In this particular cafe, not long ago I was ordering my usual when suddenly my body started to react to something starting in my ears. Amazing, like the little rubber hammer hitting below your knee at a doctor’s office and involuntarily the foot kicks at air. Moments later I knew this was Bremen & Lausanne by Keith Jarret. I asked the young man who I assume had nothing to do with it, if he knew this was Bremen and Lausanne? Yes he proudly smiled, you know it too? I couldn’t believe it. Over the next few days I recalled this exchange with happiness. Today I went into the same cafe, a different group of young people working, I bet all of them born in the 21rst century. .

Ordered my usual, turned to leave and then the opening chords of a song from one of the early 70s George Harrison records stopped me. Those albums were very important in growing up. I changed direction and moved towards the single speaker by the retail section at the back and let the song wash over me. I recognized the changes, it was an instrumental featuring Tom Scott and fills by Jim Keltner, who was then establishing himself. Harrison was so taken with him, he added artwork on Living in A Material World listing the address of the Jim Keltner fan club. I wondered if the young staff are weirded out by my frozen stance before the speaker. It would not be surprising if one tried checking on my sanity, asking if I needed help, but they left me alone, besides there were other customers to attend to.

I thought about this composition, not in the ballpark of Zawinul, Shorter and Pastorius but still legit for a rock guy to have his fun. Thought about how part of the joy for Harrison in composing this would be imagining people of the future enjoying it, and I am completing that circle right now. Though, if I was born at a different time with a different reputation and had the chance to oversee recordings like this I would have tried hard to dissuade George from the heavily chorused guitar treatment, but you can’t have everything. .As the fade out started I braced myself for the Jonas Brothers, the Weekend or Billie Eilish which would ruin my last three minutes, which were obviously an anomaly. I’m used to it. But it was more George, Dark Horse, the best song on the record in my humble opinion. I asked curly black haired guy who originally took my order, are you the one who put this on? I love this record he said and told me his favourite cut. This was a nice break from the paper I’m writing for school, due Wednesday, mostly about how nothing is surprising.