As I sit here listening to Seduction by Boney James, I am reminiscing about my fourth trip to the Seabreeze Jazz Festival. As usual, the lineup was fantastic, Boney James, Brian Culbertson, Eric Darius, and the list goes on and on. If you have never been, you need to put it on your bucket list. It was four full, fabulous days of 29 of the top jazz musicians and R&B artists in the world. Some of which performed so intensely, you could not stay seated in your chairs. Your body demanded that you move with the music. And as always, there is one artist that makes me fall deeply in love with their style, Damien Escobar. I had heard his music before, but his performance was intense. Yep, I was on my feet during most of his show. I would pay to see him again. All of the acts were great; one faltered a little bit. I won’t mention her name, but if you were there, you know what was up. I can only wish whatever she is dealing with; she can overcome.

So what’s up with the trash bags? It seems never to fail; rain wants to attend the show, too. And this year, it didn’t just rain, it was cold. But, my crew of jazz aficionados and I were prepared. Thought I would share some of the tricks. If you are sports fans or regular music fest folks, you probably have a set of tools you already use. But, these I find irreplaceable. Yep, trash bags, the large black or green ones. I say take three. Here’s what to do with them. Put one on the back of your chair. Tie it down. It got windy out there Sunday. The rain was blowing sideways. It wasn’t playing. Put the second bag on the seat of your chair. Yes, chair. At the jazz fest, we had chairs. It’s easier to rent than to lug, but you can carry a little canvas in a bag. It’s up to you. Don’t forget your blanket for the cooler nights and days. The rain and the chill will try to sneak in and try to disrupt your good time.

What do with the third bag? Well, this is key. Wrap your blanket around you, pull your poncho over your head and put your legs in the third bag. Yep. You are thoroughly covered and waterproof. Sit back, bounce in your seat, tell the rain and the chill that you are not paying them any attention. It’s all about the music and the beautiful energy that is so obvious throughout the crowd. I wish all venues were as peaceful and soothing as a jazz festival. Everybody there is just there to groove, relax to the sounds of the soulful instruments played by artists who put their entire soul into every note. You can almost see their spirits traveling around touching each and every one in the audience. There is nothing like it. This year marked the 20th Anniversary of the Seabreeze Jazz Festival. Kudos to the producers. My crew and I will be back next year. Rain, shine, or wind chill.