Cunard's Queens in New York

There has been little communication from the high seas today and we are now reduced to e mail.
However, I did talk to Robin late last night, and he was very impressed with Cunard's new ship, the Queen Victoria.
He thoroughly enjoyed the experience of standing on the deck, with Mozart playing gently around him, whilst he watched the QE2, which was alongside, and the Hudson Bridge in the background.
The QM2 was of course also there, and the celebration of this historic event, complete with fireworks, was fantastic.
You can read more about it in this article, 'Three Cunard Queen Ships Meet in Manhattan for Once-in-a-Lifetime Event'.

When we spoke, the QV had set sail and the QE2 was still with them, but I expect they have now gone separate ways.

I was rather amused to discover that someone found this site by a google search, 'Cunard Queen Victoria, Does it have irons in the rooms'?
Well, from my experience of Robin's many trips abroad, on various lines, I have never seen any evidence of there being an iron even in the same hemisphere, never mind in the room.
However, I suspect they do have them on board, and probably in each room, but that Robin hasn't quite worked out its function.....

He is there to work though and it's the first of his two concerts tomorrow.
So I would imagine that Robin is running through the first programme, and limbering up his fingers with some right and left hand exercises, to recover from the long journey.

An Englishman in New York

Robin has arrived safely in New York.
After spending the night in a hotel, he has now transferred to Manhattan, where he will join the Queen Victoria.
This makes a change as usually you board in Brooklyn.
But there's a very special reason.
The QE2, QM2 and the QV, are all in New York together.
This is an historic day for Cunard, as it has never happened before, and won't again, as the QE2 will shortly leave the fleet.

To celebrate the occasion, there will be a firework display later today, against the backdrop of the Statue of Liberty.
As snow is also forecast, it should be an incredible sight.

I'm hoping for more news tomorrow, and have requested some photographs, but we'll have to see if they arrive!

Robin Hill Plays - 'Wizard of Waukesha'

The other day we put a track on the blog, 'Fast Forward', which has proved very popular.
We decided to put another track on today, of Robin, and his band 'Hooper'.
This one is called, 'Wizard of Waukesha', named after the 'Wizard' himself, Les Paul.

Les Paul was inspired to take up the harmonica, aged 8, by a Waukesha ditchdigger, but Les Paul's interest was the electric guitar. He was hugely influenced by Django Reinhardt, and went on to make a name for himself as a brilliant jazz guitarist.
Such was his love of the instrument, that in 1948, when involved in a horrific car accident, he insisted that his arm be 'set' in a right angle position, suitable for playing the guitar! (Amputation was the other option, which, thankfully wasn't undertaken.)

Les Paul was a pioneer of the music industry, experimenting with multi track recording, and inventing the solid-body electric guitar, Les Paul.

You can clearly see, in this picture, Robin playing his Les Paul guitar.



It was with great delight, that on one of Robin's recent visits to New York, he saw a poster, in the window of a Manhattan jazz club, advertising that Les Paul regularly performed there. It's amazing to think that at the age of 92, he is still out there, entertaining audiences.
Unfortunately Robin was due to fly home that day and therefore didn't get to see him.
But, Les Paul, was the inspiration behind this piece of music.
Listen out for one of Robin's specialities, the super fast, pizzicato, rhythm playing.
So sit back and enjoy Hooper playing, 'Wizard of Waukesha'.
For now you can hear it from the player in the sidebar.