Jazz Jam brings jazz musicians of varying skill levels together
Pictured at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel are, from left, Oak Ridge jazz jammers Ken Grace, Kathy Bowers, Tom Johnson, Steve Bennett, George Lewis, Don Lordo, Will Lavender, Mark Burton, Paul Clay, Chris Brock, Darrin Sonnier and Art Mercurio.
Oak Ridge Jazz Jam meets from 5:30 until 8:30 p.m. on the first and third Sundays of each month at Burchfield’s Restaurant inside DoubleTree by Hilton at 215 Illinois Ave. in Oak Ridge. Will Lavender, the event’s founder and one of its hosts, stressed it was for jazz musicians and enthusiasts of all skill levels.
“You’ll find students, amateurs, and professionals alike there— learning to improvise, polishing their chops, networking with other musicians, or just soaking up the beauty and joy of jazz,” he said, adding this made the event unique even among jazz jams.
“Many people who want to play jazz are discouraged from jamming with other musicians because they believe you have to be ‘good’ at it before you can play. Paradoxically, the only way to get ‘good’ at jazz is through playing with other musicians. While some jazz jams even foster this elitist image, the Oak Ridge Jazz Jam is open to all because we want to grow the jazz scene in East Tennessee.
“Having such a diverse range of skill levels presents its own challenges, like when you put a Wayne Shorter leadsheet in front of a PSTCC Jazz Band student and watch the color drain out of their face. Of course, we do have the occasional train wreck, but the ORJJ have two mantras— ‘Don’t stop playing till the end of the song’ and ‘It’s a jam. It doesn’t have to be perfect.’ While it doesn’t have to be perfect, I’m surprised at how often it actually is!”
Lavender encouraged people to come as both jammers and audience members. Oak Ridge Jazz Jam provides a house rhythm section, a shared piano and mics for vocalists. Jammers play out of the three 6th edition Real Books which Lavender said musicians should bring along with their instruments. He said the events are also a good place for people looking to hire jazz combos, solo performers or musicians for existing groups to seek out talented people.
For more details, contact Will Lavender at WilliamPLavender@gmail.com or Mark Burton at dMarkBurton@gmail.com.
