It's blissful to listen to the Jazz in a breeze with a bunch of lady friends on Dashu (major heat, the 12th of 24 solar terms) evening in Taipei. That's how golden ladies Toastmasters spent a starry evening under a tree at the open concert at Daan Forest Park Sunday, July 22nd.
Six of us met for an early dinner at 5PM at the famous East Milano Hot Pot at the corner of the Daan Park. Even though a hot pot in the summer was not much of an attraction, the 20% discount of the summer sale was the reward. When we left the shop, people were waiting in line to get in! Chinese people like hot food regardless of the weather!
It was an evening of International Jazz Masters' rendezvous and Jazz Marathon from 3PM till midnight! I was at the Jazz Parade yesterday afternoon and I was at the Marathon before dinner today. I like the way the jazz masters worked together to showcase different combinations of the musical instruments. It was both educational and entertaining. But I also found them eager to promote their CDs to the audience. It was a pity that I didn't hear any familiar jazz music to the ears! It's probably all about the IPR.
To be honest, I was not fond of Jazz at the beginning when I was a graduate student at LSU Medical Center in the late 70's, I was more interested in the drinks and people at the Jazz bars in French Quarter. As times go by, I am a jazz fan now. I guess music is like any form of art, it takes time to build the connections. The improv music of jazz is natural, spontaneous, and full of freedom. That's is how I like it so much! Maybe one day I can be a jazz singer to swing my body in the spotlight while blending my voice with the accompanying musicians on stage! That'll be very cool.
Toastmaster Kate Hsu joined us later with a bag of gifts from Russia. She and Gina bought cute ceramic bells with heavily bearded Russian fighters on the horses during their recent trip to Kremlin. In addition, Kate wrote a poem for us to attach to the bell as a wind chime to be played by the wind.
珠環腕戴倚窗前 鈴聲嫋嫋似呢喃 夕陽斜照案上龜 倦鳥歸巢樹林間
It felt good to snuggle with old friends with the jazz in the air. Talking about reincarnations, I wonder if we were close in our previous lives. Maybe we were Amazon warriors in Greek history. Maybe we were concubines of Xiang Yu, Hegemon-King of Western Chu in Chinese history. No matter in what way we were connected in the old times, it is nice we meet again in this life!I didn't walk away with a few old familiar Jazz melodies by Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and many famous jazz singers at the concert. But I shall dance to "What a Wonderful World" and "Hello Dolly" with my goldies friends in the evening wind in the summer of 2012 in my dream!
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