10/02/2004

My First Jazz Concert in North Carolina

 

Above is the fanart, of Acheron I drew from Sarah Ellerton’s Inverloch! (the link is at the bottom of the rant) Inverloch gotta be one of the most beautiful web-comics I have ever read, and truth told I am really hooked on it, I can’t wait for Wednesday to come where she will upload several pages of the story! Please take a look at her marvellous work, worthy of any publishing house.

Giles had probably enjoyed our company so much during the North Carolina Symphony event that he decided to have all of us out again! This time he bought tickets for a Jazz concert! The jazz player is none other than the up and coming Jazz sensation Peter Cincotti, who is not only very young (only 20 years old) but also a very intelligent student at Columbia University, New York.

I am fond of Jazz, but never to the extent of my best pal w’Note, he practically worships Jazz! The moment Giles told us that it was a Jazz concert, I immediately wished w’Note was here to experience his favourite genre of music being played live. Together with us, was Mat, who is French. “Mat” is not his real name, but his name was so HARD to pronounce, and noting that my French is terrible, he told us that it is sufficient to just call him “Mat”. Mat, I must add, is unlike any typical French guy – he is not culturally snobbish, and is very receptive towards other cultures. He is so friendly, and he totally changed my perception of France and the French.

The concert was to be held in Meymandi Hall again, and before we went there, we went to Mellow Mushrooms, a very famous pizza joint, which sells one of the best pizzas in Raleigh. On the way, Giles shared his thoughts over the Yankees and of New York as a whole. The general view is unanimous: the Yankees are a bunch of self-righteous snobs, the Americans at the South are generally friendlier than the people in the city. This goes for the Parisians as well, Mat added…

To experience, jazz live was one of a kind experience. Peter Cinotti, surpassed all expectations with his jazzing up of the piano. My eyes were fixed on his hands the whole while. His fingers moved so fast, that I could hardly keep up with the action! And it sounds so beautiful with the live jazz band and the orchestra behind adding grandeur to the songs he composed. I enjoyed the entire jazz performance immensely, all the more heightened by the fact that he is only 20 years old, and is still a University student.

His album was on sale on the foyer of the theatre and initially I hesitated on buying the album, for it kinda cost US$20. But I was driven to buy the CD after hearing him play and sing. What’s better was that he was to autograph his CD. So, I bought the CD and got Su Li to get his autograph from him. Su Li was thrilled, for she found Peter Cincotti so handsome (okay, he was very good-looking, I think) and she even managed to get a photograph taken with him. She was utterly grinning from ear to ear when she posed with him. Yup, every young girl’s dream come true, and I’m like her fairy godfather who gave her the chance to fulfil her dreams! And this is also for you w’Note, can’t wait to share the CD with you!

After the outstanding concert, we went downtown Raleigh for some coffee at Helios Coffee, supposedly the best coffee in Raleigh. And I can testify that, the coffee tastes richer and stronger than what Starbucks can churn out. But we don’t exactly have a Helios Coffee in Chapel Hill, so I guess I gotta rely on Starbucks for my daily fix of coffee.

Once again, THANK YOU GILES! For the great opportunity!

 

Wataru

 

Link of the month: