Jazz

We went to the jazz festival for the first time this year.   Why?  We’re   Boccherini, Vivaldi, Beethoven, Dvorak types.  Well, what if we left this place and never went to something so iconic?  We’d be losers.  We knew it.  “You lived there and never went to the Jazz Festival???!!!!  Fie on you!  For shame!”  I guess we’re pathetic that way.

The Lional Hampton Jazz Festival takes place at the University of Idaho every year in February and draws jazz greats from around the US and the world.   It consists of four nights of concerts and days full of mini-concerts, local competitions and clinics.  In other words, it’s a pretty big deal.                       http://www.uidaho.edu/jazzfest

So, why hadn’t we ever attended?  Like I said, we’re classical people.    The last time I knew a jazz name was Dave Brubek and that was because a boy who lived down the street from me in 7th grade talked about him a lot.  Another boy I knew in the same neighborhood collected German WWII memorabilia.  And my room was painted a fairly bright lavender in our Hansel and Gretel-style rental house.  All these things seem to hold hands in my memory–but only barely add to my knowledge of jazz.

We went anyway.  And, not to make a long song and dance out of it, were blown away by Dee Daniels.  We wouldn’t buy her cd’s because we still don’t much care for jazz, in general, but this woman is one of the world’s enterainers!  From the moment she came on stage–about six and a half feet of attractive black woman with a hair-do fairly remniscent of fireworks–we were captivated!  She smiled and laughed and reminisced and kibbitzed….and drew us in!  Dee Daniels is our idea of the jazz festival and made it worth the price of a ticket!  See for yourself!

http://www.deedaniels.com/video_excerpts.html

That’s it.  She’s a show woman and I’d go see her again in a minute!  And I’m relieved to say that we have indeed attended the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. 

I’m really glad this place isn’t famous for big time wrestling.