Pictured: Jazz Jam SRQ meeting at the Downtown Selby Library. Photo Courtesy of Ron Kushner.

What started as a call out to jazz players in the area on the Nextdoor app has turned into a jazz collective that hosts over 200 people bi-monthly. Ron Kushner, an intermediate jazz pianist and the creator of Jazz Jam SRQ, moved to the region from New York after the pandemic. As Kushner settled, there was a desire to first, get to know people in the community who were interested in jazz and second, enhance his own jazz skills. After putting up the post on Nextdoor, Kushner received 40 responses. The interest in a jazz collective was obvious, they just needed a set place and time to meet. Kushner says the collective views sheet music as just a suggestion. “Our musicians take liberties with the sheet music in front of them. They add aiding notes where they see fit and change the value of the note. Rhythm is found within these decisions,” says Kushner.

Now, Jazz Jam SRQ meets every other Monday at the Downtown Selby Library from 5:30pm to 7:30pm in collaboration with the Jazz Club Sarasota. Musicians unknown to each other who play jazz on the piano, bass, or other instruments are tied together by the music they play in an open-mic-styled jam session. “Everybody knows the rules of the game, we put together musicians who have never played together before and they sound good because they know what they are supposed to be doing,” says Kushner. Ultimately, Jazz Jam SRQ aims to create a community within Sarasota County that comes together for the sound of jazz. Sway to the music as an audience or musician for the next jam on December 16.

Pictured: Jazz Jam SRQ meeting at the Downtown Selby Library. Photo Courtesy of Ron Kushner.

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