It's over...
The final day of the Jazz Festival is complete. What an event it was!
My buddy, who was a festival organizer in the US, said that this event rivaled anything he'd seen in the his past life.
We tripled the attendance over last year, almost unheard of in the entertainment world. The quality and divergence of the acts was superior.
I am left stupefied and stunned at the amount of awe and fun we had.
I have included some pictures so you can get a feel of what it was like.
The first pic shows you the arena which is perfect for a concert...a steep amphitheater with stadium seating. The sounds was really good.
The second picture is of the band from Holland. They had players from around the world including the US. One of the best bands.
The next 2 pics are of my favorite group from Panama City. They played last year without this amazing singer. She was a hoot, an entertainer and a wonderful vocalist. Also, you can see the joy and passion that her young band members displayed. I love the guys in this group. I got to know them last year and I was impressed with both their musicianship and the quality of their humanity.
I was in the green room just as the singer was leaving. I told how good I thought she was...she gave me a big hug, overflowing with warmth and an earthy smile. This woman got the crowd going in a big way, then blew us away with her vocals.
The last picture is of a 17 piece local (David) Big Brass Band. They were the closing act and they brought the house down with old, 40's style swing music. Not bad for a group of music professors from the local university! Rock on dudes!
It is now Monday and I couldn't help but notice the smile on my face.
Wow, am I inspire!
Can't wait till next year...
Oh, I almost forgot.
I was one of the stage hands. I helped set up the sound checks and reset the stage between acts. Long 12 hours days. But so worth it!
2 comments:
Tom, this is SO GREAT. Love these kind of Communal Expressions!! far beyond any personal expression, but making full use of EVERY personal Expression. Okay, I am Jealous, but Right There With You In Heart.
Love, Darshan
If I could have a wish come true, I would have you down here for the festival next year.
...nothing like sitting out in the middle of the jungle, in a 3rd World country, being treated to an amazing 1st World experience! The entertainers LOVE coming here. They are treated like royalty...fed, housed and transported around all for free--plus they get paid for their performances...and when they are on stage, we offer them water and towels plus wine, beer or whatever. I think our being thrilled with having them here communicates more than the other stuff.
I am so grateful to be able to have these experiences!
Love, Tom
Post a Comment