All That Jazz (excerpt from chapter 20)

We all have preconceptions about certain unknowns and lack of understanding in the world of music, art and literature. Pure jazz to me, had a dullness, maybe even an intellectual air that made me a bit apprehensive. Like so many baby boomers, I was raised on rock n' roll and the Elkhart Jazz Festival would surely be just a passing experience, not a lasting one. Never assume, open your ears, came this other voice from inside.

We didn't know what to expect when we entered downtown Elkhart on a Friday evening in June. Several theatres, an art museum, a Knights of Columbus hall and five other venues were hosting a wide range of jazz performances. There was classic jazz, swing, be-bop, blues, Diexieland, fusion and more from dozens of artists, many from the Chicago area. I didn't know where to start. Most attendees were dressed formally for this event and we were in blue jeans. Yet, my wife and I were about to spend a weekend immersed in a world of jazz.

By Monday morning, I had all kinds of new music in my head. I remembered Joan Collaso, with her silky blues voice, and an excellent guitarist named Phil Upchurch. There was a group call Steve Reid's Bamboo Forest who played spacey Pink Floyd-type music fused with jazz. There was Latin Jazz from a group called the Afro-rican Ensemble. It was difficult to leave one great set and move to another that was totally different, but all of it was a form of jazz played by brilliant musicians. I was hooked.