Comments on: What A Smile Can Mean Between Men http://heliolith.com/archives/2008/04/19/what-a-smile-can-mean-between-men/ The easiest way to avoid wrong notes is to never open your mouth and sing. What a mistake that would be. - Pete Seeger Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:54:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Sam http://heliolith.com/archives/2008/04/19/what-a-smile-can-mean-between-men/#comment-32317 Wed, 07 May 2008 00:32:10 +0000 http://heliolith.com/archives/2008/04/19/what-a-smile-can-mean-between-men/#comment-32317 I just got back from Jazz Fest in New Orleans. On Sunday, instead of going to see Santana, or the Raconteurs, or the Neville Brothers, I watched the local bands. Elysian Fieldz, who changed my world. Rebirth, who have been changing my world for years. A Tribute to Tuba Fats that confirmed my love of all thigns brass. At each of these shows I found myself standing in the very front, keeping company with family members of the bands, neighbors of the bands, members of a community that understands these bands in ways I couldn't understand. They literally share blood, experiences, and a New Orleans I will never know. The magic of Jazz Fest is that on that final Sunday of Jazz Fest 2008 they let me in, we were all of the same community as the music played. When the fairground closed we went our separate ways, averting our eyes as soon as we passed through the fairground gates, but for a brief moment I reveled in a brilliant openness of a different kind: the kind that only the sheer joy of shared music can bring. Thank you for writing this, it resonates. I just got back from Jazz Fest in New Orleans. On Sunday, instead of going to see Santana, or the Raconteurs, or the Neville Brothers, I watched the local bands. Elysian Fieldz, who changed my world. Rebirth, who have been changing my world for years. A Tribute to Tuba Fats that confirmed my love of all thigns brass. At each of these shows I found myself standing in the very front, keeping company with family members of the bands, neighbors of the bands, members of a community that understands these bands in ways I couldn’t understand. They literally share blood, experiences, and a New Orleans I will never know. The magic of Jazz Fest is that on that final Sunday of Jazz Fest 2008 they let me in, we were all of the same community as the music played. When the fairground closed we went our separate ways, averting our eyes as soon as we passed through the fairground gates, but for a brief moment I reveled in a brilliant openness of a different kind: the kind that only the sheer joy of shared music can bring.

Thank you for writing this, it resonates.

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