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Above an right: ... with Peter Cincotti - a wonderful jazz pianist / vocalist. Peter was performing on the Concord Jazz Night. We met up at the chalet.
After me introducing myself (assuming we were meeting for the first time), Peter said "Hey ! - Matt Baker, how are you mate?" ... "What, we know each other??" I asked, very puzzeled. Peter explained that we were actually already aquainted - we met 3 years ago in New York caberet club, called 'The Firebird Cafe'. We had both gone along to see our mutual friend Tim Draxl perform, and Tim introduced us that night. This was long before Peter became famous - (back in 2000), so at first I didnt remember him. But it was great! He sat in with Cameron and Jamie there, at the chalet, and we hung out the next night of his performance. We were the only two young people in the backstage area. I met his mother, who was real lovely, and met his manager Mary Anne Topper (Jazz Tree Management, New York), who I had met (and I reminded her too) back at christmas time 2002 at the Bluenote New York, when I went to see Jane Monheit perform. She also manages Jane, and went to meet Jane after the show because I wanted to tell her about what people thought of her in Sydney, and how she was regarded as a singer - cause I knew that she'd never know if no one just told her. I told her she definately had an audience in Sydney, and encouraged her to come down to Aussie sometime ... Anyway!! Wow its such a small world - even over in the New York Jazz scene - connections ... Peter went in the Montreux Piano Comp a couple of years back as well, so we had that in common, and when he heard James Williams was on the judging panel and performing at the fest, he nearly freaked... - We both have been through the same teacher as well... Such a small world.
... with Natalie Cole.
... with Bonnie Raitt.
... with Diane Shuur.
... with George Benson at the chalet.
Me, Carmen and Gabi.
... with our Kitchen team - the girls who fed us every night !! Jamie, Celine (bottom), TBA (middle with bandana), Maude (top in stripes), Lara, Gabi (bottom in pink), Carmen, and me.
