One thing I learned this weekend is, if you're going to experience the JAS June Experience, do your homework. Study the schedule and get familiar with the awards and experience of the talented musicians that Jim Horowitz is bringing in. Admittedly, sometimes I like to walk in completely ignorant and than love the music so much I dig into the research after. For JAS June Experience, trust me, you'll want to research before, and after. It completely changes the experience. Instead of simply listening to great music, you have a much greater appreciation for the lives, the talent, and the stories behind the musicians.
That's what JAS June Experience brings to downtown Aspen, "a giant musical pub crawl" with stages set up in diverse venues, from the bougie and nightclubby Bad Harriet (Hotel Jerome's intimate speakeasy), to museum rooftops, to Felix Roasting Co., the coziest of Italian-style cafes with floral wallpaper and replicas of classic paintings hanging on the walls, all with the same wallpaper in the background. Robert Cray played in the beautiful Wheeler Opera House, and the JAS Academy Band played at the Paul JAS Center, and if that weren't all enough, we ended up at Belly Up Aspen to dance in the mosh pit to Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles.
The trick is to map out your evening, then hop from venue to venue. The energy is contagious, running into friends along the way and growing our pack as we traveled from one venue to the next, but Robert Cray's bus broke down so the night didn't go as smoothly as the night before and instead of seeing everything, which the clever schedule allows you to do, we had to choose which musicians to listen to. I had so many people text me that I should see Luca Stricagnoli, I made the tough decision to run over to Bad Harriet and split from the group.
Luca Stricagnoli at Bad Harriet
It was a good decision as I was the first in line and procured a booth and front row and center seats. Luca Stricagnoli played with Italian romanticism and passion, mesmerising us with his fingerstyle technique. His magneticism pulled us in as he explained his craft of designing acoustic guitar instruments with names like the Reversed Triple Neck and the Reversed Slide Neck. We felt as though we were back at our favorite jazz club, Mondo Cane, in NYC. Luca jokingly admitted that his love for discovering new instruments, perhaps explained why he had no social life. You could hear his devotion in every note. These musicians aren't just talented, they're incredibly intelligent, endlessly curious, and completely committed to their craft.
I wanted to watch the whole show, but I had to also get me some Robert Cray, so I raced to The Wheeler Opera House and then on over to the Paul JAS Center for more center seats. Once again, the musicians are right there in front of your table.
The Highly-Acclaimed JAS Academy Big Band led by JAS Academy Artistic Director Christian McBride
Christian McBride with his melodious voice walked onto the stage making sure that we understood who we were listening to. These weren't simply students. They were some of the most gifted young jazz musicians in the world, chosen to spend time in Aspen learning from masters like Christian McBride, Lizz Wright, Kurt Elling, and so many others. In that moment I stopped hearing "students" realizing that I was listening to the future of jazz. The energy emitted and the expressions on their faces as their face muscles moved with every note in the solo acts, showed a depth of the musical language that so many of us can only try to comprehend.
Robert Cray Band at The Wheeler Opera House
Next was The Robert Cray Band. We couldn't believe that we were sitting in the beautiful Wheeler Opera House listening to a five-time GRAMMY winner, a Blues Hall of Fame inductee, and someone who has shared the stage with legends like Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, and The Rolling Stones. As i watched them play together, mesmerized by bassist Richard Cousins, in dreadlocks and chomping on gum, I wanted to go backstage and hear their stories. Next time?
We ended the evening with Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles, another multiple GRAMMY-winning artist who has performed with everyone from Stevie Wonder and Bruce Springsteen to Snarky Puppy. His voice traveled deep inside me as we all danced in the moshpit.
I landed upon this festival and I can't believe what I've been missing all these years. Living in a place like Aspen with world-wide talent coming to our backyard, one must have their finger on the pulse and attend as much as possible, and that is my new mission.
Bravo, Jim. You've created one of Aspen's most extraordinary weekends. Thank you for reminding us that great music isn't just something you hear. It's something that gets inside you leaving you wanting more and turning our world just that much more beautiful.
