Triangle Jazz Orchestra
The first Wednesday of every month, the Carrboro ArtsCenter invites the public to enjoy an open rehearsal session by the Triangle Jazz Orchestra. It’s free, fun and perfect for my toddler who loves live music.
My daughter is turning three in April, and she is transitioning herself out of her afternoon nap. This means she either has no nap during the day, and is exhausted by 5:00 pm, or she takes a very late, long afternoon nap, which in turn, makes her stay up very late. Yesterday was a three-hour nap day, and on these days, it is always a challenge finding something fun for her to do until bedtime. It is too dark to play outside, and most local toddler-friendly activities, like “Time for Toddlers” at the Chapel Hill Public Library, “Toddler Playtime” at the Carrboro Century Center, and the “Traveling Teacher Show” at University Mall are morning events. Even Kidzu Children’s Museum at University Square and The Museum of Life and Science in Durham both close at 5:00 pm, when my Little One is just waking up. Unfortunately, there is no local all-night Toddler Disco for night owls like my daughter, but I found something even better!
I was so excited to attend this free concert given by the Triangle Jazz Orchestra at the Carrboro ArtsCenter with my daughter last night. Of course, it isn’t billed as a toddler event, as most toddlers are asleep by 7:30 pm when the show started. But it was the perfect way to spend the evening with my toddler, and would be fun for the whole family. She loves seeing live music and there was plenty of space for her to dance and get her 2-year-old wiggles out. The 17-piece band was swinging with their full horn and rhythm section, delivering excellent renditions of notable jazz standards like “Stormy Weather,” “Caravan,” and “Georgia on my Mind.” It is an open rehearsal, but the songs were played from start to finish and the gaps between songs were minimal, so it definitely felt more like a concert than a rehearsal. There were many couples swing dancing and plenty of auditorium seating for those who prefer to enjoy listening to the music while seated. Pick up some take-out from Amante Pizza right next door and bring it into the auditorium for a great dinner and dancing date night!
The show ended at 9:30 pm, which was perfect for getting my daughter home in time for bed. We had so much fun that we plan to go again. The next concert is April 4, 2012 so mark your calendars. It’s a wonderful way to spend a Wednesday night, and even better, it’s free!
Category: Blog
