A little jazz...

The 2nd Monday of every month at Steamers in downtown Fullerton a group of guys and my friend Shan perform. They call themselves Big Band 2000. Calling ahead of time for reservations is encouraged as they do pack you in like sardines. You may find yourself sharing a table with strangers. I love music. Most music. I especially love live music. Awhile back my friend told me she was singing with this group and invited me to come check it out. I did and loved it. I brought my dad with me the next time knowing he would love it which he did. It's a group of mostly old guys, there are a few younger ones but I don’t think anyone is under 35/40. The main guy chats in between songs and tells you stories. He also does a "Blast from the Past" portion where he gives you hints on what the song is and then they play it wanting you to guess. Last night was a version of "Something" by the Beatles. This is a group of guys who love to play. You can tell. They joke with each other, they know what they are doing and they are an extremely talented bunch of guys. Shan usually is called to sing a couple of times, usually 2 songs than 2 again later. They play two sets each night, the first one starting at 8pm. I usually only stay for the 1st set since it is a Monday night but for those night owls there is another one after that. They play jazz, big band and once in a while some oldies. My faves of Shan is when she sings Fever and All of Me. She's wonderful and charismatic and meant to be doing this. The crowd is all ages but a good amount are older folk. There are also the regulars that I see every time I go. They are adorable and remind me of my Papa. I wish I could bring my Papa to this actually because I know he would just love it. There is a regret. Why did I not know about this when my Papa was able to come out and enjoy it. These, among many others, are the reasons I don’t want to let life just pass me by. Last night was great night. I got there early, ordered my dinner and a glass of wine and waited for my dad and his wife to show. My friend T joined us after that. More food and booze were ordered and we settled in to watch the show. The bar filled instantly with the sound of brass drowning out anything else. People started bobbing their heads and tapping their feet. They always feature solos during the songs and as per usual the guys tear it up. I love watching the trombone, the sax players are so damn expression able, the drummer is perfectly on key, there is a fantastic pianist and of course Shan captivates the audience when she joins in. I adore this band. They are fun, talented and just makes you feel like you are back in the goldie oldie days listening to some jazz. I closed my eyes a few times and pictured myself in 1950 or something, in an old dark bar when life was slower and simpler. I wonder what it would have been like. Shan gets up for her 2nd set and pays a lovely tribute to me. I had requested she sing Fever a few days ago, but didn’t expect what she did. She pointed me out and told the crowd about my hemorrhage and that my body went to sleep for a while when I was bed ridden and how I came back and survived. She mentioned they almost lost me and she is so glad I was there and that Fever was for me. Everyone turned and looked to see who I was, my dad pointed me out and threw is arm around me in a tight hug. Tears welled up in my eyes. I smiled and blushed and gave a goofy wave. I'm constantly reminded how grateful I am to be here and I cherish each moment. I brought along camera as I'm trying to do much more now and tried to take low lighting shots. They aren’t the best, but I'm experimenting! If you find yourself looking for some great music in a great atmosphere then get yourself down to Steamers and check out Big Band 2000. They are a hoot and a talented one at that!