Jazz Groupies?

Tanya Flanagan and Temako Roque

Two weeks ago was the Las Vegas Jazz Festival at the JW Marriott Resort & Spa. My mother had talked about going for weeks and since I consider myself a fan of jazz (all types of jazz) I decided I would go too and meet up with our sorority sister Tanya and her niece Temako. Plus, I was curious about the venue and how it would pull off a concert with limited space. It was tiny. It had a few vendor booths where I purchased a really cool huge butterfly necklace and tried on some big round black glasses which got a resounding “No!” from my 17-year-old niece Jassie when I text her asking if she liked them on me.

It was a three-day festival, but we decided to go on the last day and thank goodness we did because I don’t think I would have lasted for more than one day in that heat.  It started at 12:30 p.m. and ended at 8:30 p.m. We arrived around 2:30 p.m. and spent the day listening to Sax Pack, The Rippingtons, Eric Darius and Larry Braggs and finally Will Downing to close out the day. I have to say, I was completely caught off guard by the jazz groupies. It has been many years since I cared if I was in the front row at a concert because I had a crush on the artist, plus this is jazz and there are no back up dancers or elaborate stage sets to look at to keep you entertained; and the women didn’t care. They were in full effect in miniskirts, stilettos, biker shorts, and skin-tight jeans ready to pounce… and I couldn’t get enough people watching.

At one point, a musician, a saxophonist, went into the crowd and was mobbed as if he was Prince. It was hilarious. I was waiting for a security detail to start pushing people back. Needless to say it was a good grown up time.

Next up for Vegas:

• Flautist and urban jazz saxophonist Najee inside The Railhead at Boulder Station Hotel & Casino on Friday, October 5 at 8 p.m.
• Pianist Vernell Brown Jr.  at The Village Lake Las Vegas on Saturday, October 6 at 7 p.m.
• Smooth jazz singer/songwriter Michael Franks inside the Access Showroom at Aliante Station Casino + Hotel on Friday, October 19 at 8 p.m.
• Jazz fusion Hiroshima inside the Chrome Showroom at Santa Fe Station Hotel & Casino on Saturday, October 27 at 8 p.m.
• Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour 2012 (David Benoit, winner of NBC’s The Voice Javier Colon, Sheila E., and Margo Rey) at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, December 18 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available now.

 

Thank you for reading.

Adrienne xo