All My Ancestors

About 10 years ago, I worked with a woman who would tell me about her son-in-law every time I mentioned my then teen-aged son’s band. Her son-in-law lived in NYC and was a professional musician. I don’t think she intended it as a competition, but it sort of felt like one every time I talked about my kid.

My son’s group practiced in my living room–I didn’t mind. In fact, I kinda liked it. We had a really grumpy neighbor next door to the garage, and, at the time, the band played lots of covers from the Beatles, Elvis, Eric Clapton–classic rock I still love. They won the talent contest every year at their big suburban public school–except the last year when my son invited everyone up to dance and got suspended for his efforts. (It all ended well–he didn’t know that had been specifically forbidden by one of the newer “I’m on a power trip” vice principals. The suspension was suspended and the vice-principal was not back the next year.)

Anyway, one of the annual events that seemed to bring up the son-in-law vs. teenaged son tangle, at least in my mind, was Jazz in June in Norman, OK. Musician Son-in-Law would always travel back to play in it. Son and Band were playing local gigs and my living room.

Listening to the local NPR station, the one out of Norman, I keep hearing the ad for Jazz in June, so I decided to check out their site. Here’s what I found–

There they are!

They’ve played on both coasts and in NYC and many points in between. They “got signed” last year. They’ve produced 3 cds. They are a successful group. But I’m particularly gratified that they are playing the first night of Jazz in June.

I am not petty.

Nor competitive.

I’m not.