Another installment of the West Texas Jazz Society’s Jazz Jam sessions will take place this weekend at Flair Taverna.
The session will last from 2-4 p.m. Sunday.
The event is free and open to the public as jazz lovers who play an instrument or sing are encouraged to come and play.
“We’ve done these about three or four times at Flair Taverna,” West Texas Jazz Society President Eric Baker said. “They are a wonderful co-host. They have a lot of live music during the week so it’s a place where a lot of our community knows that they can go and find some music from jazz, rock and blues.”
The West Texas Jazz Society partners with Flair Taverna about once every four months to put on these Sunday afternoon jazz jam sessions.
The Jazz Society helps provide some of the instruments.
“The jazz society provides what’s called a backline of basically drums, keyboards, bass and guitar,” Baker said. “Community members can come in at all ages and all levels of experience and they can play either with our provided musicians or sometimes groups of students will come up and play together. It’s a really relaxed, informal atmosphere where people can get some lunch and enjoy some live music. There’s a combination of students all the way up to professionals performing together.”
Baker says the jazz jams keep attracting a bigger audience each time around.
“It keeps growing each year,” Baker said. “We’re relying on the community to show up. We’ll have anywhere from 12 to 30 people that will get up and perform. Not all at one time.”
Baker encourages people not to show up too late.
“The bar area is usually full so get there early if you want a spot near the stage,” Baker said. “This is for amateurs and professionals who want to come and perform and make music as a community.”
Flair Taverna has been open for a little over a year now and has remained a big part of the jazz community.
“It’s free to come and jam,” Baker said. “People can come up and bring their instruments or come up and sing. Or if they’re not comfortable participating, it’s a fun, free concert. It’s always a great concert.”
This Sunday’s Jazz Jam is one of the numerous events that the West Texas Jazz Society helps put on.
Later this year, the 57th Annual West Texas Jazz Party will take place from June 1-3 at the Odessa Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.
For more information on the West Texas Jazz Society, visit their website at wtjs.org.
If you go
- What: Sunday Afternoon Jazz Jam.
- When: 2-4 p.m. Feb. 19.
- Where: Flair Taverna (JBS Parkway and E. University).
- Cost: Free.
