I decided today that jazz music has the power to make anyone smile.  
To backtrack a little . . .I'm a classically trained pianist. Jazz never really appealed to me, mostly because I'm so used to straightforward rhythms. But a few days ago, as I searched for new pieces for the summer, a jazz piece just flew into my face. I knew that this was what I had to learn, even though that amazing rhythmic relationship that most jazz pianists have with the piano is notably missing with me. So, I listened to a recording, looked at the piece, and started to play.
Ahhhhh.  
It's really hard to go back to classical after playing jazz. It's like screwing your head on backwards for a few minutes and then switching back. But jazz is just. So. Fun. And the thing is, you don't have to be good at it to enjoy it, because the colorful chromatic scale jazz twists into a million different bursts of excitement sound amazing even if you botch almost everything else.
So, after finding the first jazz piece of my repertoire,  I started hearing the happy rhythm and cadence of jazz everywhere.
On my iPod as I was walking briskly around my neighborhood (unfortunately not jogging, or "speeding past in attractive athletic wear and dashing up hills" because I'm ridiculously out of shape . . . ) I heard just the first three beats of a song, and I started smiling. And it was completely involuntary! I tend to zone out as I walk, so I wasn't paying attention to what was playing on my iPod. But for some reason, I just couldn't stop smiling. Jazz does that to me . . . I think it's the swing beat. Even if you really never ever dance, the beat just makes you want to tap your feet and clap your hands.
It's fantastically, terrifically amazing.
 . . . and that is the story of how a classical pianist began to fall in love with jazz. 
Bu don't worry Chopin.
No one will ever take you away from your special place in my heart.