This week blew through like a tornado, both in speed and the devastation it left in its path.
The pessimist in me had my faith in humanity shaken by what happened Monday, but reading about the first responders, everyone who ran to help during the bombing, the SWAT and police who searched for Tsarnaev, and the resilience of the people of Boston reaffirms what Patton Oswalt wrote:
The good outnumber you, and we always will.
Another way to help Boston, which was not mentioned in the article I linked to yesterday, is The One Fund Boston set up by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino. Learn more at onefundboston.org.
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Before I wrap this week up, I have a Tri-C JazzFest giveaway winner to announce. After removing the pingbacks and putting the remaining entries into Random.org, that winner is…
Entry #8, Jim. Congratulations, you’ve won 2 tickets to next Thursday’s Lionel Loueke Trio concert! I will email you today to confirm.
The JazzFest opens tonight (4/19) with a FREE concert at PlayhouseSquare. Enjoy the music of Detroit’s Nadir & Distorted Soul inside the beautiful State Theatre lobby from 5-7pm. “We’re Going to Have a Funky Good Time” will feature happy hour drink specials throughout the event.
An eleven-time winner of the Detroit Music Award, Nadir’s latest album The Book of Jonah has been described as “a dirty, honest little funk ’n’ roll record recalling George Clinton, early Stevie Wonder and the MC5 in a big sonic soup…”
As a military son, Nadir was raised in Tennessee but traveled the world. This influence of gospel and Nashville songwriting traditions has been infused with his current home’s rich heritage of Motown, Rock, Hip-Hop and Electronic.
The result: music that throws away labels, weaving together progressive soul with indie rock, twenty-first century blues, new Detroit funk, and many other styles.
Tonight at 8pm – PlayhouseSquare
Afterwards, starting at 8pm, New Orleans’ Aaron Neville and Dr. John will present “a night of soul, stomp and swamp” in the State Theatre. Tickets for this concert range in price from $45-$65.
Other JazzFest happenings this weekend include:
- Robert Glasper Experiment (Saturday, 2 p.m., PlayhouseSquare)
- Kenny Garrett (Saturday, 4:30 p.m., PlayhouseSquare)
- Smooth Jazz All-Stars (Saturday, 8 p.m., PlayhouseSquare)
- Dex @ 90 (Sunday, 7 and 9 p.m., Nighttown)
You can check out the full festival schedule on Cleveland.com. And you can enter to win tickets to the May 4 Spanish Harlem Orchestra concert over at WhyCLE.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
