California travelling

At last, a final batch of photos from the US road trip carried out with Alan Lloyd, John Howard and Gordon Fleming. The memories are already fading, but the experiences in California will not be forgotten for a long time, particularly the 91st birthday show that Big Jay McNeely put on at Joe's American Bar and Grill in Burbank..

Our California trip started off in Sacramento, a pleasant city twinned with dozens of others it would seem.

While in Sacramento we saw Robert Cray at the Crest Theater. 

Whilst travelling south we stopped off at the James Dean memorial, near where he was killed. Here are John and Alan by the marker.

While there I sampled some of their locally produced cider. They also make jerkum, from plums.

Here's another one of me, this time testing out my muscles (!) at Muscle Beach, between Venice Beach and Santa Monica.

A year ago Alan, John, Jonathan Batten and I set off from Chicago to travel along Route 66. We didn't quite finish it, so this time Alan, John and myself located the finish line on Santa Monica Pier.

Here's one of me and John with Big Jay McNeely.

J P Miles was a smooth voice soul/jazz singer who we saw at La Louisianne in Los Angeles. 

Here's one of me with J P.

Our final night in LA was also spent at La Louisianne, where Sonny Green was performing.

Backing Sonny was a fine band led by Lester Lands.