[Dixielandjazz] The Moodus Turnaround - By Ed Metz Sr.

[Steve barbone]

For those who get the Mississippi Rag, you've seen Ed's wonderful article
about the Greater Connecticut Jazz Festival and how a dedicated group of new
people rescued this OKOM festival from myriad problems resulting from poor
management by the prior group over the past several years.

Way to go. Certainly good news since many Easterners thought this festival
was about ready to fold. Thanks Ed, for a great article.

Thanks also for including a write up about my favorite little jazz kid:
(for those on the list who do not subscribe to Mississippi Rag)

"Not to be overlooked was the rising star, a 10 year old New York Jazz
violinist named Jonathan Russell, who appeared in five sets with four
different bands, totally captivating his audiences. Meeting him for the
first time, I was taken with charisma that is already so much in evidence.
While I wanted to talk with him, he was intent on demonstrating some of his
new magic tricks. To him, music was something that happened on stage and
magic was something that happened back stage. As his audiences will
certainly agree, magic also occurs on stage with Jonathan Russell."

Note: Those magic tricks were taught to Jonathan by list mate Jerry Gordon
earlier during the festival.

Way to go "J". Looks like all that practice and all that work with Andy
Stein, Marc O'Conner, Ed Polcer, and all those bands you have played with
during the past several years is beginning to get you a "rep". :-) VBG

Cheers,
Steve