Jazz Jam makes Syracuse a community band

The Jazz Jam weekly event at Funk n’ Waffles gives local musicians the chance to come together onstage to play their instruments. The musicians often have limited to no rehearsal, just an expression of music founded on community.

The music started promptly at 3 p.m. with no introductions of the performers, or what audiences were about to see. It appeared that most in attendance were regulars who already knew what was going on. This led the room to transition quickly into a soft atmosphere with the subtle combination of drums, bass and keys. 

A few minutes into the show, a saxophone player joined the members onstage, shifting the dynamic of the group. The ambiance moved from that of a coffee house to a fine dining establishment while  the group’s tempo kept building. The band no longer felt like background music, instead demanding the audience to pay attention to the stage. 

The group established this draw through the continuous solos, primarily led by the drum player. In his solos, audiences could see the passion in his face, tracking every movement and feeling every sound within himself. The other three instruments were reduced to something no greater than a whisper. However, they were still prevalent, providing great ad libs for the drum solo. With its end, the audience applauded while the band shifted back into its normal tune.

Photo by Ryan Lima

The event gives local musicians the opportunity to perform together onstage.

The first time someone from the band addressed the audience wasn’t until half an hour in. Here, they announced it was time for local musicians to join the band onstage. One by one, the band called out names from a list and after a few adjustments, the playing began. 

The first addition brought up another saxophone player. The new player melded well with the original band, adding a great sense of chemistry. Throughout the session, new members routinely replaced the original band members as they were called up. This concept highlights that the event is founded on community. It showcased that even with limited experience playing with each other, all instruments were able to work together fluidly. 

The band did not limit the songs to typical jazz music either. An hour into the event , the band began playing music from Mac Miller’s discography. The first was “Ladders” off of his 2018 album Circles. The drummer was a focus here, as he highlighted wanting to do these songs to commemorate Miller and keep his legacy going. The second was “Dang!” featuring Anderson Paak, yet another Miller track. 

The event finished around 5 p.m. and many of the folks who played stuck around to talk to people in the audience. Once more, the community’s presence stood out as everyone actively discussed the performance with each other.

It was apparent that this event is a community-building opportunity for local musicians that are looking to get their reps in and connect with others. It is also a great place for or the general public to enjoy live music on a Sunday afternoon.