When the music fades away!!

Goodevening!

So now we say goodbye to all these talented musicians, all these jazzlovers and all these happy volunteers. We know that this is also goodbye to many of the summerguests that has been a part of villagelife all summer long.   For many of us, this is also goodbye to summer.
School starts next week, for many the vacations are over and life goes back to normal, whatever that means.
The days of festivals are almost over, most of our festivals are now over, summertheaters and events have passed. There is a cristalclear line between the days of carefree holiday and responsible weekday. We came to pass the last hour of the jazzfestival in deep and serious conversation with some kind and generous people in the parish. Instead of the jazzy musicevent we had hoped for , we got something better and walked home, quite happy.

And now they are all going home, all except those who gather tomorrow morning in the chapel, to celebrate The freedom of Christ, the theme of this sunday. We've had bands from New Orleans, Germany, Ukraine, Finland, Denmark and Sweden

Buy a bracelet and support the festival for another year.

Brassflavour makes generations meet. Energy and generosity.

Panorama Jazz Band from New Orleans makes everybody happy and moving!! With wonderful Aurora Nealand on saxofone, although not in this picture. Joining in this evening was our wonderboy Bjorn Ingelstam!!

The talented Aurora in Panorama Jazz Band. Also notice leader Ben Schenck on clarinet.

Strawhats were very popular this year as well, together with our t-shirts they really appealed to people.
We meet many nice people in the jazzshop, although we had to save our merchandise from the heavy rain that emerged from nowhere.

From a distance, the small harbour looks the same. But close up you can smell barbeque and fried fish, donuts and langos. And you hear the caotic sound of jazzmusic from three different scenes hovering over the surface.

For six years you could by pins as a contribution to the jazzfestival.
Most people had their buttons on a hat. That has never occured to me, so I keep them this way, during the festivities.

Some very spontaneus music finds its way to peoples hearts, here they pay tribute to Pink Floyd in jazzy costume!!

Here they are live in Dresden a few years ago.
Not only the young players can fire away, this very reliable and jazzing gang can make the hall swing, the danish oldboys in Henning Munk och Plumperne.

And so we gathered in the chapel this morning, about 400 people in all, not all of them could be inside but stayed outside in the sunny weather. Our local musicians and singers took charge of the service with spirituals and hymns. This year, the very talented and wonderful Amy Roberts stayed on and contributed with all her instruments lined up. So I got to sing my "In the sweet by and by" with her as well.  Singing, preaching and praying with all these people is a wonderous joy!!!

Amy Roberts from England. Here without the band with Richard Exall.

No this is not me singing but it is "my" song!!

Now everyone is returning home and soon the village will be very quiet and normal again. School starts in a few days and everything will become bright memories of friends and happy days. For those who are not present with us we propose a toast to absent friends, or if you like, a second of thought and warmth!!
The music has faded now but lives on in our hearts. 

Today we celebrate the freedom in Christ, a freedom from the inside and out, however life lay burdens upon us, within we are free and loved.  Festivals or no festivals.