All That Jazz?

Or as usual, "All what jazz?" The Festival that is neither very jazzy nor does it take place solely on Jozenji Street may soon have to no longer call itself the Sendai Jozenji Street Jazz Festival and just call itself a Sendai Music Fest. I heard smatterings of jazz, mainly in the most crowded areas where you couldn't see a thing but could here some jazziness happening.

I also think there were fewer venues this year than previously and numbers seemed to be down as well, even when it wasn't pissing down rain. This covers Saturday from Sendai station to Jozenji and beyond.

A sextet of sexy sirens singing standards.

A koto or biwa or whatever. They may have been good, I didn't stick around to listen.

Another act I didn't stick around to hear were these youngsters doing some hippity hoppity a cappella style.

It's time for my annual sadou joke. All I wanted was a cup of tea and they had to go and make a whole ceremony out of it.

A cordial accordion according to a crowd.

Yawn.

Intriguing instrument, I think it might have been an ocarina.

After 40 minutes of walking, I finally reached Jozenji and heard an actual jazzy tune. And then they stopped.

 These guys played some Stevie Wonderful and the drummer had a nice voice.

The only act I caught on the main stage was some big band by what might have been some high schoolers.

A nice trio playing mellow tunes.

Yay. This guy belted out some sweet Bluesy Blues.

Old time Rock 'n Roll at the Coca Cola stage. That gal had an amazing afro, though I suspect it might have been a wig.

 Another Blues band. The rocks behind them are some of the best seats in Sendai.

I wandered up the street to the adjacent park and caught this gal's entire set. Nice voice singing some newish tunes. Goes by the handle, Mani-Mani and liked my joke when I rubbed my hands together and said, "Money, money, money, money." I suspect it was not the first time she'd heard that.

Last year this spot was a bunch of college students playing Bluegrass music. They aged quickly.

After that, I went to Sasebo for an avocado burger and with hopes of charging my phone. No such luck, my phone was almost dead and it started raining hard so I caught a bus home. Halfway there, the rain stopped and the sun came back out! I enjoyed myself but didn't run into a single person that I knew. I hate it when I have no one to whom I can make my sarcastic jokes

A report on Sunday tomorrow!