Residents gathered at Houghton Park Saturday afternoon with two objectives: to listen to renowned jazz artists and to boogie.
Even with the 85-degree heat, hundreds of locals made themselves at home during the 15th annual Long Beach Uptown Jazz Festival. Some sat back and watched the show in their canopies; others went to the front row and danced as trumpets and drums pierced the evening air.
Ninth District Councilmember Dr. Joni Ricks-Oddie hosted the event, while additional members of the Long Beach City Council and citywide leaders attended the festival — with some even dancing along with the crowd.
The Uptown Jazz Festival was launched in 2011 by then-councilmember Steve Neal, who was in attendance this year.
“The goal of this event was to be a community-building event to bring our neighborhoods together in a beautiful environment with friendship, fun and fellowship,” Neal said to the audience.
As the evening came to a close, more people flooded the dance floor, boasting handheld fans to keep themselves cool.
The main event, Morris Day & The Time, opened dramatically with punchy drums and guitar as locals put their hands up in the air and sang along with the ‘80s soul group.
Their infectious energy matched the crowd in their opener, “Cool,” with the crowd screaming, “C-O-O-L!”
That punchy feeling continued into their performance as they danced along with the crowd. Morris Day & The Time ended their performance with a somber Prince tribute, singing “Purple Rain,” while clips of Prince played on the jumbo screen.
The screen read, “Thank you, Prince. We luv u!!!!” as photos of Prince and the group flooded the big screen behind them.
“How many of y’all miss Prince out there?” Jerome Benton of Morris Day & Time asked the audience, as the crowd screamed, “YES!”
“We do too; we thank God for him. We really do.”
