Jazz It Up...

About this time for many years La Crosse was fortunate enough to host a Great River Jazz Festival. Bands and performers came from all over the world to play, participate in workshops and of course perform for audiences. They filled venues all across the city. It was sometimes difficult deciding where to go to listen.

Due to the rising expense and decreasing attendance, unfortunately the festival is no longer. But luckily remnants of the festival still exist for the last 2 years.

This past Saturday night we journeyed downtown for some music and were treated to the big band sound by 2 bands.

One group , the Coulee Jazz All Stars, was started by a local high school band director. He now teaches university students music but he continued this summer workshop for area high school graduates and his members are great young musicians. His motto is 3 classes, 3 gigs. The members were recommended by their high school band directors and these kids are good.  What we heard was terrific!

The first group to play are known as Grumpy Old Men (plus 1 since now they  actually have one female member.)  Yep they all had white hair. Lots of great entertainment years in that group.

The restaurant venue really wasn't the best for their big sound and since we couldn't visit with friends we didn't stay until both performances ended.  I am not going to complain that we don't have hearing aids to turn down. It was a pleasant evening for a little walk and sitting to listen to some folk singers riverside...

You know you can't find Grumpy Old Men in the End of the Rainbow Valley so it sure was a nice last minute escape on a Saturday night.