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If you live in or near a small city, as we all do on 61, you learn soon that people have to wear many hats to get everything done. Grand Marais is fortunate to have overqualified people who can wear those many hats. One columnist and retired small business owner works at Holiday along with a retired money man from Piper Jaffray. The North Shore Swing Band is further proof of the many hats rule.
We gathered in the Blue Building on the 8th December (hard to see the Blue in the dark, but it was the one with the lights on). Fourteen band members were arrayed up front with a dance floor between them and the enthusiastic audience. The dance floor could use more use. If more than four couples don’t dance, the band members may feel a lack of people being moved enough. On the other hand, the band should not despair. Most of the audience were reasonably classified as “elderly” if not old. I saw many tapping feet and moving other parts in the chairs.
Back to many hats. One of the band’s Trombones, Eric Anderson, works the golf course desk in the summer. A trumpeter, Don Grant, is a pickleballer and past chair of the food Coop board. Saxophonist Mike Bash is a retired lawyer and sometimes political activist. The band’s leader, Kathy Bolstad, doubled on the clarinet, and another sax player I can’t name did some flute playing. The drum set was missing so vocalist Carah Thomas doubled on the cymbal and did another guy in the back row. Trombonist Dave Coleman did the talking, too. If I knew more of the members personally, I suspect that many hats would be proven again.
Upcoming gigs at North Houses, all from 6-8 p.m. are:–Wednesday January 18th, 2023 (in Red bldg); Wednesday February 8th, 2023 (in Red bldg); Thursday March 23rd, 2023 (in Blue bldg).
Many more gigs at other venues are currently in the planning stages for 2023.
Besides those named above, the band members are:
Winds: Julie Joynes Carlson, Erik Hahn, Theresa Bragg.
Trumpets: Steve Robertson, Tim Sullivan.
Trombones: Julie Ziedel.
Rhythm: Barbara LaMotte (piano), Dan Nelson (guitar), Roger Barton (bass)
Electronics: Roger Barton, Mike LaMotte, Bob Ziedel.
The band did not charge, but contributions for music, etc., were accepted by coffee cans decorated as Toby mugs. I was charmed.
P. S. Next week you might read about curling, not your hairs.
P. P. S. I have received several suggestions for living green, but not enough for a column. C’mon! Ante Up!
Steve Aldrich is a retired Hennepin County lawyer, judge, and mediator, serving as judge from 1997-2010. He and his wife moved here in 2016. He likes to remember that he was a Minnesota Super Family Lawyer before being elected to the bench. Steve really enjoys doing weddings. He writes this column to learn more about his new home area and to share his learnings with others—and to indulge his curiosities. Bouquets and brickbats to the editor or stevealdrich41@gmail.com. Copyright Stephen C. Aldrich and News Herald, 2022.
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