Jazz in the Woods

This was an amazing bit of serendipity. We had already planned to be in Pacific Grove yesterday. Thursday night I received an email from Anton Schwartz, a local saxophonist, informing his mailing list that he would be at Jazz in the Woods today. Free music, free food. What could be bad? I had already checked the schedule at the Jazz and Blues Company in Carmel and found nothing sooner than October 4^th, so this was a score. Canterbury Woods is a retirement community owned and operated by Episcopal Community Services. The unremarkable outside conceals lovely, manicured gardens. There were three stages. The Mission Gold Jazz Band, a trad jazz group, held forth on the main stage on the Grand Lawn. Anton Schwartz’s quartet, consisting of keyboards, acoustic bass and drums, played in the Jade Garden. A singer, Hale Baskin and her trio, performed in the Bougainvillea Courtyard. Tables and chairs were set up on lawns and patios and lines of single chairs followed walls and walkways. We sat at a table on the lawn and listened to Anton Schwartz and his group. When they were on break we listened to the trad jazz band. It goes w/​o saying that the music was great, although I must say I liked Anton’s best. The only downside was a largely inattentive and talky audience, which seems all too common these days.
Not only was there food, there was wine, beer, water and soft drinks, all free. The range of food was amazing: BBQed ribs, corn on the cob on a stick, fruit, cheese and crudite, fried calamari, nachos/​chips and salsa, cookies and ice cream bars, popcorn and soft pretzels. It was a generous spread. Food was tucked away in all corners of the gardens. We saw what was available when people walked by w/​it. We had corn and ribs and calamari and chips and fruit. Alan could never get past the geriatric scrum around the cheese and crudite to get us any, but we were fine w/​o it. The music went on from about 12:30 to after 3:00. The weather was sunny but cool. This is the 8^th annual concert. I loved watching the lively and vital old folks enjoying the music and visiting w/​their friends. Members of the community turned out in force too. I understand there’s a waiting list to get into Canterbury woods. If this is how they operate, I can see why!