I caught more of it on the radio than in person, but the Rosslyn Jazz festival last Saturday 9 September was definitely a draw. Gateway Park, barely large enough to be called a park, was filled to capacity. (Hint: we need more public space and parkland in this town…) Performers included Hiromi, The Larry Coryell, Victor Bailey & Lenny White Trio, Vanessa Rubin, and Nicholas Payton.
A couple thoughts came to mind as I was sitting in the little plot of mulch I could find. I’m not sure I can explain why, but jazz festivals seem to draw a consistently diverse crowd. One could tell there were people from many cultures and walks of life there — not just the usual yuppie crowd that seems to dominate most other Arlington events. I know that jazz is uniquely American and is enjoyed overseas, but it’s like it some sort of glue music that ties all sorts of different music and cultures together: classical european roots, african beats, latin rhythms, and even some asian influence every once in a while.
The other thing on my mind was food — New-Orleans and southern style — big surprise, right? I saw person after person walk by with barbeque, slaw dogs, and no kidding, shrimp and grits. I try to be healthy, but I have such a weakness for southern food. I think it all started in college when I was introduced to the culture of grits and fried green tomatoes…
I tried to take some pictures, but it was so crowded that I couldn’t get access to the views I wanted. Plus I don’t have a telephoto lens yet, so capturing a shot of the performers in detail wasn’t an option. If anything the couple of pictures I could get illustrates the need for more free public performance space 
