ATLANTA JAZZ JAM SESSIONS

CHURCHILL GROUNDS
660 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30308
Every Tuesday, starting at 9:30pm
Cover: $5 plus $5 food/drink minimum
Website: www.churchillgrounds.com

Atlanta trumpet player, jazz educator, and composer Danny Harper leads Tuesday night jam sessions at the Churchill Grounds jazz club. Musicians are welcome to sign up with Danny before the set, to sit in with other well known Atlanta jazz musicians for this no-holds-barred session of the finest improvisational jazz in Atlanta. For more information, visit the Churchill Grounds website.

Rick's comments

The Churchill Grounds jam session is the real deal. You don't have to be a monster player to jump on stage, but you definitely have to have your *stuff* together. Some excellent Atlanta jazz musicians attend these jam sessions and it's not uncommon for them to play tunes in unfamiliar keys or to even change keys in the middle of tunes. But, don't let that scare you ;-)

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STAR JAZZ & BLUES LOUNGE
177 Peters Street, Atlanta, GA 30313
Cover: $10
Website: www.starjazzandblues.com

Every Monday, from 9:30pm-midnight, Bernard Linnette's Interactive jazz band will host a jazz jam session at Star Jazz & Blues Lounge. Here's a link to a flyer created by Laura Coyle for this jam session.

Rick's comments

I attended the first Monday night jam session at Star Jazz & Blues Lounge on 2/4/2008. Since Mondays are typically off-nights for musicians, they were hoping to have several Atlanta jazz musicians show up to jam... and boy did they ever! I left around 11:30pm and by that time I had the pleasure of hearing Russell Gunn, Lester Walker, Dennis Springer, Louis Heriveaux, Craig Shaw, Kebbi Williams, Philip Harper, Derek White, Kemba Cofield, London Arrington, Julie Dexter, and Tammy Allen. There's no way of knowing who will typically show up, but that was quite a first night! BTW, the music is downstairs so don't be discouraged when you don't see a band playing in the main bar area.

Update 3/11/08: I've attended several of the Monday night jazz jam session at Star Jazz & Blues Lounge since they began in February 2008. Each night there has been a great turnout of musicians. Last night, for example, there were more than a dozen musicians taking part in the jam session including: Russell Gunn, Melvin Jones, Dennis Springer, Julie Dexter, Leeland Davis, and of course Bernard Linnette's usual rhythm section. I encourage all of you to check this place out and show some support so all of these great musicians will continue to play.

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TWAIN'S BILLIARDS AND TAP
211 E Trinity Place, Decatur, GA 30030
Every Tuesday, 8:45pm-11:30
Cover: Free!
Website: www.twains.net

Atlanta jazz trumpeter, Joe Gransden, leads a jazz jam session every Tuesday night at Twain's Billiards and Tap in Decatur (about 2 blocks from Decatur Square). The first set starts at 8:45pm and the second set starts around 10:30pm. Jazz musicians are welcome to sit in with the band during both sets.

Rick's comments

The Twain's jam session is very new, having just begun on April 15, 2008. On the first night, the band included Joe Gransden on trumpet, Tyrone Jackson on piano, Craig Shaw on bass, and Chris Burroughs on drums. Sitting in with the band were a couple of trumpet players, a drummer, and a guitarist. Joe and the band did a great job of making all of the jam session participants feel welcome on stage. This is definitely one of those jam sessions where you can join the band without a lot of pressure. The band sounded great and there was also a good-sized crowd. It certainly looks like this jam session is off to a good start!

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APRES DIEM
931 Monroe Drive, Suite C-103, Atlanta, GA 30308
Every Wednesday, ~8:30pm-midnight
Cover: Free!
Website: www.apresdiem.com

The Apres Diem cafe in Midtown Atlanta has a jazz jam session every Wednesday night starting around 9pm. The jam session is hosted by GSU educator and jazz guitarist, Dave Frackenpohl.

Rick's comments

I recently saw my first jam session at Apres Diem. On that night there were about a dozen jazz musicians who came to jam, including Danny Harper, Kermit Walker, Dave Bass, and Derrick White. It was great to see and hear so many local musicians. As is the case on most nights at Apres Diem, the place was packed. As far as jam sessions go, Apres Diem is probably a good place to play and hangout. The musicians are supportive and it definitely beats playing to an empty house. However, if you're going to Apres Diem with the hope of watching the band, be prepared to stand in the bar area all night. You can only see the band from the bar and during the entire time I was there all of the bar seats were taken.

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FIVE SPOT
1123 Euclid Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30307
Every Tuesday, starting around 9pm
Cover: Free!
Website: www.fivespot-atl.com

Kevin Scott hosts a jazz/blues/R&B/soul/etc jam session at the Five Spot in Little 5 Points. For more information about the jam session schedule and the Five Spot, visit the Five Spot website.

Rick's comments

I've been to a couple jam sessions at the Five Spot. From what I saw, it's best to arrive early (9-ish) if you want to play jazz. As the night goes on, it seems to become more of a rock/blues guitar jam.

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LONDZELL'S JAZZ AND BLUES CAFE
2300 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell, GA
Every Wednesday, 8pm-11pm
Cover: $5
Website: www.londzellsjazzandblues.com

Atlanta jazz vocalist, Tammy Allen, hosts an open mic jam. For more information, visit Londzell's website.

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