Dropping in for a minute after an exhausting weekend on the concrete of Hart Plaza. The Montreux-Detroit Jazz Festival -- America's largest free urban beach party hangout accompanied by some pretty fair music.

Random sightings:

Francisco Mora and Ray Barretto providing very o.t. music in consecutive sets on Latin Night.

Three boogie-woogie guys (Mr. B, Bob Seely, Phillipe Lejeune) playing one piano simultaneously -- an excercise in togetherness.

My new friends from New Orleans, Astral Project, connecting in a big way with a Detroit audience for the first time. No decent gumbo on the premises, though.

85 year-old Franz Jackson playing tenor and singing with gusto.

Houston Person playing in-the-pocket soul tenor while Etta Jones lingered behind the beat.

The Sun Ra All Star Project screeching and chanting, screeching and chanting.

Straight Ahead playing without a guest appearance from Regina Carter, even though Regina had four hits at the fest, including a reunion with her old boss, Lyman Woodard.

Johnnie Basset rocking the house with a mean horn section including a homecoming by Scott Peterson.

Only one of last year's dancing drunks in evidence. Must've been a tough year on the streets.

Curtis Fuller making a lackluster hometown appearance with fellow Detroiter Louis Hayes.

A very ghostly Duke Ellington Orchestra led by young whipper-snapper Paul Ellington.

Diane Schuur with the same ghost band adding an ear-splitting voice and frequent sexual innuendo.

Consistently long lines at the JaDa Barbecue Grill booth -- the catfish nuggets came with rice and baked beans.

A restored tall ship from 1812 anchored by the Detroit River at Hart Plaza.

Eric Person soloing with fervor while Gene Jackson assaulted the drum kit.

Thousands baking in the sun on Sunday and buffeted by cool gusts on Monday.

Judge Myron Wahls playing piano tentatively three days after a chemo treatment and getting an award for his contributions to jazz in Detroit.

Claude Black playing piano flawlessly several months after suffering a stroke.

Michael Brecker coming all the way to Detroit for a couple of solos with the Univ of Michigan band. David Liebman was also on hand, but at least he had a separate set of his own.

Corporate sponsor signs and logos everywhere, an annoying jingle playing before each set at the "DTE Energy" stage, aggressive hawking of wares on the midway. It's free but the spirit of commerce is in the air.