 
Downtown_lady
Member
Username: Downtown_lady
Post Number: 130
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 12:20 am: |    |
Well, another great Jazz Fest has come and gone -- I hate to see it end. Once again, great music and a great vibe.
Musically, the highlight for me had to be tonight's concert by New Orleans-based Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, fronted by 22-year-old Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews. This young man is so talented and has so much charisma and energy -- his entire performance became a big street party. If any of you saw it, you know exactly what I mean. I had not heard of him before, but he is definitely one to watch!
Other random thoughts, not music related: saw Sam Riddle, Rev. Edgar Vann and Wendell Anthony downtown -- a veritable who's who. Also, stopped at Eph's for a great sandwich and found out that Barack Obama had Eph's for lunch today too (a carryout order placed by his staff), and the staff called back to say how much he enjoyed the sandwich.
Sat by the water and listened to some music drifting from the pyramid stage -- the water was so gorgeous and the crowd so content we could have been on the Riviera.
Anyone else have random Jazz Fest thoughts to share? |
Mayor_sekou
Member
Username: Mayor_sekou
Post Number: 2521
Registered: 09-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 1:54 am: | |
I saw John Conyers just walking up Cadillac Square after enjoying some jazz. I nodded and he said, “Hi”, and then kept walking. I resisted all urges to ask him to "control his bitch" because he seemed like a nice old fella. |
Johnlodge
Member
Username: Johnlodge
Post Number: 8536
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 8:59 am: | |
They spend a decent amount on the Fireworks display, and you can actually sit right at the river and watch with no problem getting a spot. |
Sirrealone
Member
Username: Sirrealone
Post Number: 220
Registered: 01-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 9:24 am: | |
My wife and I enjoyed the time we spent there on Saturday. The only thing I really wish that they did is have police controlling car and pedestrian traffic at the Jefferson Ave. intersection for those going back and forth to Hart Plaza. The normal light cycle made it virtually impossible to cross the entire length of Jefferson Ave. without getting stranded in the median. With the sheer volume of people, expecting that many people to stand in the median was impossible, so you had many people 'going for it' and holding up traffic. Way too many people in cars decided that pedestrians be damned, they were when the light turned green, causing way too many close calls. This could have been avoided with cops directing traffic so that pedestrians and cars got their turn. |
Bobl
Member
Username: Bobl
Post Number: 44
Registered: 07-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 10:00 am: | |
We had a great time, as usual. Surprise of the weekend was the New Orleans band, Bonerama. It never fails. Each year brings a pleasant surprise, and this year was their turn. They had the crowd up and smiling!
This festival is a beautiful event, and those responsible for keeping it that way should be commended.
Great to see Barry Harris playing and his continuing sense of humor. Could go on and on... |
Otter
Member
Username: Otter
Post Number: 272
Registered: 12-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 12:13 pm: | |
I had a fantastic time. The jazz Festival has always been my very favorite, and I came back (mostly) just for that. Chicago's got one too, but Detroit's is much better, even if I did get to see Sonny Rollins here last week. the DJF just has so much that is so, so good! And the 'vibe' is great. It's sort of...personal.
Sirrealone,
I dunno - I saw police officers at the crosswalks all weekend. Granted, they were not controlling traffic timing, but they were at least helping. |
Johnlodge
Member
Username: Johnlodge
Post Number: 8547
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 12:17 pm: | |
Did anybody catch the guy behind the pyramid on the riverwalk Saturday night pre-fireworks, dancing around, slamming imaginary dunks, and occasionally yelling "Deeeeetroit baaaasketball" to himself? He was an interesting show while waiting for the fireworks display. Hopefully he has someone somewhere who takes care of him. |
Dannyv
Member
Username: Dannyv
Post Number: 355
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 12:28 pm: | |
JL, check him into the boards and yell back DEE troit HOCK ey. |
Ladia
Member
Username: Ladia
Post Number: 111
Registered: 05-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 1:08 pm: | |
I enjoyed the Jazz fest, I saw the Marvin gaye tribute,and enjoyed the large amounts of people and the variety of foods,since i was by the river and mainly went in the evening it wasn't so hot.lol @ mayor sekou's comment of seeing john conyers and wanting to tell him to control his wife.LMAO! |
Diehard
Member
Username: Diehard
Post Number: 584
Registered: 03-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 4:28 pm: | |
Bonerama & Trombone Shorty, definitely! Something about that New Orleans brass sound that pumps everything up. I loved how Trombone Shorty handled it when the mains kept going out... can't hear the vocals? Grab the trombone and do a long solo!
I loved Bonerama's version of "When the Levee Breaks" - especially since they were headed back to NOLA to get their families out before the hurricane hit.
The Marvin Gaye tribute was awesome too - but I couldn't get anywhere near the stage, it was so crowded. Guess that's a good thing. |
Raptor56
Member
Username: Raptor56
Post Number: 444
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 4:40 pm: | |
Spent Sunday afternoon watching the Tigers actually win a game (surprise!) at CoPa, then strolled around the jazzfest for a few hours. Topped the evening off with dinner a Pizza Papalis. Finally left the D for home around 7:30pm. There definitely seemed to be more people downtown this year for the jazz fest than last year. Since it was such a beautiful evening on Monday, the girlfriend and I stopped for ice cream at Cool Breeze on Harper in St Clair Shores, then took a nice sunset drive down Jefferson to check out the water. Before we knew it, we were jockeying around traffic and pedestrians downtown in front of the Ren Cen! The jazz fest still looked very busy at 8:30pm on Monday. The drive was awesome. The Ren Cen and other high rises downtown were silhouetted against a pink orange sky. Wish I had my camera!•• |
Dianeinaustin
Member
Username: Dianeinaustin
Post Number: 105
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 4:49 pm: | |
Diehard,
Checked out Bonerama and Trombone Shorty's websites. I see Bonerama is coming to Austin in November. I marked it on my calendar they are great. TS isn't coming but I will keep a lookout for him to show up. Thanks for the recommendations |
Raptor56
Member
Username: Raptor56
Post Number: 447
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 5:10 pm: | |
Oh other cool thing this weekend. About the 6th inning or so of Sunday's Tigers game, two F16's did a couple low level fly by's over the park and downtown during the middle of game play. Sucked to be the KC batter, but the crowd loved it. quite the applause for both fly overs. |
Spiritofdetroit
Member
Username: Spiritofdetroit
Post Number: 1183
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 5:13 pm: | |
yeah, those were likely for the grand prix. |
Designerguy24
Member
Username: Designerguy24
Post Number: 152
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 6:21 pm: | |
The Hot Club of Detroit was the best act of the Jazz Fest! |
Bcscott
Member
Username: Bcscott
Post Number: 60
Registered: 05-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 6:29 pm: | |
My first Jazz Fest was definitely enjoyable. I'll be back next year for sure. |
Broken_main
Member
Username: Broken_main
Post Number: 1561
Registered: 06-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 03, 2008 - 2:09 am: | |
My first Jazz Fest in a great while.. It was an extreme pleasure. the Missus doesn't like jazz that much but my lil one sure does. i was surprised to hear my wife say she liked it as well...My 2 year old was out here jammin to the beat. I found the High school jazz ensemble on Sunday to be very good at Campus Martius.
Mack Ave Records ha d great deal on CD's. Buy 1 for 15, 2 for 20 and they throw in the Mack Avenue Sampler AND a 2 disc Mack Avenue...The Legacy lives on(2 disc set. That was the best deal of the day, by far. 4 CD's for 20 bucks..WOW!!
I can not wait to see what they have in store for next years festival...seing how it will be Detroit's 30th. It should be huge |