Combo

It is such a fifties word, "combo." As in jazz combo, not a band, but something else, more casual. I thought of this word on Monday night down at Mickey's Bar. This is not a place we go often, but with new ownership and a promising chef, maybe we should. Anyway, Monday is a bad night to go out, and a good night to stay home in the "leisure wear," watching what there was no time to watch on TV over the past week. We were out because our friend the painter (profession), guitar player (hobby), and former cab driver (source of actual money) is playing a regular Monday night gig at Mickey's and we said we would show up. To make sure we did, we arranged to meet mutual friends, and that worked far better than the Monday night notation on the calendar for the past three weeks.

The band set up in a corner of the bar, chatting with each other and customers. Our guitar-playing friend walked over the to table to acknowledge that he learned valuable guitar lore from my husband, in addition to how to shave. Apparently that made a whole new look possible at age 22. The place was pretty full for a Monday, I thought, but what do I know? I am usually at home in leisure wear at that hour/day of the week.

The line-up was interesting: in addition to our friend, there was the documentary filmmaker on keyboard, the guy with a past (and a voice) on harmonica, and the attorney on stand up bass. And then there was the music--blues, French cafe music, folk standards. The guitar player's landlady was tapped for some harmony, and (lead by our table, I think) the whole bar joined in for The Sloop John B. The musicians seemed to enjoy the singalong, though I noticed they trotted out some original stuff immediately after. We didn't know the words, but it did not prevent some from humming along with the chorus.

We left reluctantly, but still past our Monday night bedtimes, and as we walked home, my husband said, "what did you think of the combo?" I was stunned that he had pulled that dated word right out of my head. So it made me wonder, "what is the difference between a band and a combo?" It must be that corner of the bar, remembrance of shaving lessons, singalong, multiple genres, fun, casual musical experience that makes us think of a combo. Maybe also the fact that they have no name, as well as no record deal, and no cover charge. No more bands for me--from here on out, it is combos all the way.