blown away

Last weekend's Hyde Park Jazz Festival really blew me away. The quality of the acts, the organization and preparation that went into presenting the festival and the quality and variety of venues was all superb. I didn't get to stay as long as I would have liked, but I got to enjoy Bethany Pickens at Little Black Pearl, Nicole Mitchell Quartet at the Smart Museum of Art, and Robert Irving III, also at the Smart Museum. I wasn't able to stay for Dee Alexander's show at Rockefeller Chapel, but I enjoyed seeing her earlier in the week at Jazz Showcase, where she currently has a Tuesday night gig. I'll look forward to next year's event.