Milano:

Went to the wrong terminal because bus driver was stubborn. So now it is rush, rush rush. Of

course my plane ticket was made out for Larry Harlow, not Kahn as on my passport. It took a

half-hour to explane my professional name and prove that I am who I am. This slowed up the

whole check-in process and the new trombone could not get on with Willie Alvarez Tix...no

time to buy a new one for him so he Joe de Jesus was left behind to try to change name on

Tix. Of course Heathrow gate was the last one ...it took 15 minutes to get to the gate. Jose

Fajardo was hurting from the long run to make this flight to Milano, Italy. We made it only

because they held the plane for us. Two hours later we were in, Italy... well half of our bags did

not make it to Milano. We waited an hour and a half for the bus to get to us. Nicky's bag came

torn apart with his cowbells missing...as he stood to complane for to the baggage people his

cymbals were ripped off so he was totally depressed. My piano, Guagua's Fender Bass, bags

of Joey Blue and two others did not arrive so we spent an hour trying to locate them...we were

assured they were somewhere in Italy; we mounted the bus and went to our hotel with

noooooosleep at the hotel. Five minutes from the venue in Agasso... Joey and I went to the

venue for a line and stage check...it was a Hispanic festival with tents and booths set up on

about 5 acres of land next to a sports complex. The stage was wonderful and the staff was

very professional and helpful...the sound crew was excellent and I returned to the hotel to try

to get at least 2 hrs sleep and some food.

    We were to play at 9pm but were running an hour late...we found an Italian trombone player

thanks to Orlando Watussi, a Venezuelan salsa singer living in Milano and he also found a

baby bass for Guagua. The show was great...Miranda, Adalberto, Junior and Emo all sang

great and we were swinging. The crowd really enjoyed this Two hour show and we were in a

good groove. We all were treated to a terrific meal at the Argentinean pavilion and had great

Parillas and beers. So we spent an hour in the discoteck mingling with out fans. Emo and I

were driven to the hotel by some Colombian girls and we got lost...the hotel was one exit or 5

minutes from the stage but we could not find the salida from the autopista...it took an hour to

get back at 2am in the morning.

    I awoke and had the most marvelous breakfast and we checked out at noon mounted the

bus to go to Torino which is an hour-and-a-half to the north. Miranda, Junior, Pete and

Michelena were returning to the states to complete previous commitments and would return to

Europe next Monday. We now have 6 days off.

    We made it to Torino. The hotel had extremely bad air conditioning and were to move to

another hotel in the morning I had dinner with Ettore Caretta , Joey and Roberto, an employee

of Caretta's...the pasta was just great and were consumed 2 bottles of wonderful Italian white

wine....pesto pasta...mmmmmmmgood. I opened all the windows and the balcony doors so as

to try to sleep comfortably. This was the first good nights sleep in three nights.

    The next morning I woke up and went to get breakfast next door for a sandwich and good

Italian expresso to find Nicky roaming the streets depressed about his cowbells and

cymbals...he was talking to himself in the street. He needs help fast and is going over the

edge...must watch him carefully...Edgar wants to go to Spain to visit his family in

Barcelona...he too does not care to work. I believe Michelena is double contracting the

legends...I will find out...

    We finally changed hotels to the hotel Rome, in the middle of the piazza. Finally air

conditioning...we unloaded and all checked in. In went to Ettore's office and went over the

numbers with him…it seems that Amberes, in Belgium canceled because Pete, Yomo,

Giovanni and Dave Valentin were not here to play...Dave Valentin? Who sold him? It seems

now I am feeling the no show of Conde and Yomo and Giovanni... Michelena really messed

up...a very important festival good money was now missing... I told Ettore to call and offer us

for less...tomorrow will tell...we went over $$$$ and dates and it seems the Paris date which

was to now be July 3rd is also NOT happening... Michelena lied again.... Where is the deposits

for these dates? Now to find a place to meet Wendy either in Rome or Spain? I then went to

visit Alfredo de la Fe's new apartment in Torino and salute his Santos. I wrote Wendy an e-mail

and hung out with his vocal and flute player when he went on errands and enjoyed the few

hours away from the band... I returned to the hotel with Igor, Alfredo's singer from Medellin

Colombia...He took me on a tour of the piazza's and the great shopping, Armani, Valentino,

Calvin etc etc etc...If I was only rich…tried to hook up my new computer's e-mail but phone

jacks were different. Try again tomorrow...had dinner with 8 musicians ate great pizza with

prociusutto, melon and great bread...and cheated with gelato for a postre...gave out $$$ to all

so I won't have to carry large wad...watched TV till 1am...Wendy called and said good

night...hasta manana baby*****