I had the opportunity to bounce around a bit this weekend, and really wanted to hear some jazz, so I went to several shows/sessions that I absolutely loved this weekend:
Brass Tacks in Georgetown with Ron Weinstein, Jeff Johnson, and Mike Stone: I had heard about Brass Tacks before; I think Darian Asplund has had some gigs there, and I had seen Ron’s name attached to it too, but I had never been there. I really like the playing of all three of these guys, and they are some of the nicest, most fun musicians to hang out with and talk to as well. In addition, the restaurant is really nice, and although I didn’t try any of the food, it looked delicious. One of the owners, Skylar, was constantly walking around, shaking hands and checking in on tables, and introduced himself to me, then, after a nice conversation, offered me another beer while I watched the guys play. Even though the gig is, for all intents and purposes, a background music gig for a dinner crowd, it’s a great time.
The Lost Pelican in Belltown with Steve O’Brien and Delvon Lamarr: This time, I did try the food, and the crab cakes were delicious, although the portions were a bit small. Sounds like the move is to get there for the brunch and have the biscuits and gravy. Delvon said they may be the best biscuits and gravy he’s ever had. Whoa! Once again, Steve and Delvon are guys that I really enjoy both playing with and talking to; they get as excited about jazz as I do, and as always I came away from the gig energized and motivated about my own playing. Another background music gig, but, again, really really fun.
The Angry Beaver in Greenwood with Max Holmberg and friends: The Angry Beaver is a jam session that I think has been going for a bit but is still pretty new, and feels similar to the Owl and Thistle jam session on Tuesdays. The vibe is super friendly and the playing is top notch. I knew a handful of people, but there were also a lot of musicians I didn’t know, or at least don’t know super super well, and I’ve only met Max once before, when we played together a year or so ago at the 118 Public House with Tim Kennedy. Despite this, it was super comfortable; Max does a good job of walking around and hanging out and making sure people get to play, so even though the crowd was largely unfamiliar to me, I never felt awkward or out of place. The bar is also pretty close to my house, and looks like a fun spot to catch a hockey game (it’s a Canadian hockey bar).