Jazz Stories

On opening night for Porgy and Bess at the Kennedy Center, Audrey, Karen, Kayla and I had perfect seats about a half dozen rows behind the orchestra pit. Close enough to see the beads of sweat on Porgy after his climatic fight with Crown. Audrey made me swear not to sing along to “Summertime” and anyway, as an amazing soprano was in the lead, I didn’t even dare try. Before the show, we toured the Kennedy Center, checking out the museum exhibit about Kennedy and the arts as well as the great view from the fourth floor terrace. There was also an extensive museum exhibit about Porgy and Bess. ...

Entering Lou Lou’s, I was magically transported to the 1940s in glamorous Southern California. This recently remodeled club would be perfect for the Rat Pack. It’s inside the equally stunning Lafayette Hotel. If in San Diego, check it out! We came to celebrate my birthday and to check out Peter Bernstein, a jazz guitarist. He was playing with faculty and students from nearby San Diego State University. ...

Our friends Rob and Jane took us to see one of their favorite bands, Guster, at the Kennedy Center. For this two-night stand, Guster was backed by the National Symphony Orchestra. We had great seats among the Guster fanatics, who were up and dancing whenever possible. It was fun. For the song “Hello Mister Sun,” fans in the audience had rainbow hats. Some danced in front of the the stage. The lead singer put on a hat to join in the spirit. Audrey wanted his jacket. ...

Jason Moran, the Artistic Director for Jazz at the Kennedy Center, led an adventuresome trio through 90 minutes of exploratory improvisations. Jazz is the music of freedom, and Moran steered true to purpose. At the center of the trio was a synthesizer virtuoso, going by “Blank For.ms,” who perched above a mess of colorful wires with lots of knobs to turn. To the left, Moran played the grand piano and to the right Marcus Gilmore played drums. They played without a score, creating “open” or “free” jazz that was entirely improvised. ...

At the Bach Dynamite and Dancing Society, founder Pete Douglas is remembered each week by putting his pipes and cap on the windowsill for the duration of the jazz concert. Pete had an intense love for jazz, strong and pure, and I’m sure he’d be pleased that his club keeps on swinging under the leadership of his daughter, Barbara. Micah, Victoria and I came out to hear Isaiah Collier with his trio. Isaiah is a devotee of John Coltrane, and plays his sax ferociously, filling the hall with a relentless intensity. The music was loud, wild, fast, and expressive—exploring all a saxophone can do. He started with some standards including Bye Bye Blackbird and Naima. And then later moved into his originals. I particularly liked a moving piece written in memory of Ahmaud Arbery. ...