| Patti Austin @ The Salt Lake City International Jazz Festival 7/8/06 |
| This was the second year in a row we've attended the Salt Lake International Jazz Festival. Last year we were motivated to attend because one of my childhood idols, Freddie Hubbard was performing. It was a great experience, so when I saw that Patti Austin was going to be performing a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald (another of my childhood musical idols), we decided we would attend again this year. This year was a bit different because we had the kids in tow. This event is actually quite conducive to bringing the whole family. The festival is held at Washington Square (the old city/county building) in the heart of downtown. The grounds are spread out nicely with two different stage areas, various retail and promotional booths, as well as food/drink vending areas. When mixed with good musical performances and perfect weather (as was the case both this year and last), the Salt Lake International Jazz Festival can be a real highlight of summer activities. Despite the large crowds we were able to park in a prime spot just across the street from the main festival entrance. We arrived with about 30 or 40 minutes before the Patti Austin performance, so we spent some time wandering through the various booths. The kids were having a good time checking out the art and "treat" booths. As the time neared for Patti Austin to take to the main stage, I secured a large table and chairs at the back of the large crowd. My timing was perfect. If I had waited another 30 seconds we would have had no comfortable options for watching the show, because people were just starting to scramble for the remaining chairs and spaces. I went and bought a couple of beers for Tee and I, and by the time I had sat down and taken my first sip Patti Austin was taking the stage. The performance was great, with Patti singing several of my favorite Ella Fitzgerald songs right in a row. She sounded great, was having a great time, and the crowd responded in turn. The kids were a handful. They were much more interested in running around, talking to people, and seeking "more treats" than sitting at our table and listening to the music. After only about 45 minutes they had become too much to handle, and we were no longer enjoying ourselves. While Patti Austin was perhaps only about half way through her performance, we had little choice but to cut our losses and call it a day. Despite the early exist we did have a good time once again this year and hope that another great talent will tempt us down to the festival next year; sans enfants. |
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