Friday:

Although 850 chairs were put out, they were not enough for the large audience that turned up for Friday's Jazz in June festival at Brookhaven Village.

The crowd positioned lawn chairs and blankets under the shade or right in front of the stage for better sight and sound effects.

Stan Quinton, technical adviser for Jazz in June, said approximately 10,000 people came to the festiva Friday.

"It is for everyone. The festival is very much a community event," said Karen Weddle, who was relaxing and chatting with her friends. "A lot of people commuted here from Oklahoma City. It is not just a Norman thing."

People who attended ranged from children to elderly people. Couples hugged each other tight and danced to the slow jazz music in front of the stage. Children followed suit; they pulled one another on the sleeves and tried to imitate the adults' dance steps.

Little girls and boys swirled in circles, some ran and a few twirled the luminous bands in their hands.

During intervals, one of the masters of ceremonies started to throw free frisbees, sponsored by Sony Corp., from the stage. Audiences were yelling and raising their hands high up, "Here! Here!"

People tapped feet; lovers moved and swayed their bodies to the soothing music; teenagers leaned back on the chairs and sipped the cool beer in their hands.

"I feel wonderful being at the heartland of America," said Richie Cole, an alto saxophonist from New Jersey, the featured guest of Heads Up! Recording Artists. "Jazz concerts are always peaceful and audiences are very polite."

The night ended with dances in the parking lot and shouts for more music.


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