Last night I had the good fortune to attend a concert by Barbara Dennerlein and Dr. Lonnie Smith, Jazz organ players, at San Francisco's Herbst Theater. What a treat! I never followed Jazz, nor really understood what it is, but I was treated to the concert by a client of mine. I met this client when I travelled to Europe with the Rising Sun Institute of Spiritual Cooking, and heard Barbara Dennerlein playing in her home town of Munich. It was at this great night club called Unterfahrt on Einsteinstraße, which I believe means Einstein Street. Well, she is a genius, so the club was aptly located.
Last night we sat in the front row, so even though it was a large theater, it was even more intimate than the smoky German club. The musicians' feet were slightly below eye level, and I watched Barbara's left foot playing what was later explained to me as the bass melodies while the tapping feet of the drummer and guitarist danced in front of my eyes. In fact, because of the way her organ was situated, I could not see Ms Dennerlein's hands, but I enjoyed watching the raising of her shoulders in expression of the music, and her frequent eye contact with the other musicians. She was gracious and funny, telling nice anecdotes between each song.
After intermission, Dr. Lonnie Smith came out with a drummer named Jamire Williams and a Guitarist named Jonathan Kreisberg. Their music transported me into a new world of experience! At moments I found myself moving to the music, animated by a force outside myself. It was a little embarrassing, but I reasoned that no one in the audience behind me was noticed what I was doing while they, too, were caught up in that stream of sound pouring off the stage.
I slept really well last night, and today I felt great as I went on my morning jog.
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