Summer Solstice: Dancing the Night Away

Saturday night on the Lake, the place was jumpin'! The Newcomers Summer Solstice Dance Party was the hottest action in town. Joann and David Dale's gorgeous terrace overlooking the Lake served as the venue, under a pristine evening sky and comfortable temperatures. Great food, the fabulous sounds of the Daryl Davis Band, and a crowd ready to party made for a memorable evening. What follows are my best shots of the evening. Click on any photo to see them larger.

All photos © J. Larry Golfer Photography.

Great Blues Music in Falls Church: The Tinner Hill Festival

Falls Church's Cherry Hill Park was the site of the 20th Annual Tinner Hill Blues Festival, showcasing a great group of local and national musical talent performing hours of the best in old time, blues, R&B, and boogie woogie music at their all day event on Saturday, June 8.  

"The Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation works to raise awareness of the contributions of African-Americans and other cultures to the development of Falls Church, Fairfax County, the United States, and African descendants in the diaspora, by disseminating information and by providing community services." (From the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation Website).

I freelanced for the local paper and spent a fine afternoon enjoying the music, great barbecue and a very lively crowd.  When the beat picked up, one couldn't help but get up and join in to dance away the afternoon. 

Herewith, a selection of the days photos.

Here are the Acoustic Blues Women:

Boogie woogie, blues, and jazzman Daryl Davis with his Band, featuring Deanna Bogart on sax. (Daryl in center, Deanna in following photo):

Mary Lou Redmond and her lead guitarist:

Dancers in front of the audience:

In the beer garden. Beer by Mad Fox Brewery:

Carole and friend, Nomi in the Beer Garden:

Faces in the crowd:

Candy Pop girl:

Folks enjoying the show:

Old time guitarist Roy Book Binder

Big lady, big voice, Sista Monica had the crown in a trance with her slow gospel number:

She picked up the beat with songs like her hit "Hug Me Like You Love Me." I read that she wrote this song after she played at a show with the great B.B. King. She asked him if she could have a photo taken of the two of them, and B.B. beckoned her saying to come over and "hug me like you love me."

Headliner Big Bill Morganfield, son of Muddy Waters, with his two blues harp bandmates and his bass player, following:

Big Bill, Daryl and Sista Monica got a lot of people up on their feet:

Of course Carole had to join in:

The kids seemed a bit startled by what they were seeing:

More dancing!

More Bill Morganfield:

Big Bill signing autographs on his CD:

If you like the blues, you can hear some live this Saturday, June 15, 2013 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on South Walter Reed Drive at Columbia Pike at the Columbia Pike Blues Fest, featuring blues guitarist and former lead guitarist for the Saturday Night Live Band, G.C. Smith, and another great list of acts. More information at this link.

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