SONGS TO END THE SUMMER

This has been the most musical of summers. Less than a month after the 5-day pause festival, Canadian singer-songwriter Kalyna Rakel sang jazz, blues and folk late into the hot and balmy night accompanied by George Chenery on the ukele bass. Replete after dinner, glass of good wine in hand, staff, guests and volunteers cheered and applauded a succession of original songs from her forthcoming album and evergreen standards. A tear or two was shed during spell-binding renditions of Bye Bye Blackbird and Somewhere Over the Rainbow (no names). Manfred was then coaxed into playing the piano to an increasingly rowdy crowd, accompanied, reluctantly, by Maribel on the cajon. No better way to end the summer.