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Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Moscow ID

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Home Inspector with Safe@Home Inspections, LLC in SE Washington 215

If you're a jazz fan, Moscow ID has a treat that you really should indulge in at least once, the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival.  I know - Idaho.  Not where you would expect to find a hotbed of jazz.  but there is a long jazz tradition

The University of Idaho sponsors the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival every year. The Festival is a major regional highlight.  Imagine an environment that has world class jazz musicians sharing the stage with elementary, junior high and high school students.   

I've had several childern participate in the competition.  The level of commitment that even the youngest bands bring is impressive.  Some of the talent that appears among the high schoolers is just awe-inspiring.

But it isn't just a kid's festival.  It would be wonderful if it were - but the Festival also attracts the best in the world.  It takes a special event to pull in a Bobby McFerrin or any of a dozen other performers that will be in Moscow in a couple of weeks.

The emphasis this year is Latin Jazz.  I have to admit, I am not a big jazz fan with one exception.  I love latin Jazz - a holdover from a trip to New York 2 decades ago.  I missed it last year (no kids in the band) but have already picked up tickets for the shows this time around.  The Festival is from 2/25-2/28.  For anybody interested in jazz, this is a "you'll regret it if you miss it" type of event.

Stick it on your bucket list.

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Mary Yonkers
Alan Kells School of Real Estate/Howard Hanna Real Estate - Erie, PA
Erie/PA Real Estate Instructor

Paul,

My hometown has a jazz festival every summer in our wonderful Frontier Park.  Sounds like a good winter activity, too.  Enjoy.

Mary Yonkers, www.maryyonkers.com

Erie,PA

Feb 10, 2009 12:47 AM
Not a real person
San Diego, CA

I was there back in 1987. I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was, but then I've been to the one in Chicago, too. Maybe it's just because I grew up in Texas, so close to New Orleans, that I just naturally always associated jazz with the Big Easy. I also found good jazz in Ybor City in Florida, and we get a good dose of it here in San Diego in the Gaslamp Quarter during Mardi Gras, which is coming up in just a few days.

Feb 17, 2009 07:05 PM