My jazz quintet performed for the Noel Night Gala Event at St. John's Catholic Church. We were soaking wet from loading equipment in a raging blizzard outside, but no seemed to mind. The fundraiser was fantastic.

There was no rehearsal, and the bassist Dave Rasmussen (he was outstanding) and the saxophonist Grant Larson had never performed with my band before. I had performed with Dave that week when I was the conductor for "Man of LaMancha performed at the North Dakota State School of Science. The cast however were Wahpeton High School students and were just magnificent.

Grant Larson is an outstanding classical saxophonist and I have accompanied his classical performances many times.