NOW Jazz Orchestra

NOW Jazz Orchestra plays The Elephant Room on Wednesday, July 29, from 9 PM to 11 PM. They're an 18-piece modern jazz big band based right here in Austin, and the set draws from two different places: their own members write part of the repertoire, and the rest comes from national composers. That mix of local writing and outside charts is what they bring to the stage.

They describe their sound as fresh, adventurous big band jazz with serious power and creativity. With 18 musicians on the bandstand, that power is a literal thing—a full horn section and rhythm section filling the room. It's a big sound for a basement club, and that's exactly why it works. The Elephant Room is Austin's iconic Congress Avenue basement spot, a venue that's hosted live jazz nightly for years, and it's one of the few places in town built for this kind of ensemble.

If you've never seen them, it's worth knowing how the band is put together. An 18-piece big band is a lot of people on one stage, and when they're all playing together, it's a different experience than a small combo. The repertoire they pull from—both their own writing and the work of national composers—means the set isn't just one thing; it's a range of voices and styles under one roof.

The show runs from 9 PM to 11 PM at The Elephant Room, 315 Congress Ave, and cover is $7.