Jazz

This past weekend the Prescott Jazz Summit kept aficionados of the form content for three days. I stopped downtown to visit with an old friend, Joel Goldenthal, who is the executive director of Jazz in Az. He performs as Joel Robin and has played piano behind many newcomers who have become stalwarts. I reminded him that I had seen Margo and Francine Reed perform for probably the first time in Arizona. It was at a big outdoor jazz festival at the Town and Country Shopping Center in Phoenix. The Reeds had just moved to Phoenix from Chicago and came out of the audience in blue jean cutoffs to perform with the Armand Boatman band. They tore the place up! Joel said "that was my first gig in the Valley, too!"

Later he said he met Timothy Johnson, who opened Timothy's Restaurant. Johnson asked Joel what he thought about bringing in some live music. Joel, always looking for gigs, brought in Francine Reed and the place became a reknowned jazz club. Francine, incidentally, is more commonly known these days for performing with Lyle Lovett's band.

I didn't get to hear much of the jazz this weekend but what I heard was spectacular. Mike Vax, who fronted the Stan Kenton bend for years, did a great job in putting it together and bringing in some great artists. Toni Tennille was the headliner but Margo and Blaise Lantana and Joel's wife Delphine Cortez and Dennis Rowland were on hand for the festival, as well as a number of very talented musicians. The BRD and her Beau took in one of the final sessions at the Hassayampa Hotel and she said the jazz was fabulous.

Next year I may have to shell out the money to attend myself.

Building update

It's been awhile so I figured it was time for yet another look at the new Prescott Valley Library building.

The brand new building, which will also hold classrooms for Yavapai College East, is due to have its grand opening on October 10th.

Down the way a bit is this fenced-in construction project going on in the Entertainment District. Looks to be a huge building. What can it be?

Ah! Yet another place to enjoy a burger. Fuddruckers also is due to open in the fall.

And I don't have a photo but the Hobby Lobby opened a large store this week and a new Chase Bank is nearing completion.

Arizona Beach Party!

Now this may seem pretty strange. Scheduling a Beach Party in central Arizona, far from lake or seashore. But never put Prescott Valley down. This one, in the heart of the Entertainment District, is the 4th annual!

So, the first thing you need for a beach party is a beach, in this case created by a number of loads of sand dumped in a parking lot.

From there on, it's whatever you can find. In this day and age, huge inflatable toys seem to be a favorite of the youngsters.

But it's not all for kids. Look what I found.

One thing we do have plenty of for a beach party - heat. More imagination and some water features help cool the mind, at least. This is a miniature golf course.

And there is a radio-controlled boat in a small pool of water.

Of course you could take to the air in one of these RC-control airplanes.

Getting back to the adults, there's also an RV show on site for dreamers.

There were some classic cars on hand too, including this Dodge Hemi.

Seems like that big air scoop would hamper the driver's vision but maybe he just brings it from show to show on a trailer.

At any rate . . . a pretty good beach party.

And that's jazz!

This is a big weekend for jazz aficionados in Prescott. It's the annual Jazz Summit, three days of performances by a number of jazz artists. Today at noon the BRD and I took in the first event - a free performance by a number of the artists at the Courthouse Square.

There was a tune from one of the headliners of the event - noted vocalist Toni Tennille, currently a Prescott resident.

And Prescott's mayor Jack Wilson (at least for a few more days) got into the act showing off his fairly accomplished dancing with a couple of partners.

It was a warm day but under the trees on the square, just a perfect excuse to kick off one's shoes and wriggle your toes in the cool green grass.

HEY!

...er...make that HAY!

The Prescott Way

Hey, where the angry, raging multitudes?

When Wal-Mart, and then Lowe's, and before them the Gateway Mall, were being built, there was such outrage from the local citizenry about how the mountains were being "scalped" that it even forced a result in a mayoral election. But the same thing is happening again, on the north side of town, and I've heard or read nothing of similar dudgeon. So let me be the one to call it to attention and let the firebrands rage on. This is Centerpoint West, alongside Highway 89-A.

Pretty, isn't it?

Bloggery

Don't be confused. That title has nothing to do with buggery. It is simply a nasty little word that describes . . though not well . . what we bloggers are doing.

As I have noted on other occasions the black dog of depression about this practice does roll around from time to time. One grows weary of trying to come up with something original or inspirational or funny or whatever every damned day. If you're like me, you take small vacations from bloggery to rest and refill the mind.

But why am I trying to explain this malady when a lady of extreme talent has just done it for me. I refer, of course, to the legendary Lucy Kempton of Brittany. Read her thoughts here.

You'll enjoy it. She's a treasure.