bryanjazz

Down here in New Orleans for my annual pilgrimage to JAZZFEST. This is one of my favorite times of the year. The trip always brings together some of my most favorite elements in life: great music, great food, close friends and family...all sharing the vibe of enjoying the sweetness in life. For those of us who are JAZZFEST people, a whole series of conversations begin sometime in February -- around the release of the first JAZZFEST schedule -- which continue through mid-May, as we reflect on some of the year's offerings.

Really, even before the release of the schedule, dialogues take place between family members and friends around the country about who will make it home this year for the festivities, or who -- for some ungodly reason -- will have to skip a year. The last one I missed was in 2000 (i had just moved); prior to that, I can't remember the last one i missed -- maybe 1989?

Discussions next move to a more detailed look at the year's performers upon a fuller analysis of the schedule. I sometimes play with the idea of choosing between going one of the two regular weekends (have not yet been able to make all 10 days) depending upon whether or not there is some artist I have to see, but I usually wind up going the second weekend so I can enjoy 4 days instead of 3.

We then anticipate if the beautiful New Orleans weather in early April will hold out through the FEST.

Then, I wait for the reports from attendees of the first weekend. Who performed? What did I miss? How's the weather looking for next weekend? (Any new food offerings?) This year the two things I would like to have caught the first weekend were the performances of the Meters and of Shirley Horn. I'm not a huge Meters fan, not being very familiar with their music. But they are BIG in New Orleans, and all reports are that this reunion, one of only three in the past 20 years, was phenomenal. And Shirley Horn, a true living legend, performed fabulously...from a wheelchair. At 75 years old, she still rocks the house.

And of course, throughout the FEST we talk of the performances, this year's and memorable ones from years past.

well, only hours till my first appearance at the Fairgrounds this year. The weather looks to be good for Thursday and Friday. Rain is predicted for the rest of the weekend. But no matter: us diehard fans are there everyday...rain, shine, or torrential downpour. (hmmm...forgot to bring boots this year.)

PRE-SCRIPT: (Memphis Airport, 7:00PM, 4/26/05) I love flying. It's thrilling every time. I totally understand the fear of flying, I mean, being way up in the sky in a little metal box sounds crazy. Fear of flying strikes me as totally rational, modern science notwithstanding. For me, however, it's always the thrill of getting to a new destination at jet speed, even if I have been there several times before. Each liftoff and landing represents the opening of new possibilities.