SummerFest on Wheels

July, 2021

The last SummerFest I attended was 2019. If you think I’m obsessive about the Fest, then you’re right. Because ALS keeps me from going, writing about it is about as close as I’m going to get to actually being there, except for the live stream. Now that you’re weeping for me, you’ll read this blog because you don’t want to feel guilty. Aren’t I a little stinker.
In August of 2019, I was in the LazyBoy on Wheels full time, although I could still use a walker for short distances and, conveniently, bathroom grab bars. This last skill was necessary because I could still drink beer, and SummerFest just isn’t SummerFest without copious amounts of Gordon Biersch’s finest lagers, especially for breakfast. My bathroom skills, however, terminated when it came time to prepare for exit by pulling up my pants. This is where St. Laurel came in, literally. I took particular delight at the look on the faces of the dudes standing at porcelain attention as St. Laurel walked in and led me to the nearest accessible stall.

The SummerFest staff had it down when it came to helping this pALS and my LazyBoy on Wheels. There was always a staff member to show me to accessible seating, or creating accessible seating where none existed. SummerFesters were similarly helpful, although a few did ask to hitch a ride.

One cool feature of the LazyBoy on Wheels is the vertical lift function. At the push of a button the seat lifts straight up. Sweet. When I got tired of being in a crowd of unattractive butts, at the push of a button the view would improve immensely. People would sometimes be surprised at now seeing me at eye level, but they soon got over it.

It was a treat to run into old friends, some of which we would only see at jazz festivals and clubs. Many would hug me even though I was ensconced on the LazyBoy on Wheels, which could lead to uncontrolled results if the joy stick was active. Dear Friend Sandy found this out after her wandering elbow strayed onto said active joy stick, spinning around the LazyBoy on Wheels, careening it into at least three rows of, thankfully, mostly empty seats. Meanwhile, my precious Gordon Biersch Marzen had become airborne, eventually landing, thankfully again, into mostly empty seats.

“You ought to learn to drive that thing,” says Dear Friend Sandy.

SummerFest is about the music, and it keeps getting better year after year. I saw two of my piano idols (Monty Alexander and Fred Hirsch for you geeks out there), watched my old band Legally Blue lay it down, and checked out our friends Kim and Steve and their Brazilian drum group appear with Pink Martini on the Main Stage. A very cool session was watching the SJZ Collective record a promo, on Sunday morning yet following midnight gigs for some of them. There was so much more music from late Friday afternoon to early Sunday evening. From multiple stages and streets it was nonstop jazz in all its flavors and colors.

If you haven’t done so already, get your tickets from sanjosejazz.org. Don’t worry if you’re on wheels because the good folks at San Jose Jazz have got you covered. If you do go, tip a glass of your favorite beverage for me.

See you next time.