I’m getting to like flying less and less — not anxiety, but the feeling of being too big for a plane seat — but I am delighted I made it to this year’s San Diego Jazz Fest. I had wonderful evidence that I’d made the right choice on Friday morning: this set featuring the delightful singer Dawn Lambeth, with Marc Caparone, cornet; Ray Skjelbred, piano, and later on a guest appearance by Jeff Hamilton, drums:
I have not yet mastered the art of smartphone photography, so that is my own wide-angle lens, bottom right, but it gives you some idea. The very first performance went right to my heart: Marc and Ray, in duet, performed Eddie Condon’s LIZA:
And for those of you (like me) who find this song entrancing in its sweet late-Twenties way, here are the lyrics, reproduced by modern technology from the irreplaceable book EDDIE CONDON’S SCRAPBOOK OF JAZZ, created by Eddie and Hank O’Neal:
I will be posting more video (subject to musicians’ approval) from the SDJF — the 39th, I believe — masterfully orchestrated by Paul Daspit and his many associates, chief among them the thoughtful percussionist Hal Smith. What a pleasure it was and is.
May your happiness increase!
JAZZ LIVES 