In spite of off-and-on pouring rain, the Jazz & Blues Extravaganza was a great success. The Blues Bands performed in the hotel’s main ballroom:
The Traditional/Dixieland Jazz was in a tent set up out front of the Four Points Hotel. It didn’t take long, the tent was filled to capacity. We had four great bands that played two sets each:
Joel Sylvestro was back swing-dancing with the ladies.
The tent was packed, and dancers glided across the dance floor.
This powerful music brings us all together, it’s infectious. We listen in anticipation to the musicians making it up as they go along. What are they going to do next?? Their many voices play different musical lines at the same time, but it all comes together. It’s spontaneous and ad libbed – their instruments expressing their feelings. How can do they do that?? Sometimes a soloist will go too far….
“He’s way out there – how is he going to get back?”
He hears a chord from the piano, responds, and the band is back in unison, playing happy, foot-tapping music. It’s always different, never gets boring.
We listeners are included, we give them feedback, and the musicians react in kind. It’s a symbiotic relationship. This was a great day where everyone put aside their trials and tribulations, cleared their heads, and just relaxed and enjoyed fine Dixieland Jazz.
This Jazz & Blues Extravaganza ended up in the black! On to next year!
Were you spotted at The Jazz and Blues Extravaganza? www.myrecordjournal.com
See the July 28 article by Dan Brechlin in the Record Journal, Meriden CT:http://www.myrecordjournal.com/meriden/article_a558f3f8-d90d-11e1-aa0b-0019bb2963f4.html#.UBWagsG4-B8.facebook