So obviously I’ve been busy… What with? Quite a lot actually. I decided to split my busyness into two entries so here goes.
Last week, I indulged in not one, not two, but three different jazz (and blues) events on three consecutive nights. They were all very worthwhile.
Last Wednesday was the year-end concert for the Keene State College Jazz Ensemble. Unbeknownst to me, there were several unusual things about this particular concert. First, it was the debut performance of the school’s new Steinway piano (sounded great). Second, it was band director Don Baldini's 30th jazz concert at Keene State. Third, it was a multimedia show featuring artwork by an alum and a well done light show by a new lighting designer which included projections of some of the art timed to the music.
Edison and Erin came along to the concert with me and they enjoyed it. It was our first time at Keene State’s 572 seat main theater at the Redfern Arts Center on Brickyard Pond, and we all enjoyed it. We wound up having to sit way up high near the back. The show nearly sold out, likely having more than 500 in attendance. I was quite impressed by that. The kids particularly enjoyed hearing music they recognized, including Route 66 and So What (Miles Davis). Both kids, but especially Edison, loved the lighting. I didn’t get a chance to, but I would have enjoyed chewing the fat with Mr. Baldini, likely discovering that we have several friends in common (just based on his professional credits).
One other neat feature of the concert was actually in the lobby. Ken Burns, a filmmaker and PBS producer who happens to live up the road in Walpole, did a series a few years back simply titled JAZZ. I’m embarrassed to say I haven’t seen it yet, but I’ve heard great things about it. A fresh tour through the pages on PBS about it leaves me with the impression that I really have to go see it… this week, maybe. Anyway, in the process of making the film, Burns and his team wound up with a mountain of books about jazz. He decided to donate them to Keene state. After the library, Baldini and several others filtered through them, they decided to put the rest out in the lobby in exchange for donations as a fundraiser for the music programs at Keene State. I picked up Groovin' High: The Life of Dizzie Gillespie.
The next night, I went back for a second helping of blues jam at the EF Lane, this time bringing Steve along with me. I think he enjoyed watching, as did I, and I got up to play a few tunes. Some of the people remembered me from the previous week, and I them, but I’m terrible with names. I particularly enjoyed the house bass player’s playing. I didn’t get to play with him, but hopefully will one of these days.
And then Friday night, all of us (Edi, Erin, Edison, Steve and I) went to the year end concert for the Keene Jazz Orchestra. They are our local community big band (not to be confused with the Keene State Jazz Ensemble) and did their concert at the high school which is right across the street from our house. I took the kids once before to hear them play and I had seen them on another occasion before that. This was the best performance yet.
They had two guest artists playing with them. Boston blues guitarist Mike Duke joined the band for maybe nearly half the tunes, and formerly New Orleans (now Vermont) based vocalist Samirah Evans. Both made excellent contributions to the evening’s music. Also impressive was the obvious continued development of the musicianship of the regular band members. I don’t know how it was for the first year, but just in the few performances I’ve seen, they’ve improved considerably. Kudos to the KJO.
Now, if only Keene had that much good music every week…. 😉
V-