Akron Art Directory

Akron Art Reviews

Jazz @ Glendale/Glendale Cemetery

Mia and I went to check out the second annual Jazz @ Glendale last Saturday. It was pretty fun. At first I was a little creeped out by the idea. Jazz in a cemetery? That sounds morbid, I thought to myself. But then I realized that there would be booze there, so I was on board with the idea.

We got there on Saturday and I was amazed at how beautiful the grounds of the cemetery were. When you walk in, you are greeted by the Memorial Chapel and all of its ornate stained glass windows. Just behind it, you see the bell tower hiding among the trees. It made me wish I had my camera. We wondered in, paid our ten bucks and walked over to the where the bands would be playing.

The path to the bands was littered with history. Mausoleums from some of the biggest names in Akron history greeted us around every bend in the road. One band was setting up directly across from the Mustill family tomb, founders of the Mustill Store which is now park of the Metro Parks.

We wondered up to the first band, the Bobby Selvaggio Quartet. I couldn’t help but notice the drummer. Throughout his entire performance he kept making crazy faces. I first I thought there was a bug on him, then I thought he might have a nervous tic, but then I realized that he was a musician and was allowed to do crazy stuff like that.

We wandered through the graveyard for the rest of the evening listening to jazz being made by Grupo Brazil and the Jack Schantz Quartet and blues by the Howard Street Blues Band. Some of the music I could have done without, but the overall atmosphere made for a great evening. I’m definitely looking forward to next year’s Jazz @ Glendale. But I know before next year I’ll have to go back to Glendale Cemetery to view the killer Gothic mausoleums and the beautiful statues the adorn the area.

Creating that Jazz Vibe:

Gothic Greatness: