Here's That Rainy Day

I blame Shay Estes.

Impeccable weather greeted the start of the 2:45 set by Shay Estes and Trio ALL at Saturday's Prairie Village Jazz Festival. The performance of Estes, Zach Albetta, Mark Lowrey and Ben Leifer demonstrated that the band is a legitimate player in the sophisticated space also occupied by Melody Gardot and Erin Bode.

I didn't think much of the ominous clouds to the northeast of the Kansas City suburb. After all, the sun was shining and butterflies were dancing in Harmon Park. Then Estes, lost in the music, began dancing during a lively rendition of Paul Simon's "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes."

Wholly unaccustomed to such a bewitching spectacle, the Prairie Village sky couldn't contain itself. Within moments, a torrential downpour ensued, scattering the audience of about 300. Although the sun reappeared an hour later, the damage was done and the full slate of premier locally-based talent was cancelled. (Here are reports from the PV Post and The Star.

I hope you're happy, Shay.

(The original image, taken the moment the storm hit, is by Plastic Sax.)