Vigorito Voodoo

The Famous "Vigorito Voodoo"

Some years ago we began to notice a pattern of exceptionally good weather at nearly all of our outdoor performances. We attribute that good fortune to a spooky effect called the "Vigorito Voodoo". The record speaks for itself:

Here's the record for the spring and summer of 2007:

-May 5 . . . . Private party on the CT River . . Clouds parted; a perfect evening
-June 13 . . . Private party at St. Raphael's Hospital... partly cloudy
-June 14 . . . Fairfield Gazebo . . . A perfect evening!
-June 22 . . . Hot Steam Festival, Essex: . . . Unexpected rain before the start;
. . . . . . . . . . (It took about 20 minutes for us to clear the sky.)
-June 24 . . . Hot Steam Festival again. . . Perfect weather!
-July 7 . . . . .Private Party, Wallingford... Perfect weather again!
-July 15. . . . .Levitt Pavillion, Westport...Perfect weather again!
-July 27-29... Great CT Jazz Fest, Moodus . . . Mostly warm and sunny;
. . . . . . . . . . (There was one shower while GJB was not performing.)
-August 11. . .Music Mountain...Another perfect evening
-August 15. . .Ashlar of Newtown (outdoor concert) perfect weather
-Sept. 9 . . . . Church Picnic in Cheshire...Warm and sunny!
-Sept. 29. . . .Outdoor fundraiser in Clinton...A perfect autumn afternoon!

-And here's 2006:

-May 6 Private party on the CT River . . . breezy but dry
-May 18 Fundraiser at Pine Orchard in Branford . . . sunny and clear
-May 21 Schiavone Roast, Fair Haven:
. . perfect weather until Joel arrived, fashionably late. Then the downpour commenced.
-June 21 Fairfield Gazebo . . . perfect weather!
-July 5 Wadsworth Mansion, Middletown . . . perfect weather!
-July 8 Private party, Wallingford . . . perfect weather!
-July 28-30: The famous Vigorito Voodoo continued to operate at the 2006 Great Connecticut Jazz Festival. After three very warm and muggy days we were due for a thunderstorm, and did we ever get one on Friday afternoon! But the rain stopped just before the GJB's first set, and at least half of the cloud cover had disappeared by the time we finished. Saturday and Sunday were warm and sunny.
-August 16 Ashlar Village, Newtown . . . Perfect weather!

On Wednesday, July 5th, 2006 the GJB performed from 6:30 to 8:30PM with Herb Gardner and Bob Price at the Wadsworth Mansion in Middletown, CT as part of the "Music at the Mansion" summer concert series, which is free and open to the public. Although there was rain in the morning, the weather cleared and was perfect for the concert; over 1000 people attended. MAP. . .

Despite forcasts of a "weekend washout", the 2006 Hot Steamed Jazz Festival (June 23-25) got off to a fine dry start on Friday when the GJB performed. Thanks to the famous "Vigorito Voodoo" there was not a drop of rain until all the performances were finished and the instruments were back in the cars. (And then it was just a light drizzle.) We were not asked to perform on Saturday, and therefore could not keep the rain away. But the rain did stop for our two sets on Sunday.

Our score for the spring and summer of 2005 was 15 out of 16:

May 7 Private party . . . -rain stopped and the clouds parted.
June 11 Wedding at Lighthouse Point . . . perfect weather
June 18 Private party . . . perfect weather
June 22 Fairfield Gazebo . . . Rain stopped, clouds parted.
June 24 Hot Steamed Festival . . . perfect weather
June 25 Music Mountain . . . perfect weather
June 26 Hot Steamed Festival . . . sunny and warm
June 29 Newtown concert . . . moved indoors, rain stopped anyway.
July 3 Wedding, Middletown . . . perfect weather
July 4 Parades . . . perfect weather
July 7 Fair Haven Market . . . perfect weather
July 9 Private party, Hamden:
. . . perfect weather while we played, but ominous clouds during food break
July 24 Outdoor concert, Branford . . . -warm & sunny!
July 29-31 Jazz festival in Moodus:
. . . Warm and sunny; some clouds kept us from being too hot.

June 22, 2005 - The GJB returned to the gazebo on the green in Fairfield, CT for its annual free outdoor concert with special guests trombonist Jim Fryer, banjo virtuoso Bob Price, and vocalist Jane Campedelli. Although there was a thunderstorm earlier in the afternoon, and although it was still raining just a few miles away in Milford at the time of the concert, we enjoyed perfect weather that evening. There was not a cloud in the sky and the temperature was about 70 degrees. . . .

January 21-23, 2005 - We particularly enjoyed participating in the Central Illinois Jazz Festival, with Craig Grant, Jane Campedelli, and Bob Price. Although there was a blizzard in Connecticut that weekend we escaped its effects completely; our trip went well and we got home safely.

September 18, 2004 - As the remnants of Hurricane Ivan The Terrible were soaking the entire east coast, members of the GJB drove to New London to board a ferry to Fisher's Island for a wedding reception. As usual, the rain and wind stopped, the clouds parted, and the temperature moderated; the reception was a huge success thanks to the famous Vigorito Voodoo.

Except for the 17th, our June, 2004 Whirlwind Tour was entirely rain-free:

6/12...Parade in New Haven
6/17...Near & Far Aid Association Antique Show
6/18...Essex Island
6/19...Music Mountain
6/22...NBC TV taping for Morning News (9 AM)
6/22...Newtown (7-8 PM)
6/24...Fairfield
6/25...Festival of Arts & Ideas, New Haven (noon concert)
6/25...Hot Steamed Festival, Essex (evening)
6/27...Hot Steamed Festival, Essex.... Photos.........

February 16, 2003 - There was a blizzard in the forecast. By early afternoon Virginia and southern New Jersey were paralyzed by the snow. But the snow held off here in Connecticut while we had a great night at the ChowderPot. Thanks to the famous Vigorito Voodoo we were all safely home before the first flakes fell that night.