Cold Margaritas, Hot Jazz: A Southwest Florida Tale

Cold Margaritas, Hot Jazz: A Southwest Florida Tale

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When you think of Florida, a number of things likely come to mind. The first of which Id imagine to be white sand beaches, Jimmy Buffett, and cold margaritas; either that or a certain iconic black mouse. One of the last things to materialize into thought is cool jazz. But before you do a spit-take, think of the reality! Florida is a hot, sunny place with a relaxed atmosphere. What better time to sip a cool frozen beverage than when its accompanied with even cooler jazz (think about THAT when planning your next getaway)?

Southwest Florida is a quiet and often under appreciated region of the state. It spans north of the Keys and west through Charlotte County, which is south of Sarasota. This region includes beautiful beaches, hotels, shopping, and a heavily jazz infused nightlife. There are plenty of jazz clubs and bars, one of the most popular being the Buckingham Blues Bar (an unlikely culprit, indeed). This venue is less traditional and a little off the beaten path. You wont find sand here, but you will find an annual springtime blues festival and plenty of live entertainment ranging from rockin blues to cool contemporary jazz.

Another great spot is Koreshan State Park. It is located in Estero, Florida on the Estero River. There is an amazing history to the people who founded this community and, along with camping on the grounds or touring the Koreshans original historical buildings, you can take an early December trip for the Bluegrass Extravaganza held there every year. You will hear a myriad of great Bluegrass, blues, and jazz music along with meeting some very interesting characters.

Another great stop, regardless of the time of year, is Historic Downtown Fort Myers. During the day you can take walking tours of the buildings downtown or the Edison Ford Winter Estates. But watch out when dusk hits, especially on the first Friday and second Saturday of every month.

The first Friday of every month is known as Art Walk. People from all over Southwest Florida come here to view new exhibits at many of the small, independently owned galleries in the downtown district. They also have the chance to view short plays, listen to some live bands, and enjoy a plethora of street performers including belly dancers, fire-eaters, and stilt walkers.

The second Saturday of every month is quite a noisy ordeal indeed! The event is called Music Walk and, along with many open galleries, almost every street corner and restaurant has their own entertainment. My personal favorites are the gentlemen across the street from Patio de Leon. The four men are all well into their seventies and play the most flawless ragtime renditions youve ever heard! Theres also a traveling accordion player, who, for the right price, will follow you around while serenading the world with the theme music from the Godfather Movie. . .or Lady GaGas Poker Face. Its your pick!

When thinking about your next trip, keep Southwest Florida in mind for a good time, a good frozen margarita, and some cool jazz in unique and unlikely locations.

For more information or for questions on buying or selling used Jazz, Latin Jazz and any other genre of music CDs, visit www.used-jazz.com. If you have any questions please email at customerservice@secondspin.com.

About the Author:
Brad Parmerter has almost 20 years experience in the music and entertainment industry as a writer, programmer, and merchandiser. He has professionally interviewed and photographed such artists as: Rush, Metallica, Celine Dion, Live, Phil Collins, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Live, Van Halen, Queensryche, Anna Nalick, Styx, Def Leppard, and many more.

Please visit SecondSpin.com for all of your entertainment needs.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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