ANJANI AT THE MONTREAL JAZZ FESTIVAL & MEETING WITH LEONARD & ANJANI June 30, 2006 by Dick Straub, Montreal 2006 Photos by Hazel Field How many times can you say WOW??!!! We managed to get tickets to both 5 pm and 9 pm shows on Friday June 30tn, and WOW!. That is our non-articulate rating. We loved the Blue Alert album before coming to Montreal, and have totally new and enhanced appreciation now. There is no way a studio recording can capture the lovely and charming Anjani as you see her live. The rich, emotional voice she brings, along with the collaboration of a solid jazz trio and stage charisma, great lyrics, and seductive music -- all come together like "you've never heard before." Anjani began the set with Innermost Door, and concluded with Thanks for the Dance. All told she was on for about an hour. She did all of the Blue Alert songs except Mist. Sequence was Door, Half a Perfect World, Golden Gate, Blue Alert, Never Got to Love You, No One After You, Crazy to Love You, and Dance. She saved Nightingale for a perfect, almost solo, encore. This is a show you will never forget. A large Jazz Fest bar went totally hush, twice, for Anjani and band. She earned every sound of silence. But that was not all - a Miracle was waiting for us! Another thing happened on our Montreal trip. We traded calls several times with Hazel Field, hoping to meet with her again. Hazel called and said, "Leonard knows you are in town and wants you to call him." I did, and he said "how about coming by at ten ." We had a wondrous chat with Leonard and Anjani. Hazel documented our vist with a photo. As Valerie, Jarkko, Marie, and Kim have reported, Leonard has the gracious knack of making you feel like you've been close friends forever. Anjani too has incredible warmth and charm. We left on a cloud and have a memory that will last a lifetime. Leonard commented on the photograph."we all look amazingly beautiful." One anecdote... Pretty young woman wheels baby carriage by us in the park--- LC and Anjani both greet her, and talk to child -- Kid seems grumpy when mother moves his hat back. Mother explains -- I fear I caused trauma yesterday -- left him alone for the first time and he's not over it. LC -- "He will forgive you." Mother -- "I'm not sure, do you really think so?" LC -- "He will forgive you." More emphasis on "will." Mother --- " Ahh, if you say it, it must be true. Thanks" She smiles and leaves and we all know she was right --- what he speaks feels like it's coming from on high. Photos © 2006 Hazel Field. Text © 2006 Dick Straub