Monday, May 9, 2022

Mobile, Alabama: A Bloom of Jazz and Beauty and Our Gregarious Souls Together Again

 

 

Mother's Day Jazz at Washington Square Park, Mobile, Alabama. May 2022. Credit: Mzuriana.
Mother's Day Jazz at Washington Square Park, Mobile, Alabama. May 2022. Credit: Mzuriana.

As we emerge from COVID's long winter, outdoor music gatherings bloom. Their return - reunion - communion - brings tears. 

Mobile's lovely Washington Square Park was the site of a joyful jazz celebration of Mother's Day. The Excelsior Band opened, followed by the Mobile Big Band Society

The park is in my neighborhood. Based on a couple of recent experiences, I presumed that "Mobile Time" was similar to "El Paso" time or "Border Time" or "Caucasus Georgia Time." 

So I ambled down a few minutes after the 3:00 p.m. start time of this Mother's Day event. 

On the contrary! Not only were there already lots of folks at the park, but there were tables and chairs with white tablecloths set up! Other tables, with Easter-y colored tablecloths! Garden chairs, lawn chairs, beach chairs, and blankets. 

 

Mother's Day Jazz at Washington Square Park, Mobile, Alabama. May 2022. Credit: Mzuriana.
Mother's Day Jazz at Washington Square Park, Mobile, Alabama. May 2022. Credit: Mzuriana.

Bottles of wine and other adult beverages cooling in chiller containers. Cut fruit. Crudites. Pretty hats. Pastel blouses and summer dresses and bermuda shorts. Sun hats and fedoras and Derby Day-type confectionary hats.

Mobile knows its festival-in-style shit. 

Mother's Day Jazz at Washington Square Park, Mobile, Alabama. May 2022. Credit: Mzuriana.
Mother's Day Jazz at Washington Square Park, Mobile, Alabama. May 2022. Credit: Mzuriana.

 

The best al fresco dining "room" arrangement was next to where I plopped my chair. The designer even attached a floral chandelier to a branch that extended above the table. She told me she used a Mardi Gras hula hoop, attached Spanish moss to the perimeter, spray-painted that gold, then added artificial flowers. 

Maytime dining "room" at the park for Mother's Day Jazz. Washington Square Park, Mobile, Alabama. Credit: Mzuriana.
May-time dining "room" at the park for Mother's Day Jazz. Washington Square Park, Mobile, Alabama. Credit: Mzuriana.

And the music - that ol' jazz brain massage. A taste here



The bouncy vigor of the Mobile Big Band Society's double bass player reminded me of Sorry About Your Sister at the Bad Ass Mountain Music Festival in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. And the energy of the double bass player in the Juarez border band, Viva Las Vegas, at the Fountains' summer music series.

 

 

Mother's Day Jazz at Washington Square Park, Mobile, Alabama. May 2022. Credit: Mzuriana.
Mother's Day Jazz at Washington Square Park, Mobile, Alabama. May 2022. Credit: Mzuriana.


Mother's Day Jazz at Washington Square Park, Mobile, Alabama. May 2022. Credit: Mzuriana.
Mother's Day Jazz at Washington Square Park, Mobile, Alabama. May 2022. Credit: Mzuriana.

 A slide show of Washington Square Park, which includes the Mother's Day Jazz: 

Mobile: Washington Square Park


 How heartening the day.

2 comments:

Kathryn Sims said...

Hello. The photo of the mother and son is my daughter and grandson. Is there a way to get a copy?

Mzuri said...

If you feel comfortable leaving me your email address here or at the flickr site, I'd be delighted to send you a copy!