Wow, what a weekend - I don't know how to start telling you what happened. If I start with last Friday 3rd December, that might be a good start. On the Friday I had to play the piano at Richard Jelbert's party in Easebourne, Midhurst and although he had a lovely grand piano there for me to play - I still had to take my electric piano and amplification as I was planning on driving straight from the party at about 11-00pm to to play for a wedding in Portmeirion, Wales where there was no piano. Anyway, Richard Jelbert's party was great, there were loads of people listening and everything went really smoothly until it was time for me to set off on my journey to Wales. I said goodbye to everyone and walked to my car to find that I had acquired a puncture. What a pain, the boot of my car was as full of stuff as ever it could be and I was wearing a dinner suit. Anyhow, I just got stuck in, emptied the boot, got the spare wheel out, loosened the wheel nuts on the punctured tyre,  jacked the car up and found that the wheel wouldn't come off. To cut a long story short I ended up having to call the RAC out who used a far more persuasive method to get the wheel off. Eventually I was on my way but not for long - I started to wonder if I had packed everything for my next gig. I stopped and checked my bag of bits and found that I had forgot to bring the power lead for my amplifier. I know that I could get away with using an electric kettle lead for this but I though I should play it safe and instead of going to Wales I set off home (45 miles).

After all this upset I set off from home for North Wales at about 3-00AM . Most of the journey was foggy so my progress was really hampered. I managed to get about an hours sleep by stopping at one of the motorway services before completing my trip and arriving in Portmeirion in good time (about 10-00AM on Saturday morning). The event was the wedding of Leanna and James Gifford and it involved a lot of piano playing and setting up my keyboard and equipment in three different locations which wasn't easy after losing a nights sleep. They had found me on the internet earlier in the year and they came to see me perform at the St James Court Hotel, London long before booking me for their wedding. I played for the ceremony, the reception drinks, the wedding breakfast and for an hour before the band started. There were so many jazz fans there and I had a ball in spite of feeling a little bit jaded. I set off back home about 8-00PM and made stop in a lay-by for a nap before completing my journey and arriving back home very late on Sunday morning.

I slept like a log that night but I still had more to do. I had to go to Tunbridge Wells to play the piano at the Spa Hotel at lunchtime (Sunday) and then I had to play at Amanda Holes Party at 6-00PM in Whattlington, near Battle. The Spa Hotel was busy and I know quite a lot of the guests that come in so I had to forget my tiredness, put on a bit of charm and entertain. The evening party was really enjoyable and I almost forgot how tired I was . It had been a very eventful weekend and I've have only summarised here but I am so pleased that I did so much and that I didn't just stay in and watch telly like most people do.

A very jaded Eugene in Portmeirion

Mellow jazz pianist for any event

Eugene Portman on piano