Give Me The Nite

Give Me The Night  (A Jazz Concert)1

We were very good friends and her Dad was like my Dad so when she called to tell me that her Father had tickets for box seats at a jazz concert and that I could go… I was on it.  My girlfriend always made a big deal out of what we would wear…I would never tell her because she would try to out dress me.  The night of the concert was no different.  It was something for me too because I planned for the outfit to fit the mood… like the jazz queen that I am.  I got dressed early enough to get into the moment.  I always have these daydream sequences before going to an event like a concert, “You know the type, the sort of, “They might call me to be on the stage and I’ll dance with the artist” type stuff.  I have never even come close to it.2

When my girlfriend’s Father got there to pick me up he had another family friend who was like a father (I had several) and together made up part of the “mellow Pop crew”.  These were two men, that if you were 26 and 24 years old and had to be out with your parents at a concert…they were the ones (In my circles if you are cool young, you’re cooler old) to be with.  They were even talking in their back- in-the-day jazz lingo.  I had to smile to myself.  We arrived at the old historic theater that was renovated.  Inside it was decorated with antique accents and detailed crown moldings, furthering the mood with its atmosphere.  I noticed the marquee; “Tonite Lionel Hampton” and I knew I had heard of him and his music…some.  I knew he was jazz great, a veteran and I started to tingle. We took our seats and then we heard the deep, “smooth as silk” voice of the commentator, “Ladies and gentleman, Lionel Hampton and his band”.  3

Mr. Hampton sauntered on stage.  He walked over to a xylophone, already centered toward the front and following him was his band.  I was surprised to see that they were attractive young men, close to my girlfriend’s and my age.  She and I eyed each other.4

They begin to play with Mr. Hampton leading on the xylophone.  I had never actually seen one played before and if I did, it took on a whole new look with they way he was playing it.  His hands floated over the keys like he was “patting down silk” and he moved along with the music with as much fluidity.  I closed my eyes and let the music caress my ears but I didn’t keep them closed long.  My eyes moved to the band who were playing in tempo and the guitar player was like “thunder thumbs with lightening licks”.  My girlfriend and I could feel a dance coming on.  We could feel the rhythm moving up into our shoulders together with our “Dads” making playful fun of us in the background.  As we starting to transcend into full fledge dancing in our seats,  I began catching the eyes of one of the band members so I held it to make sure he was looking and he smiled.  I turned to my girlfriend and looked back again noticing some other band members looking toward us.  She started to smile.  I said, “Are they looking at us?”  She nodded.  I turned to focus on one of them, particularly appealing to me and he smiled and nodded.  Do you know what it feels like to be noticed by a famous band member...that close?  I wanted to fall backwards and scream (I was the 26 year old) but my cool headedness reduced me to a returned smile and a nod. I turned to my girlfriend and widened my eyes.  5

I guess you realize at this point the concert was not only a complete “jazz buffet” but eventful and I was “done” (stick a fork in me).  By the end of the concert, which was fabulous, we stood up but as we stood we noticed the guys in the band were walking…they were walking toward us.  My girlfriend started to grab my hand and squeeze it.  The gentlemen with the “eyes” said hello and invited us to the party afterwards, handing Sherrie and I a card.  We took it.  We didn’t go but the thrill of coming to a Lionel Hampton concert and being asked out buy the band brought our evening to the right end.  Well…not exactly, our escorts treated us to dinner at a lovely restaurant. This evening reminded me of song that George Benson recorded a while ago called “Give Me The Night” and in the words of my girlfriends father, “The night was right”.6