Have you ever wanted to get up and sing with a real, live jazz band? Maybe you play saxophone or trumpet, and want to show off some of those “chops?" Cape drummer Bart Weisman's weekly jazz jam sessions are open to professional and amateur jazz musicians alike, so whether you play simply for your own enjoyment, are a student, or already out there earning a living playing sessions, this is the platform for you.
Every Sunday afternoon, The Oyster Company in Dennisport hosts the Jazz Jam. At a recent session, the rhythm section was comprised of Weisman on drums, Ted Jellinek on piano and Laird Boles on upright bass. Guest musicians from the Cape included frequent “jammer" Henry Duckham, talented scat singer Maggie MacDougall, and WOMR radio host and singer Julian Jackson. There was a trombonist, clarinetist, saxophonists, drummers, bassists and a flugel horn player rounding out the afternoon. It's a ripe opportunity for students on the Cape to “sit in" with professional musicians and hone their improvisational skills and hear other local and regional players.
The Oyster Company is the perfect spot for the lively Jazz Jam. This modern bistro houses a curved, zinc-topped bar, elegantly neutral color scheme, graceful pillars, original artwork and delicious oysters, along with salads, pasta, poultry, burgers and more. Fresh farm oysters are harvested daily from the restaurant's own Quivet Neck Oyster Farm in Dennis. The hostess is gracious and leads you to the table where you can enjoy lunch or dinner, looking out the large windows onto the outdoor patio. The vibe here is very accommodating and supportive of the Jazz Jam, and it's a pleasantly different way to spend an afternoon!
Weisman plays venues all over the Cape with his Bart Weisman Group, and was inspired to create Cape Cods only weekly Jazz Jam in October 2006, “because the one we did last summer at the Provincetown Jazz Festival was so successful. It has been going non-stop since then," Weisman says. He'll introduce a guest musician, they'll converse briefly over what key to play in, and off they go. The enthusiasm of the rhythm section and soloists is matched by the Oyster Company audience, as they tap out a beat with their toes and offer up generous applause. There always seems to be enough time for everybody to try their wings, and Weisman organizes and orchestrates the jam fluidly, never missing a beat.
The acoustics of Oyster Company are quite live, so no one needs to push to get a great sound. The Jazz Jam is such a delightful marriage of spontaneity, whimsy, educational opportunity and just plain fun, that whether you're a listener or musician, you'll find yourself entertained, perhaps meeting some old friends, or making new ones, while enjoying great food and a day to remember.
Jazz Jams are at 3:30p.m.-6:30p.m., Sundays at the Oyster Company, 202 Depot Street, Dennisport, MA. Admission is free; please call 508-398-4600 for more information.
Every Sunday afternoon, The Oyster Company in Dennisport hosts the Jazz Jam. At a recent session, the rhythm section was comprised of Weisman on drums, Ted Jellinek on piano and Laird Boles on upright bass. Guest musicians from the Cape included frequent “jammer" Henry Duckham, talented scat singer Maggie MacDougall, and WOMR radio host and singer Julian Jackson. There was a trombonist, clarinetist, saxophonists, drummers, bassists and a flugel horn player rounding out the afternoon. It's a ripe opportunity for students on the Cape to “sit in" with professional musicians and hone their improvisational skills and hear other local and regional players.
The Oyster Company is the perfect spot for the lively Jazz Jam. This modern bistro houses a curved, zinc-topped bar, elegantly neutral color scheme, graceful pillars, original artwork and delicious oysters, along with salads, pasta, poultry, burgers and more. Fresh farm oysters are harvested daily from the restaurant's own Quivet Neck Oyster Farm in Dennis. The hostess is gracious and leads you to the table where you can enjoy lunch or dinner, looking out the large windows onto the outdoor patio. The vibe here is very accommodating and supportive of the Jazz Jam, and it's a pleasantly different way to spend an afternoon!
Weisman plays venues all over the Cape with his Bart Weisman Group, and was inspired to create Cape Cods only weekly Jazz Jam in October 2006, “because the one we did last summer at the Provincetown Jazz Festival was so successful. It has been going non-stop since then," Weisman says. He'll introduce a guest musician, they'll converse briefly over what key to play in, and off they go. The enthusiasm of the rhythm section and soloists is matched by the Oyster Company audience, as they tap out a beat with their toes and offer up generous applause. There always seems to be enough time for everybody to try their wings, and Weisman organizes and orchestrates the jam fluidly, never missing a beat.
The acoustics of Oyster Company are quite live, so no one needs to push to get a great sound. The Jazz Jam is such a delightful marriage of spontaneity, whimsy, educational opportunity and just plain fun, that whether you're a listener or musician, you'll find yourself entertained, perhaps meeting some old friends, or making new ones, while enjoying great food and a day to remember.
Jazz Jams are at 3:30p.m.-6:30p.m., Sundays at the Oyster Company, 202 Depot Street, Dennisport, MA. Admission is free; please call 508-398-4600 for more information.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
