sinatra courtesy of the Hudson County, NJ Sheriff's Department. Percy, the owner/manager has put together a wonderful club with excellent food. We had a very appreciative crowd. some of whom had driven in from Saudia Arabia to hear the band. They had no reservations when came to hitting the dance floor and they screamed until Little Joe delivered 5 encores. Tulsa could use a room like that.  Very, very classy!!!

Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain - March 30, 2010

What a day!!  The band met for breakfast in the hotel restaurant and was joined by traveling companion Billy Banks.  Billy had arrived the night before with our promo CDs and harmonicas.  He had had a bit of trouble getting through Bahraini Customs because the harmonicas he was carrying resembled gun cartridge magazines when x-rayed by security.  We are told there are no guns in Bahrain or need of ammunition clips. 

The State Department van arrived at 8:30 AM and we set out for the Kanoo School with Billy, David from the US Embassy and our instruments. This was our first chance to check out the backline gear provided by the embassy and the sound crew.  Ronnie found the full size drum kit satisfactory and I found a half-stack Marshall provided for the bass.  I had visions of the 60's power trio concept - TURN it UP!

The Kanoo School is a private school with students aged pre kindergarten through grade 12.  We set up in a large auditorium behind a red curtain and as the announcer began to present the show we could hear the kids were very enthusiastic.  We had planned to present a more relaxed educational show starting with an introduction by Bernesto.  When we heard the kids start screaming we decided to come out swinging when that curtain came up.  It was a smart decision because the crowd went nutty when we started playing.  We did presented our “Root Soup Recipe” and they all took to the call and response hollering their heads off.  They blew our minds.

Little Joe fans at the Kanoo Privite School in Esa Town, Bahrain

We traveled from the Kanoo School to the Bahrain radio complex where we met with DJ Krazy Kevin.  Krazy Kevin is from Britain and has a daily show in the 3 to 6 PM slot.   We played acoustically and answered questions for about an hour.  Jay, our Bahraini driver, listened to the show on the radio in the van and said it sounded good.  Jay always stays with the van so it was the first time he heard our music.

Krazy Kevin, Little Joe, Bernesto, Robbie Mack and Ron McRorey

Our Bahraini driver Jay and right hand man Billy Banks
outside the Golden Tulip Hotel

We rounded out our first working day in Bahrain with a performance/master class at the Bahrain Music Institute.  It was well attended by mostly young people wanting to learn more about the Blues.  Afterward we jammed with some of those who showed up.  We had an Iraqi oud player (sort of a Middle Eastern guitar), a Philippino horn section (clarinet, trombone and trumpet) and members of the Bahrain National Band.  All were very interested in the Blues.

Little Joe shares his Blues with some young players
at Bahrain Music Institute

An interview with a local Bahraini TV crew following the workshop took a bit longer than we planned. We talked with them about the Blues then David and Little Joe played acoustically in the courtyard of the Institute and we packed it up again. We ended the day with dinner at Senor Paco's Mexican restaurant.  I had the enchilada combo and it was better than some Mexican food I've had in the States.  This just keeps getting better and better.