Street Jazz Festival

It was another one of those spontaneous Friday nights. On my way home from work I could hear 'Night and Day' being played in the market square and when I looked up I realised it was being performed live by a big band!

It turns out tonight was Basel's Street Jazz Festival and its name sums it up well. Every street in Basel's old town had some sort of jazz ensemble entertaining the crowds. I enjoyed a fantastic evening of big band standards, Dixieland jazz, improv and more!

Unfortunately I never learned jazz piano properly and strings don't tend to get interesting parts in big band arrangements (probably the brass/wind getting their revenge!) but I have had the pleasure of singing with big bands a couple of times. I defy you not to enjoy this music. Tonight brought back fond memories of big band nights at school music camps in the Easter holidays.

Best night of the trip so far! You wouldn't get this in an industrial town in England!