Saturday July 25th, 2009

3rd Annual International Jazz Festival on Bob-Lo Island.

The Bob-Lo Island Resort and Hi-Flu-tin music present International Bob-Lo Island Jazz Festival. 

Cool jazz

On a recent trip to Windsor, I became a jazz fool.

My brother-in-law invited my wife and me to help surprise his wife for an outing to Bob-Lo Island, where we attended the third annual Jazz Fest ‘09.

It was a day to bring your lawn chair, umbrella, sunscreen and sense of adventure. We all had a great time. We could have been rained out but somehow the clouds departed, and we had a great day while the rest of southern Ontario received showers of blessings.

My wife loves to watch people and I love to shoot them, if the opportunity presents itself. I watched an eight-year-old girl making her way from the sound booth towards the stage. Wires from control station (soundboard) made a centre aisle leading to the stage.

The beauty of digital camera is she was photographing the stage and using it to fill her photo. I started to ponder while the afternoon music filled the air. I read somewhere about creating an anchor in a photograph. I started thinking: take a close-up of a subject and use the stage as a backdrop.

All the bands were very impressive and unique. From Serieux, a Motown 50th  anniversary review; Four 80 East, smooth sound with rock solid rhythm and horns that blew; Peter White taking the audience on his memorable music journey, to Alexander Zonjic, an unbelievable flutist, complete with heart and soul and a band to boot. 

I took a few shots from behind the soundboard.

Serieux not only kicked butt with their visual performance, but they never left a chance for applause with their back-to-back music. One of the band’s singers came into the audience and people really responded. Pandemonium broke out.

Now I had perfect anchors.

Peter White took stage. A person in front was clapping hands above his hat. Hmmm . . . another anchor. A woman stood up, swaying to the music. Alexander Zonjic was the last band for me to see and my sister-in-law challenged me to get up and dance. I took her up on it, and while moving to the great sounds, I noticed the setting sun reflecting off the lead guitarist’s glasses. The song finished and once back in my chair, the compulsion in me grew to get up front and take some individual band shots because the lighting was unbelievable. Up close and personal.

With setting sun, the stage lights started to glow. I make noise on the drums but this drummer sizzled as he cracked those skins. With my right foot stomping to the music and my face glued into my camera, my anchors were the musicians and stage lights and the sky served as the backdrop.

It occurred to me while shooting a band. Who is greater: the performer or the listener? Great bands have great fans.

I handed my business card out to the subjects of most of my candid shots, and also posed a few willing people as we walked around the audience and wharf.

After leaving the ferry to Amherstburg, we could still hear Alex’s band playing. The music continued on into the night.

We live in a great country with great talent. Get out there!