I've Been Away Part III

On Sunday, after touring Estes Park, where Dad and I got our "U.N. blue" fishing licenses ('nother story), we went to a local church's afternoon celebration of America, called "Celebrate America". Aptly named.

This is where thousands of dollars worth of free food and attractions were put out by the church. Aaron's band, Elevation Jazz Orchestra, was to play several, all-American ditties at this event.

I must explain that the name of his band is somewhat misleading, as they hardly play any jazz at all; it's actually big band and swing music. Aaron leads the whole ensemble.

They played songs such as "Is You is or is You ain't My Baby?", "Little Brown Jug", etc. A sample of his orchestra's music plays at the bottom of this page, and a link is on the sidebar if you wish to learn more about it.

The band's playing, which was most enjoyable and thrilling, was halted twice for twenty minutes with intermissions by a Celtic dance group, whose name escapes me.

We were told well beforehand that this Celtic dance group was to display their Celtic talent, and we Celts were all looking forward to it, Celtically speaking; it was as the last song by Aaron's band was playing before the intermission that I looked around and noticed a six year-old "Celtic dancer".

It was a Celtic dancing school.

Yes, they were all children, and probably danced well for their 6 to mid-teen ages , but I felt a little disappointed. "Oh well, they have to play Irish music to dance," I thought, "I can watch their little antics and listen to the songs of the old country until Aaron's band gets back, and it'll be just fine!"

That's when the very un-Irish music began over the speakers.

Curses, foiled again!

I would say that it was American rock, with a collection of almost-sorta-kinda sounds like-faux-Celtic-ish music. The guy at the mixer board, or whatever you call it, didn't quite get the hang of the thing, so the prerecorded music would get cutoff suddenly, creating even more of an unprofessional atmosphere.

A little miffed that they interrupted decent music for this? Maybe, but the boys in the band needed a break.

I loved the outing, so don't get me wrong. I think of it as just a funny quirk at a "Celebrate America" church gathering.

After the entertainment, they did a ceremonial singing of the national anthem on the church building's steps, complete with a bald eagle and color guard. During the last bar, they released a flock of white doves into the air, which majestically flew away, only to fly back over our heads in a near-symbolic flyover immediately following the last note. I can hardly imagine that such a thing could be planned, which made it that much more amazing.