Once a year in the Summer, the main street is blocked off and a large stage put up in the plaza. Big tents are erected with similar tents throughout the city with similar stages. The Elco theatre, a church auditorium and the Knights of Columbus Lodge all become stages for all types of jazz artists. The city plaza is filled with people listening to jazz, dancing and eating all kinds of carnival food from noon til after midnight for a very long weekend.
Because Elkhart is not a large city, there is a very different feel to the Jazz Festival. It's not stuffy, or high class, its very accessible-very populous. There is a large space in front of the stage where people can dance if they want. Sometimes little kids come and dance by themselves or chase each other and play while the music plays. There is an older couple from Chicago that comes every year in these incredible outfits and dances. She wears these beautiful pastel colored flowing evening gowns and he wears zoot-suits so sharp, that pimps stop and stare open mouthed in admiration. This year, he had two-tone, white and turquoise shoes and a turquoise hat with a feather. They dance like they are floating on air, and they are as popular as the jazz.
One of my favorite artists is Tim Cunningham.
Tim plays the Alto and Soprano saxophone. He plays both straight ahead and smooth and funky urban jazz. His band is top notch, especially his bassist. What's great about Tim is, you really get the feeling he enjoys playing for you and that he appreciates his audience.
Tim is playing in the middle of the picture. He had come off the stage and was playing with a wireless microphone. When he came off the stage, he played in front of the stage as the little kids came up and danced around him. At one point, a little girl reached out and touched his saxophone. He began to slowly follow her as he played, pretending to chase her and she ran in circles making that lovely squealing noise that kids make when they are really happy. He finally ended the strolling solo by playing an incredible version of "God Bless America", leading to a standing ovation. It was the sort of show that could make a Jazz Cat out of anyone. As good as Breyers Vanilla Ice Cream on a 100 degree day.
This year, I was able to score Jazz Passes-that mean I got to go to any concert, any time, any where. I answered a trivia question on our local TV station to win the tickets. To say I was happy would have been an understatement.
My wife complains I tend to not be able to smile on camera easily-but I was smiling the whole weekend. Besides seeing two Tim Cunningham sets, I got to see a very intimate concert of world famous trombonist, Jiggs Whigham.
Then I actually got to meet world famous drummer Butch Miles. Shook his hand and everything. His style is as good as Max Roach or Art Blakey.
One of the big highlights of the weekend was that I actually got to play with one of the bands for one song. I have been learning how to play hand drums for about six months. I own a pair of Conga drums and a pair of Bongos and play any chance I get. One of the groups that plays at the Jazz Festival is called Vibenation. It is made up of people that work in the musical instrument industry here in Elkhart. Since I work with the leader of the band, I got invited to play a conga drum, along with two other people from work who played bongos and djembe drums for the last number, a jazz arrangement of the rock classic "Oye Como Va" by Carlos Santana (it was originally written by Tito Puente, though).
Here's a picture of me playing,(I'm in the orange behind the Marimbas-next to the drums). I don't know how good I sounded, I tried not to go nuts, but it was a lot of fun.
People ask me if I like living in Indiana. I've lived here longer than anywhere else. I still miss the scenery where I grew up in Oregon. But Indiana has its own beauty, and I'm at home now. You can't go home again, you have to make a place your home or be miserable looking for a place that never exists.
Elkhart does not have soaring mountain ranges, or land to get lost in, but its got its own beauty and uniqueness. The Jazz Festival is one of those things that makes this town special to me.
-Juanito.
