Jazz Festival

The Pavilion at Denver's City Park last weekend

Last weekend’s concert of City Park Jazz Festival ended the 2016 season of ten free to-the-public Sunday night concerts. I was pleased to have attended all ten performances. The weather has run from hot to chilly, from so dry as to parch one’s lips to dripping rain ( although we never did get an all-out rainfall this year as I recall it.)

The variety of bands met the usual high standard and this music was several times supplemented by short concerts from local high school jazz groups before the scheduled concert began.

Beautiful cloud formations add to the park's atmosphere.

I have again been reminded that music has permeated my family life. Dad was a church musician and played jazz standards with great style. He had played in a band that performed at a local hotel almost every Saturday night. On their off nights they would drive to other towns in Kansas to perform. Of course he would be at church early the next morning to play for Sunday school or a service. I grew up knowing hymns, anthems, service music, and jazz. Although I gave up my own work in music some years ago, I have replaced that with listening to lots of live music—mostly jazz—here in Denver. What a life in retirement! And sometimes I still hear a choral concert or symphony orchestra.

Long live music, and may I never lose my hearing!

Denver, 2016