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By James Kinneen
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The library - and a gorgeous white tree in full bloom - provided a unique background for the jazz band.
With droplets of rain threatening to cancel the event, electronic equipment being covered in jackets and instrument cases, and a young saxophone player noting to a friend that “it’s about to be wet hot dogs and wet jazz,” Dover-Sherborn High School’s second annual “Cool Jazz and Hot Dogs” was in danger of becoming a disaster.
Luckily, the clouds passed, the sun came out, and the rain that filled the air was replaced by the smells of grilled hot dogs and the sounds of smooth jazz classics.
The brainchild of Band Director Janice Barry, “Cool Jazz and Hot Dogs” featured the Dover-Sherborn High School jazz band performing on the lawn in front of Dover Library. Barry explained that it “is a great way to connect with the community and get more kids to come out than maybe would come to see their friends in a school auditorium.”
That was definitely the case, as teens from all over were their watching with their friends, as well as younger kids that roamed the sidelines and children in strollers. These people would likely have been unable to see the band in an auditorium, where little kids would get twitchy and need to be taken outside. Some people chose to kick around a soccer ball or throw a football, using the jazz as the soundtrack to their spring activities.
Music that was played included Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish," Hank Mobley’s “B for BB," Will Easley’s “Ode to Rose” and Chuck Archard’s “From There to Here.” Barry also had the band play “Happy Birthday” to “the newest adult on the jazz scene," eighteen year old percussionist Ryan Gardner.
The guitarists focuses on the music, despite the myriad outdoor distractions.
As for the dogs, a local hot dog truck provided a unique “Raider dog” for the night in honor of the Dover-Sherborn mascot. The smoke from the grill also added a cool special effect, as it occasionally drifted in front of the jazz band and looked like cigar smoke from an old jazz club.
“Cool Jazz and Hot Dogs” was a huge success once again, despite being threatened by the possibility of rain.
No matter the weather, good food and good music will never go out of style.
