Saturday was the second post-Covid rendition of the long running Jazz on the Hill program put on by KCSM.  It was chilly, blustery day on campus but that didn't stop an estimated 3,000 people from coming by for at least part of the day.  I caught the first two student bands on the radio simulcast and they were great.  Arriving for the third set, Mimi Fox and her organ trio, I was met by a much mellower mood.  It can be tough to get a stylish jazz acoustic guitar sound across to an outdoor spread-out audience regardless of how talented she is.

The fourth set was Akira Tana's quartet with celebrity guest John Handy sitting in on sax.  Handy, who turned 90 in February, was presented with a lifetime achievement award by CSM.  He is spry and witty.  He relayed how Dizzy Gillespie had viewed a similar large crowd years ago and quipped "This must be a free show because I don't see all you people in the clubs" where there's a cover charge.  Akira Tana leans towards the harder side of jazz which I prefer.  Most impressively, John Handy traded licks with Mads Tolling on electric violin.  His ability to get his alto and tenor sax to sound like an electric violin was…..electrifying.

The fifth set was the Spanish Harlem Orchestra just off a plane from Mexico and returning from South Korea.  No jet lag here.  They had the crowd on their feet dancing and warming up.  Kudos to the Daily Journal for being an anchor sponsor of the concert.  Put it on your calendar for the second Saturday in June–gloom or not!  Here's Handy making the magic at 90.