I can't help it. It was a magical Saturday night.
The dance started at 6 pm and went to 9 pm...that should tell you the average age of this group. Dance music was provided by Rich, a one man band. He played all the best old dance tunes and the people responded.
At 8pm, it was time for Tom and Yella. We played on a break as added entertainment.
We did 3 Indigo Girl songs with another lady. They were good--jaw dropping good. Music at this level is uncommon here.
And, I could see that Yella was hitting her stride and entering the "Zone."
Yella and I then did a Neil Young song, Southern Man. Yella killed it! I can tell when she is moving into the Zone because she sings with her knees bent, kind of like a tennis player stands waiting for a volley. Plus a lot of finger pointing and hand waiving. And very intense, very intense!
(A professional Tango dancing couple also performed 2 dances. Was that incredible or what! I have never seen that live. It was amazing!)
At 8:30, we rushed 3 blocks over to Amigos, were Caesar's jazz band was playing. Yella was going to sit in.
This band is one of my favorites. For the first 60 years of my life, I didn't get into jazz. That's because I didn't listen to it LIVE. What a difference. I highly recommended it.
The band was in rare form. They had 2 sax players tonight, both Panamanian. What a difference! These 2 were spurring each other on to some remarkable stuff. They were improvising harmony riffs! Not a small feat.
The bass player is a big, tall American and he may be the best musician of the group. The piano player is Panamanian and strong.
The most interesting member of the group is Caesar, a really good jazz drummer. He is from South Africa. At age 20, he left for England because he had no stomach for Apartheid. He got a VW van and traveled across Europe, the Middle East and into India for a couple of years.
25 years ago, he settled in Belize where he started one of the first Eco lodges and made a small fortune. He is now retired with a house on the beach and one in Boquete.
Now we add a little Yella. Who, as I mentioned before, was "in the groove."
The magic started. What an extraordinary night it was.
I looked around at one point. Everyone had huge grins on their faces, tapping their feet or hands or body.
Then, another dimension was added.
One eyed Frank, a Vietnam vet who lost his eye and voice to war wounds, started to dance. This is a 6 foot 6 guy who loves jazz and can dance. He was grabbing women, dancing on a postage stamp sized dance floor, whirling them around, nearly smashing down tables and drinks. All the while, with a look and smile of Ecstasy on his face. He had come home for sure.
Put this mixture into a bowl and stir. Out came one of the most extraordinary nights of music and entertainment I've had the privilege to attend.
I needed to leave at 9 pm to go baby sit my house but I couldn't pull myself away. Let the thieves have it. This was way to good to pass up!
Boquete finally got to see what Yella really can do. And the jazz band played at a whole new level. In music, this is called finding the Groove, where you play way beyond your ability, as if by magic. This rare combination of musical forces put on an exceptional performance on a beautiful evening in Boquete, Panana
Wow! What a night! In a town with about 1000 Expats. Better than entertainment rarely found in a major city.
I feel privileged to be here.
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