It’s dark in New York. Daylight seems to get swallowed up every day.
What to do?
Moving away isn’t an option, and reassurances that we will make it to April seem very thin comfort. Were I a bear or a squirrel, I could drown my sorrows by stuffing myself with acorns and go hibernate. But acorns give me indigestion and my college frowns on professors staying home for four months.
The only thing I can do is a jubilant nose-thumbing at winter. I’ve paid for a seat at a hot jazz extravaganza for March 2011 — DIXIELAND MONTEREY — JAZZ BASH BY THE BAY. That’s in California, by the way. (Look at the bright yellow of the Bash logo — that’s much better than a full-spectrum light, isn’t it?)
Dixieland Monterey will take place March 4-6, and will be held at the Portola Hotel and Spa, the Monterey Conference Center and Fisherman’s Wharf. The Monterey waterfront, I’ve been told, is lovely — and this Bash has been presenting “Dixieland, Big Band, Swing, Ragtime, Blues, and Gypsy Jazz” for more than thirty years. In addition to the sets by a wide variety of bands, there will be a Swing Dance Party, three afternoon Banjo Jubilees, and a Dance Marathon.
“Well, Michael, who’s going to be there?” I can hear my loyal readership clamoring — on two and four, of course.
How about this list?
- Big Mama Sue Quartet
- Blue Street Jazz Band
- Carl Sonny Leyland Trio
- Clint Baker’s New Orleans Jazz Band
- Cocuzzi All Star Quintet
- Cornet Chop Suey
- Crown Syncopators
- High Sierra Jazz Band
- Ivory and Gold
- Le Jazz Hot
- Rebecca Kilgore Quartet
- The Reynolds Brothers
- Royal Society Jazz Orchestra
- Steve Lucky & the Rhumba Bums
- Sweet Thursday Jazz Band
- Titan Hot Seven
- Tom Rigney & Flambeau
- Yve Evans and Company
- 101st Army Dixieland Band
- Bob Draga
- Dawn Lambeth
And the website notes that reduced prices will be in effect until the end of 2010. Better to go to a jazz party than curse the darkness. I forget: did Eleanor Roosevelt say that or was it Zutty Singleton?
For more information, check out http://www.dixieland-monterey.com/. I now have some fun to look forward to . . . it will keep me more cheerful through the darkest days of winter.
