Great music, good conversation, delicious food plus total relaxation awaited us for our 4th year at Ascona in Southern Switzerland. After the covid-induced hiatus, the shores of Lake Maggiore and surrounding mountainsides once again echoed to the musical sounds of New Orleans.
Now in its 38th year, this festival has an intimacy that words alone cannot convey. Unlike stadium or other outdoor festival venues, Ascona dedicates the whole historic town to “The New Orleans Experience.” Live music is everywhere. Turn a corner in the narrow streets and find a group of buskers. Pass by a restaurant and the sounds of New Orleans wafts out. With the official stages set up along lakeside front, just standing on one’s hotel balcony puts you in the heart of the activity. At 6:30 pm every evening the Roots of Music marching band paraded along the main lakefront, led by Trixie Minx, the burlesque queen, followed by a dancing second-line, past the open-air restaurants, to open the official program at the main stage.
It was great to see the large numbers of young people, both in the audience and among the musicians. This latter was in keeping with the decision to create a musical program stylistically more open while still being faithful to its historical roots. That it succeeded is a major tribute to the artistic directors, Matt Zschokke and Adonis Rose who led about one hundred musicians, inc
