Jazz Fest: Part II

Stepping on to the Jazz Fest grounds is an experience. The summer sun has shone up in time for the event, and though it often rains, all eight days of the festival this year saw brilliant sunshine. The second week especially was downright hot and people brought wide-rimmed hats, applied sunscreen  (or faced consequences) and sought out shade. 

Like the sunshine, the music is palpable, though not physical. The bases vibrate in the air, alive, the percussion instruments answer. Walking between stages, you hear sometimes a medley of a few bands that separates into distinct songs when you get close to one band or another. 

There are several stages encircling the racetrack and surrounding grass area. Some stages are in tents and offer folding chairs. I saw a local jazz pianist and singer, Bobby Lounge, play on a small stage. Besides being a talented musician, he was very funny! My favorite concert of my Jazz Fest day was the Steve Martin band, who played on the Gentilly Stage. Gentilly is more what you might picture for an outdoor music festival--the stage is over an open field, with a several hundred people in beach chairs, blankets or standing  up to dance to the music, with the band projected on huge screens above it all.  

In between listening to music, there is food. I found vegetarian red beans and rice, which made me happy because its Cajun food that contains no meat. There was a tea stand, where I bought a (large, pricey and very good) rose and mint iced tea. For dessert, I had Mexican chocolate ice cream, which I ate listening to the fading sounds of the Steve Martin Band, and watched the sun fade away.