A wine blogger must make a great many sacrifices in the course of carrying out his/her duties. For this wine blogger, a major sacrifice will be made this weekend…beginning this evening, as a matter of act…when I am compelled to attend the 10th annual Jazz on the Vine event.
What is Jazz on the Vine? It’s two days of music performed by such renowned artists as Euge Groove (real name: Steven Eugene Grove), Peter White (real name: Peter White) and a host of others generally clumped into the radio format known as “smooth jazz.” The Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake, Wis., is the host.
If the “smooth jazz” phrase annoys you, Peter White understands completely, as he told me several years ago for a story in the Sonoma County Independent, prior to a concert at Rodney Strong Vineyards.
“I have nothing personally against the term,” he said, “but I understand how it might disturb some pure jazz players. Remember, musicians didn’t come up with the term; it was invented by radio station guys. Some people say what I play is not really jazz, and my response is: ‘I never said it was.’”
White himself describes his music as “instrumental pop,” and it’s the kind of music that goes perfectly with a glass of wine—which just happens to be in abundance each year at Jazz of the Vine, and explains why I am compelled to attend…year after year…after year.
Seriously, it’s a great weekend for anybody who loves wine or smooth-jazz-slash-instrumental-pop music. And for someone who enjoys both, like moi, Jazz on the Vine is a little slice of heaven on Earth.
Single-day and two-day tickets are still available, although the preferred seating section already is sold out. For ticket information, click here.
Many Jazz on the Vine attendees conclude their weekend of bliss on Sunday morning with an Osthoff Resort-hosted Jazz Brunch, featuring yet more music (performed by Marcell Guyton).
I hope to see some of our Midwest friends this weekend. (I’ll be the guy in the non-preferred seating section with a wineglass seemingly glued to his left hand.)
Do you have a favorite event or venue for enjoying wine and music? Share your tip(s) in the Comments box below.
