Lou Donaldson Quartet: Live At The Village Vanguard | http://t.co/KAMCddv

Lou Donaldson Quartet: Live At The Village Vanguard | http://t.co/KAMCddv

So the first night F and I were in New York I was treated to quite an amazing thing. The Village Vanguard. So any Jazz Fan knows that all the greats played this room and still continue to do so. What really struck me the most was the fact that as we sat there about mid way in the room I was sitting there in history man. Dig? It was totally nuts that I was there. My first night in the city, I was there. With F. In the Village Vanguard. Seeing Lou Donaldson. Seeing the Lou Donaldson Quartet with local to Denver Hammond player Pat Bianchi who was just coming off a couple shows the weeks before in Denver at Dazzle.

It just blew my mind when F sent me the email about it this morning.

Lou Donaldson was terrific and this show recorded the night before we went to see him was spot on for the set we saw with the fine exception of "What a Wonderful World" that had I heard it the night we went I would have burst into tears because seriously... What a Wonderful World I am living in that this is my existence right now. I am so fortunate. So unbelievably lucky and blessed. It was amazing to see this lovely man (he really was so amazing at 84 walk the room, tell jokes, play his alto like a man half his age and just play the history). He played with Jimmy Smith for goodness sake! Amazing enough that I got to see him and amazing that this recording is available for anyone to hear!

There is this recording out there too which will always remind me of how brilliant a weekend we had and how special a night it was that we had. I kicked it off at the Village Vanguard with (almost) this show. Pretty unbelievable that there is this proof. Pretty unbelievable that I was at the Village Vanguard.

So thank you Lou Donaldson and NPR for providing this little audible back up for me! And thank you F for making that magic happen. I am forever indebted for this experience.