I write mostly about the Brattleboro arts scene. It's my job, and it's something I care very deeply about. But my real passion is my family, and that often keeps me at home, instead of at an arts event or concert.
Sometimes, however, my worlds of family and art intersect, and that can be beautiful. Last week, I took my 7-year-old daughter to jazz night at Gillies. I'm not sure how it happened, except that I wanted to go see Eugene Uman in his return the area, playing with Howard Brofsky, and I think my daughter was just curious. Well, it turns out she had a blast, so much so that we went again last night to hear Howard playing with guitarist Draa Hobbs.
It was fun to see that my daughter got all dressed up, complete with gold-spangled purse, and I know she had a blast again. How do I know? I could tell by the way she was singing in the shower after we got home.
I'm under no delusions that my daughter loves jazz. I think the things she likes about going to Gillies on Tuesdays are: 1) The people — my daughter worked the room like an old pro, going from table to table, saying hi to the people she met last week and twirling in her dress; Leah Stuart, a regular there, who often sits and sketches the musicians while she's listening to the music, took the time to sketch my daughter ... what a treat! 2) The chance to eat dinner and have ice cream out ... and way past bedtime 3) Feeling so grown up 4) Spending time solo with dad. These may not be in the right order, but they're close.
I think the jazz itself comes after that, but that's OK. She does listen to the music; she tells me which songs she likes; she's amused that in jazz, you can clap in the middle of a song if you liked the solo; and she got up and danced to a couple of numbers.
Jazz was something my dad shared with me, and I felt like I was being let into his world when we listened to it together. I still feel a connection. Who knows what my daughter will think of the music as she grows up, but I'm glad to share my world with her. That's the pleasure I got.
I think Howard Brofsky knows what I'm talking about. His daughter, Natasha, who just happens to be an accomplished cellist up to spend time at the Yellow Barn Music Festival with the Peabody Trio, was in attendance Tuesday, along with two daughters. I don't know what Howard's grandkids thought of the music, but I know Howard was proud to have them all there. His smile, and the fact that he was playing particularly well gave him away.