Day 4: Ocean In Sight!

Well, I'm currently blogging from my second floor hotel room with a beach front view. Outside the open French doors, I can hear the waves crashing against the beach and members of the Jazz Orchestra talking to each other from their balconies, making plans to go for a walk on the beach before we hit the hay. Tomorrow morning comes early with a 4:45am wake up call so we can make a 7:30 fight to Sao Paulo. I'm getting ahead of myself, though. A view like the one we have tonight looks a little something like this:

Before we arrived at the port city of Itajaí, we spent an hour back in Curitiba at the local flea market. Lots of crafty goodies made by the locals - everything from scarfs and sweaters to leather bags to beautiful artwork and food.

Our second show was this evening at the Teatro Municipal de Itajaí. We had a great crowd, standing ovations, two encores, and a fun atmosphere to play in. Tom Bourcier and the Luther College Jazz Quartet laid down a fantastic chart this evening, and it was another incredible experience to hear the audience sing along with us when we played our last piece, Aquarela do Brasil. I'm fortunate enough to be in a position on stage where I can watch the audience while I play, and their faces always light up when we get to that number. The patriotism and love for their country is inspiring, and we've seen it so far in two different cities. I know I am looking forward to experiencing the crowds in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro later this week. What energetic atmospheres to play in and passionate crowds to play for.

Looking forward to our workshops in Sao Paulo tomorrow afternoon!