The things I learned this weekend at the North Bend Jazz Walk were not terribly important — some of them weren’t, anyway — but most of them could be filed under some sort of positive heading, like “funny” or “good to know,” or “looking forward to that.” Even the sad news, that one of my favorite authors died just a few days earlier, came with a great conversation about his and other books. He’d been sick for years, so the news was not a shock, and it was less sad because we could talk about him.
Everyone was talking, what seemed like a lot to me. I’m much more used to adults (never children) shying from me and my camera than I am to the smiles and poses that I found on Saturday, so I really enjoyed the night, besides learning all kinds of stuff.
Among the things I learned, was that the high school big band show was a huge draw for people. On my way to the North Bend Theater, I listened to Danny Kolke’s middle school jazz students, giving a free-range concert on North Bend Way, while their director was busy inside the packed theater with another band he directs, Mount Si Jazz Band II.
I also learned that: I’m too short for a lot of the barstools I liked best in the Dinettes and Barstools showroom; that the adorable 3-year-old watching the band at Boxley’s wanted to play the saxophone and was going to take her mother to the Piccola Winery for their next stop; that yellow drum kits seem to be very popular with jazz musicians; that Jay Thomas and the Cantaloupes kind of enjoyed sharing the stage with the set from Valley Center Stage’s upcoming show; that Marc Seales, pianist with the Chuck Deardorf quartet was the only musician I saw all night who didn’t tap his foot or mark time somehow; and, back to the important stuff, that I should have had dessert first, instead of showing up at Georgia’s Bakery just before the last set of the night began.
From other Jazz Walk-ers, I heard that I had to see Ham Carson, that the Mount Si High School debate team was having another incredible year, that the extra venues kept the crowd nicely spread out this year and that people have still never heard of this event. The couple we shared a table with at dinner were from Kent, had won tickets from KPLU, and yes, were huge jazz fans but, no, had never heard of it before.
I never made it to Ham Carson, at the preschool, but I think the most valuable thing I took away from the event was a preschool lesson: It’s good to share.
Just a reminder
Remember, the Record’s annual photo contest is on now. Deadline is March 25, and winners will be published in the April 8 issue of the paper.
