Every summer there is a reunion of like souls in the city in which I call home. It is the “Downtown Jazz” series. Twice a month, for the 3 consecutive months of summer, a stage is created in an open plaza amid high rise office buildings. This plaza is truly a genius of design. Surrounded by a constant flow of water fountains, the space is cooled for even the most languid of summer evenings.
The concerts begin early on Friday evenings, featuring a combination of international celebrities and local rising stars of the jazz scene. Ears are treated to a mixture of sounds, including: smooth jazz, classical jazz, funk, and R&B. Music possesses the magic to create emotion in all of us. It has the ability to erase whatever frustrations life has handed us- even for just a few moments of time.
Tonight is the last concert of the season. Jazz legend, Nick Colionne, has taken center stage. As I survey this evening’s family of enthusiasts, I notice the crowd is toe-tapping and neck-bobbing in near unison. I grin. As pop vocalist, Florence Welch, so aptly puts it, “It is hard to dance with a devil on your back”. From the look of this crowd, the devils have all been barred.
The mixture of music, the smell of food vendors, and the declining light of summer’s end triggers a review of the season. The month of June ignites a burst of energy for what we hope to accomplish, while the end of August lets us reflect on what were able to experience. Thankful, indeed, for many blessings, I sit wide-eyed, absorbing every possible note of this final event.
As the lights within the forest of buildings begin to pop on, I realize one aspect that is most consistent with this final concert is that it begins with scalding heat but quickly cools as the first breath of autumn begins to fill the air. “Why didn’t I wear my jeans this evening?” I ask myself. ---Considering my summer’s “uniform” consists of a polo shirt, shorts, and sandals, I wish I had one of VALOR’s Adjer throws to cut the chill.
Fans from all walks of life come together here. We love jazz. We love the fellowship of music. For a brief time, we are all as one.
This was a Moment in America.
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