The Valley Sun

Come on in, it's comedy night at the Duchin Room!

It is widely held that laughter is medicine for the soul. If this is the case, dozens and dozens of people in Sun Valley Saturday night got a strong dose of life affirming laughter at the Duchin Room Comedy Series. An overflow crowd packed the historic lounge at the Sun Valley Lodge, laughing out loud, clapping and cheering for the stand-up comedy of Dwight Slade.

Slade, a comedian of international repute and a frequent visitor to the Sun Valley area, went right at local culture. Nothing was off-limits, from the strictly enforced 25 mph speed limit through Bellevue on the way to Sun Valley that drives him nuts, to the locals need to one-up each another when it comes to athletic pursuits. He delivered a hilariously funny account of a “typical” morning at a local coffee shop. To paraphrase, Slade explained, even if you closed down the bars on Main Street the night before, all you need to do the following day to redeem yourself is pull on some Spandex, wipe a little “sweat” onto your forehead and loudly explain the epic 50k loop you just completed. Whether or not you actually did it is totally beside the point.

Funny man Dwight Slade had the large crowd roaring

The headliner earned a five-star review from Scotland’s Minister of Culture at the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He has performed in Afghanistan for US troops and at many comedy festivals. His credits also include a Tonight Show feature and a Hi-Def Comedy Special.  But what really resonated with the audience of well over a hundred Saturday night, were his ties to the Valley.

Stefan Davis, another very funny man, warmed up the crowd before Slade took the stage, gathering a standing room only crowd. His conversational and self-effacing style won everyone over immediately.

The comedy series will continue for the next two weekends and runs from approximately 8:30 – 9:30 p.m. There is no cover charge. If past weeks are any indication, be sure to arrive early to secure your seat, order a specialty cocktail and even some food. Then sit back and prepare to laugh the night away.

Have a cocktail and relax. The comedy is really good

Next up is Patrick Keane, who boasts multiple appearances on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and appearances on Comedy Central. He will light up the Duchin Room on February 15 and 16 along with Leif Skyving.  On February 22 and 23, don’t miss the antics of Claude Stuart who has appeared on the Tonight Show and Last Comic Standing. Opening for Claude is Gary Cannon.

Come on out. It’s free. It’s really, really funny. And it feels good to laugh.

–RES

Opening night of the 2012 Sun Valley Jazz Jamboree was a high-energy cacophony of color, smiles and the sweet sounds of jazz. From the Inn to the Lodge to the Indoor Ice Rink, converted into a vast performance hall for the weekend, the Resort was crowded with folks poised for a great time. Every chair was occupied in the cozy Duchin Lounge during a show featuring Jerry and Gary, battling banjo players. The rink was filled to capacity while 12 world-class performers, under the banner of Little Big Band N’Awlins Style, bebop’d and blew, improvised and grooved. Though early in the evening, many began to venture to the floating dance floor, one of the most appreciated and talked about features of this Jamboree.

Banjos battle in the Duchin Room

“People love the floating dance floor,” explained Scott Irvine who manages the Sun Valley Ice Rinks and is responsible for converting the indoor rink into a nightclub for the Jamboree. “The floor is sprung, almost like a tumbling floor in gymnastics, and people can dance for four hours and feel like it’s been one hour. It’s really fun – try it!” We bounced a bit among the dancers. It is fun.

Big Band fun

Back in the Lodge, the warmly lit lobby was full of festival-goers, on their way to or from of the dozens of evening events around the Resort. A helpful volunteer from Wood River High School, a musician herself, answered questions with a smile. The famous men’s singing group from Yale University, the Whiffenpoofs, congregated in the lobby, taking in the scene following their performance. Many grabbed a bite at the bar in the Duchin Room (myself included – I highly recommend the vegetable quesadilla) surrounded by hep cats of all varieties, including some of the weekend’s talented and smartly dressed musicians.

One of the helpful volunteers at the Jamboree

Welcome!

This was my first foray into the Jazz Jamboree and I plan to go back for more this weekend. It was terrific to see the Resort so crowded during shoulder season and it was terrific to see all the participants having such a tremendous time. People travel from all over (some I spoke with were from Kansas, Oregon, British Columbia) to be entertained, spend time with old friends and make new ones.

Things are in full swing in Sun Valley. Break out the boas, lace up those dancing shoes and get in on the fun. In addition to music and dancing, there is great food to eat and room specials if you want to relax through the last acts (that run until 1 a.m.) and then just roll into a comfortable bed, ready to start again the next morning.

The Jazz Jamboree runs through Sunday, October 21. Click here for a full schedule and get your jazz on!

– RES

Dressing the part

Dancing is a huge part of the festival