Sound Traveler, live at Captain Ed’s River Roost on Merritt Island. It’s our first time in this venue. What should we expect?

The setting is glorious with fading sunrays settling on the Banana river, a light breeze blowing in off the water, and members of the staff greeting us at the door. I turn to Patty and say, “They sure make us feel welcome.”

As we’re unloading the car, friendly faces show up. Steve, a new acquaintance, says, “We’re coming to see you, and we’re bringing a bunch of people.” Although we’re the hired musicians, Steve’s statement brings music to our ears. Restaurant employees Angie, Ricki, TJ, and Jer all help us to find our place to set up and perform. I’m fighting a slight headache, and Angie fixes me up with some Tylenol and candy – “A can’t miss remedy,” she assures me.

Throughout the evening others arrive – some old friends, some people whom we are meeting for the first time…friends, and friends of friends, you might say. And there are others who just come up to talk. Some have requests, others just have something to say. We see a number of friends from the Café Unique who position themselves directly in front of stage center and interact with us all night.

And we play. We play what we know and what we love – some standards, some country, some old Motown favorites, some classic rock and pop, and some originals. Patty unleashes the trumpet and the concertina. I let loose with guitar and harmonica. Patty keeps a groove going with bass and percussion. We both sing with abandon. There are just two of us, but sometimes we try to be more. Sometimes, I think we are.

I have to tell you something about audiences. Audiences can be of many types. Some endure you. Some watch you like they might watch some mind-numbing sitcom on TV, some appreciate you, and some embrace you. Our crowd on Saturday embraced us. Whenever I looked up and caught someone’s eye, the listener was with us – offering a nod of appreciation, a smile, recognition that what we were doing was not always easy but it was always music. After every song, every song, there was applause, whistles, and more. We played for nearly four hours, but the time flew by for us. A great audience receives energy from the band, multiplies it, and returns it to the stage. This was a great audience. At dinner break, which we took after about three hours of performance, we thanked folks for coming. Steve said, “We’re staying ‘till you finish.”

And many did. By the time we ran through our final number, with each of us extolling the professional and personal virtues of the other, we knew this would remain a night to remember.

I don’t know if the folks at Captain Ed’s River Roost will have us back. I hope so. Whether they do or not, I know that we had a great time. It’s a terrific place with a wonderful staff and an inviting atmosphere. Come and visit when you can.

Sound Traveler will be at the Getaway Martini Bar this coming Thursday night and at the International Sound and Flavor Festival on Saturday. Hope to see some more good friends there! — Bob Tatum