This May, after an interval of 5 years, Wife and I are at FIMU again, together.  On the first evening, after a couple of unspectacular concerts, we arrive at the Jazz Tent to listen to the Bignol Swing Quintet. A large crowd has gathered; we manage to find a spot with an uninterrupted view of the stage.

Right from the start there’s a feeling of magic in the air. The music – rhythm, melody, energy – cannot be the only thing. The band has a certain presence on stage, a charisma that’s hard to place a finger on. The audience – a mixed one, of all ages – joins the performance, in step with the toe-tapping numbers. It is one of those rare occasions where the musicians, their music, and the audience coalesce into one entity.

This is the FIMU we remember; it is what makes us come back.

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