Jazz and Monroe
I spent a few minutes this morning on the Alexander Zonjic radio show at the River Raisin Centre for the Arts. Mr. Zonjic is the morning host on WVMV-FM Smooth Jazz V98.7, and today he was broadcasting live from Monroe.
I was one of several Monroeites who were interviewed by the talented jazz flutist/dj. The point was to promote the seventh annual River Raisin Jazz Festival and the May 2 performance of Spyro Gyra at the River Raisin Centre for the Arts.
One of the themes of discussion between Mr. Zonjic and his guests was the remarkable success of the Jazz Festival and the winter Jazz Series in Monroe.
As I said on the air, Monroe is a surprising place. The ability to pull off a big-time jazz festival in our little town is just one more reason Monroe has a much higher quality of life than outsiders would expect.
On the surface, there is not much of a connection between Jazz and Monroe. Monroe was settled by the French, and so was New Orleans. And we both had famous War of 1812 battles. Anything else?
But somehow the River Raisin Jazz Festival, the winter Jazz Series and the summer Jazz Thursday nights have been big hits.
Surprising, but really cool.