My View: A vision for Luxton Lake

It was a comfortable and sunny Saturday afternoon on June 30, when “Blasts from the Past” filled the air while echoing through the surrounding trees. It was like “Stompin’ at the Savoy,” with the energizing vibes of unadulterated, traditional jazz transporting us back to the heyday of the Country Club at Narrowsburg’s Luxton Lake Estates… a time when jazz was the magnet that captured peoples’ souls and senses on weekends into the dawn’s early light.

The ensemble, “For the Love of Music,” truly talented artists, generously gave us the best of jazz. Accompanying the band was drummer/vocalist Jimmy Smith of Luxton Lake, who has played with many legendary jazz giants. Pianist/vocalist Gary Mazz entertained with a combination of contemporary and jazz sounds with his throaty renditions of songs that made one lend a careful ear to their messages. He topped with a moving piece about the floods of Louisiana. A true stylist in his own right, Mazz held his audience enthralled.

“Luxton Lake” is also the name of the trio of women who traveled from New York City to share their medieval, folk and rock styles. These young women exhibited new talent with their harmonizing vocals and lyrics as they performed their music—nourishment for the soul.

The attendance was in comfortable numbers, with people having come from as far as Montreal. A raffle was held, T-shirts (still available) and refreshments sold, and a good time was had by all.

Tireless efforts and hours by community volunteers contributed to the success of this endeavor. The Luxton Lake Property Owners’ Association (LLPOA) is for real now, and feels that this fundraising event is only the beginning of more activities and events to come on the resurrected Luxton Lake grounds in the future.

With this benefit fundraiser music festival the LLPOA, under its current, proactive administration and membership, launched the vision and established the direction it hopes to succeed in fulfilling in the near future. Re-emergence from the decadence that plagued the area for decades has been the focus of the LLPOA. Clearing the grounds, replacing the clubhouse and restoring the dam and lake are the challenges facing this association, but it is determined to overcome.

(Afi Phoebe is a freelance writer and Luxton Lake property owner since 1954.)