Congratulations Rob! That was an awesome night brother.
It Doesn’t Get Crazier Than This – Oct 25, ‘09
Helping the Heart of Music
Whilst driving down to London from a concert we gave in Grantham the night before I had a lot on my mind.
This was the big day which I had been anticipating for months ever since Bill Wyman invited me to be part of a big charity concert at The Royal Albert Hall earlier in the year. But now the big day had arrived and it was the 25th of October 2009 and as London came closer and closer my nervous excitement grew and grew.
But there was something even bigger on my mind that day. My wife Judy was 4 days overdue from delivering our baby and her waters had already broken on Wednesday without any contractions coming on, leaving her in limbo.
There had been no decision as to whether to operate or wait as I clutched my mobile phone as I did during the course of the whole day eagerly waiting news and hoping that everything was going to be OK with her and the baby.
Well we finally arrived at the Royal Albert Hall. I’ve always dreamed of playing there some day. It really is a beautiful and impressive building and the temple for music for which I would be doing my bit later that day. In through the stage door passes all ’round and shown to my dressing room which I was sharing with Martin Taylor’s Spirit of Django band and keyboardist Rick Wakeman.
I was eager to see Martin as we were to play one piece together ‘And I Love Her’ and was keen to have a run through. Anyways we wandered around the backstage area until I bumped into Bill Wyman in the canteen. We hugged and I began to tell him of my wife’s situation when my mobile rang “Hold on a sec Bill I better take this it’s Judy . . .”
. . . “What a Boy – a Boy! a BOY! Babes well done I can’t believe it!” I was ecstatic and told Bill the news and he took my phone and congratulated Judy and then announced to all present that I was a brand new father of a baby boy who had just been born back home in Amsterdam.
Our New Son Salvador Nolan
Me and Bill on the phone with Judy
Cheers and a round of applause followed and I was overcome with emotion. Words can’t describe the joy I felt. I couldnt wait to get home to my family, but “the show must go on” and my amazing Judy wished me luck on the stage that night.
Martin and his crew arrived and it was lovely to see him again and just incase you didn’t know he is one of the greatest Jazz Guitarists in the world and someone who I’ve admired for many years since first playing with him
in the Isle of Man 20 years ago. We ran through the Beatles tune ‘And I Love Her’ and we were all set.
After changing my mother and brother Brendan surprised me by showing up unexpectedly to support me on this big day. The day was getting better and better. I felt so much love and kindness from all those around me and was floating on cloud 9.
Would you like to replay the video or share the link to it with your friends?
Martin Taylor’s spirit of Django band featuring Jack Emblow on accordion John Goldie on guitar James Taylor on snare and brushes and Alison Burns adding her beautiful voice to La Mer opened up the night with two numbers.
Then it was me!
The moment I’d been waiting for finally arrived as Martin introduced me and I walked out on to the most beautiful stage in the world to a packed and enthusiastic audience.
He then said on the microphone that I “Have some news to tell . . .” and I happily told all in the hall that I was the proud father of a baby boy – this was met with wild applause and cheers and we hadn’t played a note yet! Anyways it was a joy to play with Martin and the Beatles song went down a treat.
Backstage with Rick Wakeman and Sir Tim Rice
It was a lot of fun hanging back stage for the rest of the evening and watching the other performers do their thing. Ronnie Wood was the hero for me as he personifies Rock’n'Roll and was living it for real.
For the last song of the evening we were all on stage together and what a buzz that was!
Standing between Ronnie Wood and Mick Hucknall clapping and dancing away was surreal and BIG fun! Taking the final bow with all the stars and waving goodbye to the amazing audience ended the official program.
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We all hung at the after party in the Elgar room with drinks.
My gypsy guitarist friend Nomy Rosenberg (and the other members of my trio who had been playing at Le Quecumbar) turned up and we partied down.
Martin Taylor was there (he has Romany Gypsy heritage) and he enthusiastically introduced Nomy to Albert Lee and Ronnie Wood who also have Romany Gypsy in them!
Hanging with Nomy Rosenberg and Martin Taylor
It was a day I will never forget and perhaps the happiest day of my life and I want to thank from the bottom of my heart absolutely everyone who was there who gave so much love and great music to everyone around them.
The next day I rushed home to Amsterdam and my Judy, Isabel and my new son Salvador Nolan. The music continues.
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79 comments - add yours
Jason Rogan
November 1, 2009
Janet
November 1, 2009
Robin may the love and kindness surround you and your family for all time!
The AlbertHall must have been brilliant and you deserve all the applause.
Keep the music coming .
Janet
andy
November 1, 2009
smashing rob..well done !
Phil Manuel
November 1, 2009
Well Done! Congrats to you, your wife, and new baby. Cheers to you all from Mission, KS – USA, where I try to keep GJ alive.
Junior Basco
November 1, 2009
Congratulations on all counts. We guitar pickers are all happy as all get-out that you are carrying on the Django tradition. I hope to one day do some pickin’and grinnin’ together. Buenos suerte….Junior Basco
Gino Corona
November 1, 2009
All the best to Salvador and your family! Congrats from Canada!!!!
Sylvia Rushbrooke
November 1, 2009
You deserved it – brilliant so sorry I missed it Next time when you are headlining
sxxx
bill williams
November 1, 2009
Congratulations, Robin.
Tony Airoldi
November 1, 2009
Rob – I’m so happy for you and Judy. It makes feel good to see all the good things that are coming to you. You deserve it. Tony Airoldi
hannie Hoogeveen
November 1, 2009
Robin, congratulations to you and Judy !
I wish you an lot of luck with your son!
simon
November 1, 2009
CONGRATULATIONS ROBIN,
LOVE SIMON
andrew smith
November 1, 2009
hi Robin, congratulations on both the birth of your son and the Albert Hall gig.
Look forward to when you are next in Vancouver…
Andy Smith ( still practicing Minor Swing)
Wayne
November 1, 2009
Big congrats on your awesome day, Robin
doc40
November 1, 2009
bless you , robin on this great occasion .
frank forte
Frank Provoost
November 1, 2009
Congratulations with Salvador.
Frank (still working on the manouche guitar)
Elaine Porteous
November 1, 2009
Robin, that is quite fantastic!!! lots of love, health and happiness to you all.
Keep playing your awesome music and come to Miami some time soon to share it with us here.
Elaine Porteous
Pat
November 1, 2009
Congratulations, Robin and family. The site looks great; thanks for the music and see you soon, I hope.
Albert
November 1, 2009
Hi Robin,
Great story!
Congrats and all the best for Salvador!
Good luck with your blog 
Gene Turcotte
November 1, 2009
To my buddy Robin… this day is yours and you and Judy will get to know each other even better now!
Gene
robert major
November 1, 2009
Congratulations to you and Judy and, Salvador, welcome to this wonderful world.
You are fortunate to be born into a beautiful, loving family. May you, too, enjoy the wonderful feelings that music brings us.
Pete Nolan
November 1, 2009
When are you coming back to Winnipeg to do a concert Pete
Peter Tilton
November 1, 2009
Seattle gypsy jazzers and hot club planet send our congratulations and best wishes. A new legend is born!!
To follow in the great footsteps of Robin Nolan…
Peter Tilton, hotclubplanet.com
wilfred
November 1, 2009
Blessed u are, and so are we with your music…………
Big kiss for Salvador and your family.
Wilfred
Neil Marcer
November 1, 2009
Congratulations Robin. Much love to you and your family.
Erich
November 1, 2009
heeeeeee…. congratulations to Salvador !!!!!!!
God bless u and ur family !!!
thx for sharing ur happiness
Mundo Juillerat
November 1, 2009
Thanx for sharing your story Robin. Congrats! I love the blog!
Aloha- Mundo
John Papadolias
November 1, 2009
Congratulations to Robin & Judy. Welcome to the world Salvador!
John
GARY SPARKS
November 1, 2009
WONDERFUL NEWS MATE !!! LIKE HIS FATHER HE WILL ALWAYS HAVE AN ALLY IN THE COLONIES !
Juan Manuel
November 1, 2009
Hola Rovin me alegro mucho por el nacimiento de tu hijo, y por tu exito en Londres. Una cosa, ahora sabes, que hay en la vida, aún mas bonito que la musica, y lo sabes desde ese día. Enorabuena y mucha suerte y salud para criarlo.
Alf Gjessing
November 1, 2009
Hi Robin. Congratulations with the great lookin´Salvadore. I bet Royal Albert Hall was something.Nice blog too. Are you going to Denmark the 23. of January? Alf
janette
November 1, 2009
Salvador, welcome !
wish you all the best in life,
janette
Randy Frank
November 1, 2009
Congratulations and welcome to the planet baby Salvador. I had the pleasure of seeing Kevin in Seattle during the Djangofest; Salvador is a lucky young man coming into such a great family.
jim hahn
November 1, 2009
Major congradulations on the birth of your newest gypsy jazz guitar player Robin!!!!!!!! jim hahn in Auburn,Maine
christian
November 1, 2009
Hey Robin, muchas Felicidades desde Ottawa!!
I just received your news and it is great!!
Cheers,
Christian
Chris Monson
November 1, 2009
Robin, My first thought after reading your blog was how wonderful your wife is to offer you her support while you are working in England as she delivers the baby in Amsterdam. What a special and precious lady! Anyway warmest congrats to you both. Love your music. Hope to see you next time you come
to Langley, WA. USA for the DjangoFest. Regards, Chris.
sal
November 1, 2009
PTL… My name is also Salvador Azar
Salvador in spanish means salvation..
The Lord is Gracias.. and has bless you from now on.
Keep your eyes on Jesus. Because a storm is coming to the world.
only in HIM willyou be able to make it USA Texas….
Ken Lutes
November 1, 2009
Congratulations, Robin! When I read your invitation for baby names on Twitter last week, I thought and thought, but absolutely nothing I came up with is as perfect as Salvador. Can’t wait to hear you two play the tune you’re likely to write for him. Speaking for our small, but dedicated, gypsy jazz contingent here in the Denver metropolitan area, we wish you and your family all the best!
Willem Koelewijn
November 1, 2009
bless the both of you Robin and Judith,on this great occasion
Bruce
November 1, 2009
Congrats, to you and Judy mate, hearts are pumping and music in the air. What a great day for you both, Love Aussie Bruce, xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dennis Backstrom
November 1, 2009
Robin
You the Man. What a great day, Salvador is a great name, and is sounds like you are blessed with a great wife. My First wife complained because our dogs always died while I was away on a gig. Compared to that Judy must be a Saint
to be so supportive, and have a beautiful Baby boy.
When you comming back to Seattle ??
Regards ,Dennis Backstrom
Stan
November 1, 2009
Congratulations from everyone in Nevada City, Ca, USA. Hope you might come back someday with Salvador and your band. We will open for you again!!!!
Bob Eaton
November 1, 2009
Congrats, Robin,
But even more to Judy since she had to go through it all without you… Yes, I know this was a really big engagement and it must have been hard on both of you, but in this case my sympathy especially goes to Judy.
By the way, our concensus in Saskatoon is that you played better in June than we’ve heard you in a few years. Not that the recent past was substandard but more that you were super-standard this year.
We’ve a new Bassment in Saskatoon (larger and more up-scale) so we’ll be better set to present the ‘Trio when your back (maybe when you do Nolan’s gig in Winnipeg…)
Best to the whole family and esp. Salvador,
Bob
p.s. And congrats on the Albert Hall gig. And the new blogsite…
Sheryl-Anne Atkinson
November 2, 2009
Congratulations to you, your wife and family on the birth of your son. I wish you all the best of health & happiness.
I love your new blog as well and look forward to exploring it further and taking advantage of the guitar lesson.
All the best,
Sheryl-Anne Atkinson
Petur
November 2, 2009
Congratulation to you Robin and the whole family. Hope to see you all in Iceland in the near future.
Petur
sylvain louvel
November 2, 2009
hi robin
nice to hear that great news
welcome to salvador into life.
hope to see him play one day
all the best to you and your family .
you are a lucky man and its probably well diseverved.
you are welcome to my home anytime in brittanny france next to st malo
sylvain louvel
Jon Larsen
November 2, 2009
Hi Robin, congratulations with Salvador – like in Dalí? Greetings also to your daughter and lovely wife, well done!
And BRAVO with your new blogsite – really nice! Keep swingin’, brother! Hope to play with you again one day!
Yours,
Jon
monte bergamont
November 2, 2009
Hey Robin, when did you take up paleontology?
marek
November 2, 2009
CONGRATULATIONS from sunny shropshire!!!
Markos
November 2, 2009
Congratulations Robin!
My daughter was born 21 years ago on a night I had a gig. My wife and son were with me as I was setting up the PA in the afternoon. My wife went into labor right there in the pub. We drove to the hospital, checked in and then in the matter of minutes she delivered our baby girl.
After our show, I returned home to my son, we set up a tent and camped out, “drank whiskey, smoked cigars and played cards all night.” We also came up with her name – Hanna Mae.
All the best!
~Markos
Stew Schwartz
November 2, 2009
Robin,
Well you did have a very big and busy day on the 25th of October. Interestingly
enough on the 25th about the same time, if you calculations are correct, I was on the phone with my sister, who lives on the Oregon Coast, to wish her a Happy Birthday. Looks like the 25th of Oct. is a grand time to be born. As they say downunder,”Good on ya,”
Regards from the Mountains of Idaho,
Stew
Suki Hill
November 2, 2009
the blog is marvelous, the tale of the new baby boy wonderful. In addition to a phenomenal talent, you are such a lovable guy, Robin!.No wonder you get such accolades and wonderful response from the audience. Congrats to you and Judy ! Hope to see you soon in the Bay Area. Maybe one day you can bring the whole family!
love
Suki
Julian Socha
November 2, 2009
Nice One Robin,Congratulations! keep up the good work both musically and in the other department..Ha Ha.
Best Wishers,
Julian Socha
jean-marie tressos
November 2, 2009
congratulations ! my english is very bad : thank you for your songbooks , they are my friends . You will be welcome in britany near Perros guirec ( the place of samy Daussat)
thanks
jean-marie
emicad
November 2, 2009
Great blog and great news!
I’m really happy to hear that, Robin. I hope to see you soon and celebrate in front of a good bottle of wine, ok? Keep in touch, man.
Your friend Emiliano.
PS: Give a kiss to Judy and the “new entry”!
brian
November 2, 2009
First the negative. The duet on “And I Love Her” I found unmusical. Just awful. That said, I have over the years enjoyed and admired Robin’s work and will continue to do so. Second, congratulations to the mother of Salvador, to Salvador and to Robin. Grand work. I so enjoy this blog (negative notes aside) and look forward to getting more info.
Brian
Ray Williams
November 2, 2009
Congrats on all your success, the new blog is great and will be listed atop of my musical favorites, Donna and I wish the best to your family and you. Can’t wait to see more photos of Salvadore. Judy and you always have an open invite to visit and stay with us in good ol Menominee..
Archtop Eddy
November 2, 2009
What a great day for you Robin. You deserve it all! Congrats to you and Judy, and welcome to the world Salvador.
AE
c.ladd
November 2, 2009
congrats jimmy piclkes – say hi to Judy – great site – nothing about me and this desolate cold city, Winnipeg – ha! – Chris Ladd
jon
November 2, 2009
Congratulations. Nice vid with Martin Taylor. 
Claudio
November 2, 2009
Congratulations Robin! All the best for you!
chris sartisohn
November 3, 2009
top drawer my bune!
- sarti
Erik
November 3, 2009
Congratulations Robin!
Erik
CU in ‘t Molentje
Gina Khoo
November 3, 2009
Congratulations Robin! Wishing you, Judy, Isabel and Salvador only the best.
Chip
November 3, 2009
Hey Robin: Congrads on Salvador and playing at Prince Alberts! Its been a long time since I met you and Paul on your first visit to the US in St. Louis many years ago. Hope to see you again soon….maybe Djangofest NW next year. Some day you will have to come to the Arizona desert with your family to relax and play (in the winter).
Chip
Alain Cola
November 3, 2009
Congratulations Robin!
Keep up the good work.
Regards,
Alain
Laurie
November 3, 2009
Robin,
Hate to steal from the old beer commercial but “some days are better than others.” Sounds like you had a lulu. Congrats!
BTW, us fiddle players like your books too!
Laurie
Michael Dunn
November 3, 2009
Hi Robin,
Congratulations to you and your wife…..I guess the timing of the good news couldn’t be better…just before the big gig……
Cheers,
Michael Dunn, luthier
The Hot Club of Mars
The Fiskin Clan
November 3, 2009
Congratulations and much love as always.
J & D & J & S
Dan Ault
November 4, 2009
Congratulations Robin and Judy!
A new baby is a wonderful blessing. What a day for you! I’ve been a big fan of Martin Taylor for many years. I just became a first time grandpa in August to a baby boy, Quincy, who lives in Santa Cruz, CA. Maybe he’ll be a musician like his namesake.
Best,
Dan
Jolly Goodfellow
November 5, 2009
Good on you Robin!!!
Really happy for you and the family by c-r-i-k-e-y!!!
What a magical gig, truly wonderful, the stuff that
dreams are made of…keep living the dream buddy.
Wow! From the ol’ Linz pflasterspektakel days to the
Albert Hall. Life is amazing, especially doing what you love
and being respected by lovely audiences and people you admire.
Music is food for the soul, a language of the heart, what a wonderful
thing to share with people. All the best by C*R*I*K*E*Y!!!
Love and light, Jolly Goodfellow (The Worldly Kangaroo Fool of Oz)!
xo
p.s. The blog is looking great also!
Simon
November 5, 2009
Hey Rob and Judy!
Lots of love from me and Colleen… Very Well Done! Both of you… Nice stories you’ll got to tell to lil’ Sal!… BTW: still sunny and warm in El Cerrito… always welcome to get some rest! Or play gigs! And bring the family! Simon and Colleen
Eric Halloran
November 6, 2009
Hey Robin,
Congratulations. What a day! Best wishes for the future…
Eric
neal
November 6, 2009
You are and will always be THE MAN. Congrats buddy, need to buy you a Guiness and take about the toffees in the not to distant.
All the best from Ireland
dan sirichai sedeniussen
November 6, 2009
hey robin! congratulations so much! from norway… keep up the good work dan:)
Ken Brown
November 8, 2009
Hi Robin!
Nice to find this blog!
All I can say is you are a most
lucky man. To have a “what for”,
a beautiful wife and son such as yours
is a blessing beyond compare.
And a concert at Albert Hall with
one of your guitar heros is icing on the cake.
Can’t wait for you to come to San Francisco again.
I so loved playing with your brother Kevin and Simon Planting.
If one can’t sound good with them behind you
one might as well hang it up.
Anyway. Congrats!
And who knows Salvador might
grow up to save the world.
Cheers,
Ken
david
November 8, 2009
incredible! Congratulations Robin!
Carlos Rodriguez
November 8, 2009
Hi Robin! Congratulations for the baby boyHas he began to play any note yet?
Cheers.
Carlos
Angela Glauser
November 10, 2009
Hey Robin!
Congratulations! Very nice story, we can imagine how happy you were on that day.
Wish you all the best for the future and keep on inspiring the world!
Greetings from Switzerland,
Angela & Marina
Maia
November 10, 2009
This is really a fantastic story to tell your children and future grandchildren. Congratulations Robin and Judy!
maia
