Another sun filled warm day for jazz Fest had us on the street at 3:30 to pick up wrist bands for Stefon Harris Blackout in Kilbourn Hall. Although it is Harris’ band it really was an equal partnership among Piano, Bass, Sax and Drums. Harris on Vibes and Marimba often at the same time set the tone.  Frank DeBlase says it better than I can. We drifted out of Kilbourn to pick up dinner at Java before venturing on to Lutheran Church for what may have been the surprise of the night Jostien Guldbransen on stage played an hour of straight ahead Jazz in a venue noted for the experimental avant gard and often difficult to follow music. It worked and we loved it. 

We left heading toward Christ Church where the organ was to be heard for the first time at the Jazz Fest, but we got sidetracked by the sounds of Klezmer wafting from the Big Tent. After looking at the food options outside the tent we were drawn in and found ourselves sitting with friends for the hour of delightful Klezmer by MIchael Winograd and the Honorable Mentshn .  Unfortunately we got to talking and did not pay close attentshn.

We moved on out to get in line at Max for Scot Robinson Quartet. We scored seats at the front and center table with new Jazz Street friends. Robinson looks like a comic character in is music vest and hat made of worn out sax reeds. He seemed not quite in focus until he picked up the sax and with no preamble laid us back in our seats with the opening from a Beatles song. Sax wailing solo. From there it  just kept getting better. Keyboard player Helen Sung was extraordinary  on piano and then she powered up the Hammond organ which was wonderful.  
The drum and bass were also fine pairing with Robinson. They started their last number after the 11 PM closing and most of the audience stayed on.  We elected to skip the Jam session  at Hyatt and went straight to the apartment.

The Plan (is fuzzier than usual):  Kilbourn Hall at 6 for Bria Skonberg;  7 the Temple Building for the Yellowjackets (not related to the U of R); 7:45 Hatch for Adam Ben Ezra; and 10 Max for The Willows. Somehow we also want to hear Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio and Djabe. Watch for the actual tomorrow.