Audrey

On a delightful Friday evening, we strolled down the Chicago Riverwalk to take in a set from a local sextet, the Chicago Soul Jazz Collective. After a funky first tune, they welcomed vocalist Dee Alexander to the stage for a set of originals. The music featured an electric bass groove a bit like motown and the two horns played tight lines together. I particularly liked the solos of the tenor sax and leader, John Fournier. The pianist, Amr Fahmy, also offered dynamic solos. Some of trumpet players best work was with a mute, giving his horn a distinctive tone. The jury was out on vocalist Dee Alexander. I enjoyed her work overall, but some were turned off by a first scat solo on a tune about a redwing bird–she warbled through it. ...

We arrived in Puerto Vallarta on a Friday evening, rented a car, and hit the road for “The One and Only” resort, a little over an hour to the north. After a slow start through traffic, we were happy to reach an expressway and make fast progress towards our destination. But when we got to our exit, we learned we had been on a toll road. A toll was due. It was payable only in Pesos, in cash. And we had not yet gone to an ATM! ...

It was an unusual Thanksgiving. After returning from a fun family wedding, we had no one at home with us for the holiday. So rather than eat a 20-pound bird ourselves, we decided to head to Half Moon Bay for Thanksgiving on the Beach. Lunch at the Ritz Carlton was lovely, and then we enjoyed a sparkling clear cliff-and-beach stroll. It was warm and the visibility stretched for miles. Afterwards, we rode in our convertible with the top down along Highway 1 to the Pigeon Point Lighthouse. ...

We travelled to Greenville, South Carolina to celebrate Jack and Lauren’s wonderful wedding. The family is compiling all the wedding photos, so here I’ll feature just a few shots of us and of the waterfalls in Greenville. It was a beautiful weekend! click for bigger photos

It was a real treat to see John Scofield at the intimate Bach Dynamite and Dancing Society. And a special treat to celebrate Micah’s birthday with some delicious cupcakes overlooking the ocean. Scofield and his quartet played a wide variety of tunes. A Cole Porter song was memorable as were some of his original compositions. Some of his trademark funky grooves were included. For Half Moon Bay, we also had unusually clear skies (no fog!) and a calm ocean. ...