Halfway through a concert a day, and Fort Worth Library’s Third Thursday Jazz concert series had the largest crowd. Easily 200, 250 plus people sat in the grand atrium, at times standing cramped against back walls. I expected a couple dozen people chilling while the standard piano, sax, bass and drum players went through jazz staples. Oh, no.
This was an event. With cookies.
The musicians enthusiastically played Duke Ellington, Herbie Hankock, Miles Davis. The drum and bass solo received shouts of “yeah!” and a swell of applause. People in Fort Worth appreciate their jazz.
In front of me sat a WWII veteran in a wheelchair. He bopped along to the rhythm of the music, and at one point yelled, “The Duke!”