One more night on the Street. Am I  Happy or Sad? Not really sure, both of us are getting tired and are ready for a quiet evening at home, but what will we do without our Jazz Street friends and the planning and the waiting in lines ? On the  Lines; some people have said they cannot tolerate the endless lines at the Festival to get into venues to get food, just to  move through the narrow spaces created by street stages and vendor tents. We find the lines to be part of the event. We meet new people in every line, and we greet former line friends too. I guess if I were an introvert this could be stressful, for Carol and me it is joyful. It seems everyone is happy and friendly and in a similar mood to ours. These are happy lines.

last night – Day 8 – started with a change of plans, actually two changes. As we approached the Hatch Hall line we both thought that Jubilation! Celebrating Cannonball Adderly in Kilbourn Hall would be easier to leave than from Hatch. We jumped in that line as they were already handing our wrist bands and got entries for the first wave. I know it’s late but a quick explanation; for each of four popular venues coded wrist bands are placed on our wrist granting a specific entry window. These are in 3 waves or groups 5 minutes apart. With our first wave wristbands we wandered the Street and settled in some chairs we found. Carol decided she was not up to the first show so she went back to the apartment to rest. I continued on into Kilbourn settling into my favorite row while keeping in touch via text. The performers were fine, the music was solid Adderly, but Catherine Russel was set to pack The Temple Building Theater and I had to be there.

So  halfway though the set I departed and walked over, claiming a seat in the third row on left center aisle that someone had just vacated according to my new friend in the seat next to me. Carol texted that she was on her way over and she got a seat up in the balcony, she didn’t want to miss her.  I will not try to review her performance, read Jeff Spevak for an excellent review. The audience was appreciative, attentive and quiet while she sang, we didn’t want to miss a thing. It was more than worth skipping out on the Kilbourn show early.

Carol and I met on the street and walked over to Main St where we had “dinner” before heading to Christ Church for Itamar Borochov an Israeli born trumpet player. Again Spevak has written eloquently about the performance. We claimed seats way down front to avoid the worst of the reverb and really enjoyed the performance to the very last note. A couple of his introductions had me grateful for my education in Medieval Jewish Thought  courtesy of our son Yechiel. All in all it was really interesting hearing a “nice Jewish boy” playing trumpet in Christ Church, and boy could he play!

The wrap in Christ Church had me returning a favor. I found a hat left on a chair as we were leaving and I picked it up and left it with the staff should the owner come looking. We made our way to Max – this should sound familiar by now – and settled in at the very back of the room, we soon found seats just a bit forward. To our great surprise our grandson Josh appeared trailing his mother, both dressed as wait staff at Max – the restaurant. This was his second day on his new part time gig while he digs into his studies. A minute later he reappeared with a lager for me and water with lime for Carol, returning again with herbal tea for her since we were seated at a table now.  He knows his grandparents well. Sullivan Fortner Trio laid down some mighty fine Jazz, more modern, but with deep bones in the 60’s and 70’s. It was a pleasure to just let it surround us. 

We strolled out of the room headed home. The Festival is winding down and after 8 nights we really are running out of steam. BUT tonight we have a Plan for one more night; Acoustic Alchemy at Geva Wilson Hall, Joey DeFrancesco Trio at The Temple Building, Kansas Smitty’s House Band at Kilbourn and Andrea Bachfeld & Insight at Max – unless we go to Montage for Sisters Euclid. 

Watch for the final post of this series a bit later tomorrow.