Bill's, Lazy Afternoon!

It’s a rainy afternoon in Toronto, and for a moment I have some time on my hands.

With those moments, I sat down and made a short video—a thank-you note to Sound & Reason subscribers, along with an update on my one-man show, Life Between the Notes, happening October 18, 2026.

Earlier today, I jumped into the hair-master chair with my clipper magician, Gary Chowen, at Raffaello’s Salon & Spa in Yorkville. Gary took out his toolkit and trimmed the beard. No longer the old man frightening pigeons on some faraway park bench.

Even Raffaello commented on my striped shirt.

This is why I enjoy those visits to Cumberland and the scissor folks. Great conversation. Good vibes. Both Gary and Raffaello are Sound & Reason subscribers, so I get a face-to-face conversation about the morning’s read—or something I’ve written recently. Damn, the salon has been in operation since 1968.

That means a lot.

I’ve been dug into my office, cutting, vibing and planning that one-man night, with a few surprises tucked into the corners.

It has been 62 years since the first recording I played on, “Moanin’” by the Chateaus. The track climbed to No. 50 on the Billboard chart in 1965. First recorded by Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers and my first crack at defying the jazz police.

Never got that close again.

There were a few top tracks during the early years in Canada, when I was signed to Capitol Records and had the juice of the big machine behind me. But I was too much of a music nerd to spend much time thinking about hit records.

I was always focused on getting what I heard in my head onto tape.

That was the chase.

Since 1988, I’ve been writing columns. The first 18 years were spent doing interviews and writing editorials. The next 18 brought more interviews, more features and more stories. And for the past 18 months, I’ve been writing whatever comes to mind.

Music. Memory. People. The passing parade.

It’s a joy and never a grind.

If you can, please subscribe. And if Sound & Reason works for you, consider taking out a yearly subscription. It helps keep the words, music and memories moving down the road.

We’ve got the midterms coming only a few weeks after my brain-flare evening.

Bill’s Big Bang.

October 18, 2026.

Life Between the Notes.

Tickets: theredwoodtheatre.com