Monday, January 21, 2013

MLK Day 1: SFJAZZ Center Opening



The back of the crumbling San Francisco School Board building on Franklin Street was newly decorated this morning with large photos of jazz figures...



...just in time for the Grand Opening of the SFJAZZ Center across the street on Martin Luther King, Jr. morning.



Fell Street was blocked between Franklin and Gough, and a New Orleans style band was playing in the middle of the crowd with a few dancers to liven up the proceedings.



This was followed by a performance of two movements from The Heavens: The Atheist Gospel Trombone Album, composed and conducted by the San Francisco born, New York City based trombonist Jacob Garchik above.



There were horns playing from balconies on every floor of the new SFJAZZ Center...



...along with a quartet on the street led by Garchik himself.



The performance, which sounded a bit like Henry Brant's spatial music, was amazing, and Tony Hurd captured one of the movements on his phone (click here, and note the steady hands).



Everyone was enchanted, including the girl above.

1 comment:

sfwillie said...

Hi Mike, Any idea how this connects with the Fillmore Jazz District initiative?

Rather than seeking government support, the jazz community might ask themselves why their product is so commercially non-viable.