The power was out, yet the music lit up the night as Delfayo Marsalis led a joyful set at the Bach Dynamite and Dancing Society in Half Moon Bay. Getting there was half the fun, as California was in the midst of a major winter storm, with high winds and strong rain. And when Micah and I arrived, we learned that there was a power outage from the storm, so the set would be played acoustically by battery-powered camper lights. You can see the lights in the photo. ...
For New Year’s Eve and our Anniversary Eve as well, Audrey and I took Micah and Victoria to the Kennedy Center to hear vocalist Jazzmeia Horn and her Noble Force. The musical energy started high and stayed high, with Jazzmeia leading a full big band horn section with 5 saxes, 4 trombones and 4 trumpets through a series of her own compositions. “Strive” and “Freedom” were particularly powerful. (Listen to Freedom on Spotify.) ...
On their first night in DC, I took Micah and Victoria for a walk around the Tidal Basin at night. It was a warm, calm evening. Perfect for a winter walk. And Thomas Jefferson was glad we visited. Martin Luther King seemed to have a few things to say to the Washington Monument. While Micah and Victoria read all the MLK quotes, I set up my tripod for some clear night shots. ...
Following our annual tradition, Micah and I had a fantastic father-son backpacking trip in California’s Sierra Nevada. Of course, we missed Jacob, especially when we saw the lakes full of big fat trout. Throughout the trip, we enjoyed beautiful weather. The highs were in the 70s, lows in the 50s. We looked up to brilliant blue skies. True to the idea of wilderness, we saw few people once the weekend ended (Our trip was from Sunday to Wednesday). ...
As the lights dimmed, members of Shakti entered the stage to a thunderous standing ovation. The minimal stage set (a low riser, draped in black, and spread with a few Indian carpets) gave few clues to the amazingly complex music soon to follow. As the musicians took their cross-legged seats, a subtle droning sound filled the room. The musicians tuned their instruments casually and settled into their places, like friends relaxing at home. ...