The Jazz Room
Heuther Hotel, 59 King Street North N2J 2X2 Waterloo, ON, Canada

JAZZ LOVERS - check out this neat program: How to Listen to Jazz: A Guided Listening Adventure Join JUNO nominated, and award winning jazz composers and educators Amanda Tosoff and Jodi Proznick as they enthusiastically help you to expand your listening experience of jazz. They will be using beloved songs from classic jazz albums to offer you a fun and engaging guided listening experience.... This workshop is perfect for people new to jazz and for more experienced listeners who are interested in getting the play by play from two seasoned rhythm section players. http://ow.ly/oAsi50DqmFM

December 31, 2020 Dear Jazz Room Community, On the eve of 2021 we send greetings and a message of comfort at the close of this bizarre yearand best wishes for brighter days ahead. To those who have been directly impacted by the virus, our sincere condolences.... As in years past, our hopes had been to spend a joyful time with friends, dancing the night away and ringing in the New Year with style and panache. Instead, we are hunkered-down, distanced and feeling isolated. Looking back on the months past, The Jazz Room’s stellar 9 th season was abruptly shuttered mid-March as the pandemic took hold. With the generous support of sponsors, donors, passholders, and government grants, we were able to reimburse musicians half their fees for cancelled showsan important gesture of support for artistic careers that have been particularly decimated in this crisis. With a brave show of determination, grit and discipline the Jazz Room team started Season 10 at the beginning of September (as is our custom) strictly following public health guidelines and shining a flicker of light onto a scene which had otherwise gone hopelessly dark. Sadly, by mid-November we were again forced to close our doors. As the dark clouds of 2020 recede, rest assured knowing we will be back to finish Season 10 (whenever that will be!)immersed in our wonderful community of friends and enjoying the art form we dearly love. In the mean time, please stay safe and sane. We look forward to being together in the New Year. With Peace and Hope, The Jazz Room Team

Missing the Tom Nagy Christmas Experience this year? Here's a little social-distanced taste to get you through until next year, enjoy! (The lyrics are in the description)

Mark Kelso as the funkiest Little Drummer Boy:

It is with great sadness that we mark the passing this past week, from cancer, of GRJS member, Board member and erstwhile jazz enthusiast Steve Montgomery. Steve brought his lifetime of experience and passion to the Jazz Room. An early attendee and volunteer, Steve joined the Board in 2013, immediately helping organize early-evening shows and other events. The closed-circuit television in the bar of the Jazz Room, to improve the experience for live shows, is but one of the ...ideas Steve championed, along with the long-running jazz jams he organized. As a fundraiser for jazz education, the Grand River Jazz Society held a commemorative concert in September 2018 in Steve's honour after his cancer diagnosis became known. The concert featured Robi Botos, Mike Downes and Larnell Lewis - a powerhouse trio who could satisfy Steve's high demands for musicality. It wouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that Steve started playing drums at a very young age, and was playing with the Tommy Dorsey band by 14. Though his career was in engineering, Steve was never without at least one drum kit in his home, and was playing right through this year. With his gentle, warm, welcoming way of being; bright smile and easy laugh, Steve was a natural at hosting Jazz Room evenings. His can-do attitude and sharp mind brought not just ideas but solutions to the GRJS Board. His musicality and keen ear meant that he could not just host but also participate in the jam sessions he organized - jam sessions that brought new players onstage with professional musicians. Even when he wasn't on duty, Steve made the Jazz Room his second home, often with his wife Heather. In Steve's passing, however, we've not just lost a valued partner. Steve's immediate love and openness for everyone, from Jazz Room regulars to musicians to newcomers to those needing warm shelter in a doorway, was a real blessing to our community. His tall stature, easily spotted above the crowd on entering the Jazz Room, meant that a sincere, friendly, deep and frequently funny conversation was in store for us that evening. We will miss you as a contributor, Steve, but much more than that, we already miss you as a friend. Rest in peace. Steve was profiled as part of our People Of The Jazz Room series on social media: https://www.facebook.com//a.2584317974914/3264472583565960 https://www.facebook.com//a.2584317974914/3266414093371809 Steve's obituary, and a link for watching the Celebration of Life service in his honour, may be found here: https://www.henrywalser.com//steven-mont/4454053/index.php The Grand River Jazz Society will be honouring Steve's life and legacy in the New Year. Please stay in touch with us to receive further details. Sincerely, The Board and Friends of the Grand River Jazz Society

Tom Nagy's Christmas Experience has been a mainstay of the Jazz Room's December calendar since 2012. At last year's show, they released their first live album, "100 Years of Gettin' Cosy," to great acclaim. Although COVID has scuppered their plans to perform in 2020, the Christmas Experience's live album is now available for purchase online on Bandcamp, iTunes and other stores, and can be heard through most major streaming services (such as Apple Music and Spotify). Don't ...miss out! Full details on how to buy/listen, straight from the horse's mouth: https://www.facebook.com/tom.nagy/posts/10157579857406961 https://tomnagy.bandcamp.com//100-years-of-gettin-cosy-wit

THE JAZZ ROOM SUSPENSION OF LIVE MUSIC SHOWS Dear Jazz Room Community,... In the interest of public health, and Waterloo Region's RED Covid-19 status, The Grand River Jazz Society will once again suspend the operations of its live music presentation in The Jazz Room until further notice. Following the guidance of public health officials, we will closely monitor the situation week to week and return to normal operations as soon as possible. Watch for a message in JazzNotes (email list) or social media for updates. Stay safe, and see you all at the bottom of this curve! #kwjazz #thejazzroom #livejazz #kitchenerwaterloo #kwawesome

THIS SATURDAY NIGHT! Don't miss acclaimed jazz / hip-hop trumpet player BROWNMAN ALI as he once again leads an all-star quartet through his popular annual Halloween Thriller concert! Tickets must be purchased in advance! http://ow.ly/Un8Z50C6z3T #kwjazz #thejazzroom #kwawesome

Saturday night join us for some killer fusion with the Bartosz Hadala Group! Bartosz Hadala-piano Marito Marques-drums Luis Deniz-alto saxophone... Brad Cheeseman bass guitar Please see our website for COVID -19 protocols http://ow.ly/PsnE50C0iUM #kwjazz

Tomorrow night we welcome back The Original R&B, Soul & Funk Concert Featuring Carlos Morgan! Carlos Morgan (Vocals) Michael McNeil (Piano & Keyboards) Anthony Lewis (Bass)... Chris Blair (Drums) Please see our website for COVID-19 precautions. http://ow.ly/ICst50C0iQS #kwjazz

TONIGHT at The Jazz Room - The New Vibes Quartet! Featuring well loved jazz standards and some fantastic original compositions ! They will be playing two unique shows for the audiences. John Zadro - piano... Greg Prior - bass Jay Boehmer - drums Andy Macpherson - vibes and percussion Tickets online only: https://fb.me/e/3wpeujSOa #kwawesome #livejazz

This Saturday night international superstar drummer Sarah Thawer will join us with a who’s who in contemporary jazz. Don't miss out! Check her out w/ Jon Batiste NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert: http://ow.ly/wq1f50BEJ5q Tickets & show info: https://www.kwjazzroom.com/ ... #kwawesome #livejazz

This Friday night don’t miss this extraordinary young talent from Waterloo Region, Jazz Room favourite Dave Hjin! The Record article: http://ow.ly/p8eK50BEHDP Details & tickets for shows: http://ow.ly/7Huv50BEHDO #kwawesome #livejazz