Since my departure from New York City I haven't really gotten nostalgic all that often. That is until last night standing in a small Helsinki club called Dubrovnik. Packed full of jazz enthusiasts (of all ages) to enjoy an incredible evening featuring the best of old and new school jazz musicians Finland had to offer. The concert featured keyboard great Olli Ahvenlahti and his band performing material from his 1976 album “The Poet”, the Verneri Pohjola - Joonas Riippa Quartet playing cuts off of drummer Christian Schwindt’s rare 1965 release “For Friends and Relatives”, and a release from pianist-composer Heikki Sarmanto’s Jazz Workshop ensemble’s live album “Jyväskylä 1969”.It really took me back to the days of NYC when we would all roll out to either Fat Cat or Smalls in the West Village. Just listening to amazing live jazz for hours, while drinks flowed as freely as the conversations.
Hey Michael,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your card... made me smile. I get a kick reading your blog b/c I have you forever stuck in my head as a green-haired, excessively pierced, punk listening kid who made my college experience extra interesting. What's all this about jazz and exercise? And do you mean to tell me you don't drink a 6 pack of PBR or a nice cool 40 of O.E. after a day at the office?
Be good,
Beth