Weekly Monday night jazz jam session hosted by Kris Kimura with Ryan Davis, Ben Triesch and Mike Gordon at The Elephant Room.
Kris Kimura hosts his Monday night jazz jam at The Elephant Room on August 3, from 9 PM to 11 PM. He's joined by Ryan Davis on piano, Ben Triesch on bass, and Mike Gordon on drums. It's a weekly thing in the basement of the Congress Avenue club, which bills live jazz every night and charges no cover before 8 PM.
The jam has become a regular gathering point for the city's jazz community, drawing old pros, young lions, and surprise guests alike to jam and create together. It's one of those Austin institutions that works because it's consistent: Kimura leads the night, and the room stays open for whoever wants to step up and play. If you've spent any time in the local scene, you've probably heard about it, but it's a different thing to actually be there and watch it unfold.
Because it's a jam, the music changes from week to week. The core group—Kimura, Davis, Triesch, and Gordon—sets the foundation, and the rest comes from whoever shows up that night. That's the whole point of the format: the mix of regulars and guests is what keeps it from sounding the same twice. It's a good place to see how the city's jazz players work together in real time, rather than listening to a rehearsed set.
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If you're planning to go, keep the timing in mind. The jam runs from 9 PM to 11 PM, and since the room bills live jazz nightly with no cover before 8 PM, you can arrive early, grab a drink, and settle in before the jam kicks off. It's a Monday night, so it's a low-stakes way to start the week with some live music.
