by Javier Morin
Churchill’s Pub has always been known to the city of Miami as the home for any upcoming local and underground acts. Whether it be Rock, Metal, Folk, Electronic, Pop, Funk, Punk, Hardcore, or anything in between, Churchill’s has hosted it all, and chances are if you live in Miami or know someone who does, you’ve been there or know someone who does. The local pub has, for a very long time, hosted events catering to a particular genre, and there are dozens. One of these is Churchill’s Jazz Nights, which normally occurs Monday nights, and is open to any jazz or jazz-related acts who want to perform.
One of these shows took place Monday, November 25th, and it being my first time attending Churchill’s Jazz Night, I had no idea what to expect. All of the acts I got to experience were surprisingly nameless, and mostly seemed to be comprised of just a few musicians who happened to know each other rather than a concrete group.
The first act to come up onstage was an elderly couple performing well-known jazz standards; a lady who sang and a man who played guitar. The duo had a particularly simple, homey feel to their sound, and were quite pleasant to listen to while relaxing and having a beer. The acts that would follow afterwards, though, were each variations of the same ten or eleven musicians. The first of these was a guitar, bass, and drum trio, who added a touch of experimental prog-rock to their mostly traditional jazz sound. The next act kept the same bassist, but alternated the guitarist and drummer, and added a keyboardist, trombone player, and trumpet player. This iteration of the group was noticeably more traditional in their sound, but still left plenty of room for improvisational jams and were just as much a joy to listen to. I left Churchill’s that night rather late, but happy knowing that such crazy talent can spawn from the streets of Miami.
