My first gig at Mayfair this year was at the Kids’ Stage during their school days promotion. It was free admission for lots of school groups, so the place was hopping with students. I followed Moe Jerant’s drum jam and it was a pleasure to see another teaching artist guide the audience through various rhythm excursions, all done with great control and technique. It’s a shared craft, working with kids.
I set up and started with a relatively sparse audience, though with some grandparents, parents and kids settling in. We proceeded with my material, engaging the kids and parents, encouraging kids to pick up instruments and play.
The sound guys were really having a good time, and it was cool that they understood the various levels I was working on: good musicianship, attention to the kids on hand, as well as asides to the adults in the audience. I take pride in being able to entertain those at hand, and that includes the sound guys who have the long and tedious task of running sound for four days in a row.
Off to Calypso for the second gig of the day.