All That Jazzed

What’s on your list of favorite things? On my list you’ll find jazz. A goal to fill life with my favorite things in 2014 became my 2016 goal to attend as many jazz festivals as possible.

The Heinekens Ventana de Jazz in the tropical splendor of Condado on the last Sunday of the month provided my jazz staple this year. The San Juan Jazz Fest in the Tito Puntes Stadium and the French Quarter Fest in New Orleans spiked spring with quality music. In June the monthly Heinekens Ventana de Jazz moved to Old San Juan, another beautiful spot by the ocean.

90.3 fm, el capital de jazz, my favorite jazz radio station en el Caribbe hosted a festival in Rincon, the island surfing capital. If you want to hang in a hip tropical isle town, Rincon will get the how cool is that juices flowing.

Brenda Hopkins Jazz Band held me captive in Rincon. For a woman to lead a band full of men, I find unusual; don’t you?

How does a woman, the key board player, lead a half a dozen young buck musicians? Heart and soul, she out plays, while honoring her teammates’ talent; the girl’s got class. Meeting women like that is truly one of my favorite things.

Ta-dum, drum roll, please, the oldest, the biggest, the best jazz fest in the Caribbean happens in November, the Dominican Jazz Fest, Nov 8^th-12^th and I’m going with a friend.