Jazz: Swingin' Sounds

Morris 'Mo Mack' McClellan is playing at Rose City Book Pub on Thursday, October 10, as part of the Swingin' Sounds jazz series. It's a free session, and it's open to all ages, so you can bring the kids along if that's your speed.

The night is set up as a community jam session, which means it's not just a performance to watch from a table. If you play, you're welcome to get in on it. The Swingin' Sounds series has that as its whole point—keeping the music open and participatory rather than just a stage show. McClellan leads the way, but the jam is where the night opens up to whoever shows up with an instrument.

Because it's a jam, the setlist isn't fixed. You'll hear McClellan's take on the music, and then you'll hear it shift as other musicians step in and take their turns. It's the kind of night that changes depending on who's in the room, which is exactly why it's worth coming back to more than once. If you're just there to listen, you get to see how a room full of people builds a set together in real time.

It's all happening at Rose City Book Pub in Portland. The music starts at 7 PM, and the doors open at 6:30 PM, so you've got a half-hour to get settled before the first note. Admission is free, and all ages are welcome.