Satchmo Fest Day 2

Almost forgot to post about the second day of the fest.  (Which reminds me I have a bunch of pics and stuff to finish about Bonnaroo.)

 

For a weekend that was supposed to be cloudy and rainy it sure was beautiful.  We never got a drop of rain.  The sun was out and if anything it was too hot.  But we had a spot off to the side of the stage and under a tree.  It was very relaxing, almost too much so.  A few times I found myself drifting off to sleep as I listened to the music.

 

Today's fare was a bit more low key than the first days.  The first day the bands were loud and could have competed with a lot of rock bands.  They all had vocals and did a lot of pop and r&b songs as well as jazz songs.  Today's were all what I think of jazz when I think of jazz, no vocals or very little vocals.

 

The line up for today started with the Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp Band.  This was a band made up of a bunch of kids, ranging in age from around 8 to teenager.  These kids were pretty good.   It was interesting to see kids up on stage playing and obviously interested in jazz and not rap or hip hop or even rock music.  That is the future of any style of music, getting the kids interested in it.

 

The next acts up were the Bradfor Truby Trio, New Orleans Vipers and Maurice Brown.  All good acts.  If I had to chose I would pick the previous day, but these groups all had talent and showed me a side of music that I normally ignore.

 

The last act was even someone that knows next to nothing about jazz knew.  There are very few people in any category that can be called a legend, but this man is one of them.  Ellis Marsalis, father of Wynton and Branford and more, all expanding the field of jazz.  Mr. Marsalis has to be up there in years, as he climbed the stage he did so slowly and with a little difficulty.  He walked over to his piano and sat down.  Than like when I saw Fats Domino, who had to be helped to his piano stool and looked too old and infirm to play, when he sat down and started playing he could have put a much younger man to shame.  His fingers flew over the keys.  In his music he found his youth. 

 

After that it was time to go home.  It was an enjoyable day and I got to listen to some music that I normally would not have listened to.  And I even liked it.