Thursday 19 March 2009

Parklife: Music

At the risk of sounding like a monomaniac, let me introduce you to the park musicians. This solitary saxophonist was letting rip a fine jazz number. For some reason, the sound of sax jazz makes me feel like I should be in New Orleans or New York. Possibly during the 1950s. And that I should be consuming an excessive about of benezedrine. Even though I have never visited the North American continent. Or ever sampled benezedrine.
On the other side of the park, these guys were holding an informal classical Chinese concert. I have to admit that classical Chinese music generally reminds me of a cat fight. My clumsy Caucausian tonal range just does not appreciate those high notes. However, I was surprised to find that I was actually quite enjoying listening to them. Until as I was walking away, a woman started to sing - and, I'm sure she's a very good singer, but cats fighting wasn't even in it. My eardrums hurt. I love the expression on the singer's face!
I promise you that tomorrow I will write about something other than parks.

5 comments:

  1. Jazz in New Orleans is AWESOME and I would highly recommend a visit to that city. Chinese opera is just as bad and I can not imagine standing in a park and listening to it! No I haven't been to China yet as my son has had to come home once a year for family commitments...maybe this summer I will make it!

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  2. I love jazz music and especially the sexy saxaphone! Parks are wonderful places, I write about them all the time. Thank you for sharing and you are right the old guys is delightful. I will be back!
    Smiles

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  3. Walking along Bourbon Street and listening to jazz emanating from every buidling is an experience. I hope you get to New Orleans one day as I did over 20 years ago. But I have to say, your own experiences are to be envied. I once saw a Chinese variety show in San Diego, there was even some Chinese Opera which I found truly enjoyable and completely fascinating. But to be in China and see this firsthand, what stories you are going to be able to tell in the years ahead.

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  4. Funny that you'd hear sax jazz in a Chinese park! I lived in New Orleans for several years and always loved the jazz.
    Classical Chinese probably wouldn't appeal to me, but I do like the expression in the last photo.

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  5. I really hope I get to go to New Orleans one day. So little money, so many wonderful places to visit. *Sigh!* But I like to think I'm getting as much as possible out of China.

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