Monks Jazz Club's Upcoming Shows

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for Julie Slim & Rendezvous | Torch Songs International!

Julie Slim – Vocals

Dan Torosian – Saxophone

Shirley Johnson – Accordion

Shawn Ellison – Piano

Chris Jones – Bass

Joe McCreary – Drums

Julie Slim is an Austin-based Lebanese-Palestinian-American world jazz vocalist and actress, who has been in the Austin theater and music scene since 1996, when she was nominated for an I.B. Payne Acting Award for her work in the original children’s show, Deep in the Heart of Texas. In 1999, Julie created a duet Cabaret Act, Cabarageous, with friend and vocalist Donna Lipman, which was featured in the summer Zach Scott Cabaret Series. In 2009, Julie also formed the Arabic band, Layalina in collaboration with Sari Andoni (oud), specializing in classical and folk Arabic music, which was featured in a SXSW World Music showcase in 2010. Julie has been a lead vocalist and clinician for the Austin Jazz Workshop since 2001, spreading the love of jazz to children in elementary schools in and around Austin. She is a member of the Austin Threshold Choir, thresholdchoir.org, an international organization that provides comfort during life transitions through song. Beginning in November 2023, Julie has been a lead vocalist with the Viva Palestina Orchestra, featuring Palestinian music, raising awareness of Palestinian culture. On March 27, 2025, Viva Palestina Orchestra received a music proclamation declaring this day to be Viva Palestina Orchestra Day, during which the VPO performed one of our songs in the City Council Chambers.

Since 2013, Julie and her band, Julie Slim & RendezVous, have been performing in and around Austin, creating community and bridging cultures while uplifting and touching audiences wherever they perform. The band specializes in reviving international jazz and pop standards from the early 20th century as well as featuring original songs composed by Shawn Ellison and Julie Slim. Julie Slim & RendezVous has held residencies at Skylark, Shore ATX, and Parker Jazz Club. Additionally, Julie Slim Duo with Shawn Ellison have a residency at Plate by Dzintra that is ongoing for over 4 years. Julie has self-produced several albums with RendezVous under the name Julie Slim, streaming wherever music lives.

“Singing is musical storytelling that heals while opening the heart to new possibilities.”

Please Note: MONKS JAZZ IS NOW A FULL SERVICE BAR. As part of this transition, Monks Jazz is no longer a BYOB venue. We invite you to enjoy our thoughtfully curated beverage menu and roll with us through the changes! As always, this is a live-taping, so we'll be enforcing a whisper-policy! Free parking is available in the area. Doors at 7:00pm, Show at 7:30pm.

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for Little Big Band Labor Day Special | Daniel Dufour's Nonet Works for You! Take a load off with Austin’s hardest working drummer. Backed by an ensemble that means big business, Daniel Dufour does the heavy lifting. You’ve seen him hold it down, now we put him on the spot; presenting an American songbird songbook with special guests.

Relax in the A/C while Daniel sweats, with drink specials on our cocktail "Don’t Forget the Struggle". Our water coolers are full, let the team and band do all the work. We can have classic jazz anarchy for one more day away from the office!

Ross Margitza – Piano

Alexander Claffy – Bass

Daniel Dufour – Drums

Seth Carper – Alto Saxophone

Dan Thomas – Tenor Saxophone

Eric Hargett – Bass Saxophone

Matthew Collins – Trumpet

Jonah Springs – Trumpet

Andre Hayward – Trombone

Special Guest on Vocals

Native to the greater Houston area, Daniel Dufour is a musician with extensive performance and teaching experience across Texas. While he has planted roots in Austin, Texas, his work carries him to national and international appearances alike. Since 2012, Daniel has had the opportunity to share the stage with renown musicians such as Aubrey Logan, Seamus Blake, Andre Hayward, Diego Rivera, Alex Claffy, Joel Frahm, Peter Bernstein, Russell Hall, Pete Rodriguez, Carmen Bradford, Toninho Horta, Adi Meyerson, Benny Benack III, Luther Allison, Scott Robinson, and Randy Brecker.

As a sideman, Daniel has contributed on many recordings over his career and continues to be a top call for session work. Notable albums include Pete Rodriguez’s Caminando Con Papi (2013), Elias Haslanger Meets Mike Sailors (2024), and Aubrey Logan and Her Bigger Than Average Band (2024). Daniel has also performed on multiple television broadcasts for PBS, such as the "South Texas Jazz Project" and "Jazz Tonight." Daniel is a bandleader and composer in his own right, and has released 4 albums under his name that are available for streaming worldwide.

Daniel’s credits include many festival appearances as well, such as the Elkhart Jazz Festival, the Corpus Christi Jazz Festival, Jazz'S Alive Festival (San Antonio), the SHSU Bill Watrous Jazz Festival, Utopiafest, the Five Points Jazz Festival (Denver), LuluFest, the Syracuse Jazz Festival, and the Festival De Arte Nuevo (Chihuahua, Mexico). While Daniel stays busy performing in Texas, he continues to travel to play in major cities such as Los Angeles, New York City, and beyond.

He is currently the Lecturer of drum set at the University of Texas at Austin, where he teaches applied lessons and studio class. Daniel also instructs privately and has worked as a clinician and adjudicator for higher education throughout the country since 2015. He is an artist for Vic Firth Drumsticks, Remo Drumheads, and Zildjian Cymbals.

Please Note: MONKS JAZZ IS NOW A FULL SERVICE BAR. As part of this transition, Monks Jazz is no longer a BYOB venue. We invite you to enjoy our thoughtfully curated beverage menu and roll with us through the changes! As always, this is a live-taping, so we'll be enforcing a whisper-policy! Free parking is available in the area. Doors at 7:00 PM, Show at 7:30 PM.

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for the Austin Django Project!

Jake Harrell – Guitar

Will Dickerson – Guitar

Alen Cileli – Violin

Ben Saffer – Clarinet

Josh Hoag – Bass

Lead by Jamey Cummins, The Austin Django Project is a collective of Austin-based guitarists and string players. Honoring one of the greatest to ever do it, the collective brings to life the inspired work of the father of Gypsy Jazz, Django Reinhardt.

Please Note: MONKS JAZZ IS NOW A FULL SERVICE BAR. As part of this transition, Monks Jazz is no longer a BYOB venue. We invite you to enjoy our thoughtfully curated beverage menu and roll with us through the changes! As always, this is a live-taping, so we'll be enforcing a whisper-policy! Free parking is available in the area. Doors at 7:00 PM, Show at 7:30 PM.

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for AJS Presents: Chris Maresh Quartet

Chris Maresh – Bass

Mitch Watkins – Guitar

Andy Langham – Piano

Mike Gordon – Drums

Virtuoso bassist and composer Chris Maresh was born in Beaumont, Texas and raised in San Antonio, TX. He began his professional music career in Austin, TX in 1984. In 1990, Chris received a BM in Applied Double Bass Performance with an Emphasis in Jazz from the University of Texas at Austin. His lyrical, soulful and tasteful playing has established him as one of the most in-demand studio and live performance musicians in Austin.

Chris has performed and recorded with numerous jazz and blues artists, singer-songwriters and musical organizations including Eric Johnson, Mike Stern, Mitch Watkins, Ellis Marsalis, Johnny Nicholas, Pinetop Perkins, Marcia Ball, Amanda Rose Shires, Monte Montgomery and The Austin Symphony. In 2002, 2005 and 2006 Chris was named “Bass Player of the Year” at the Austin Chronicle Music Awards at the SXSW Music Festival.

Chris has performed on more than 200 albums. A major career breakthrough was his 10-year association with guitar legend Eric Johnson and his side project, Alien Love Child, where Chris’s composition “Rain” was nominated for Best Pop Instrumental Performance at the 44th Grammy® Awards in 2002. Another highlight was Chris’s appearance on Eric Johnson and jazz guitarist Mike Stern’s lauded 2014 album, Eclectic. In addition, Chris has released two solo albums of his unique original compositions, Tomorrow and Side Street.

Chris appeared on Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Festival DVD and Eric Johnson’s Live at the Grove DVD. He also played on many movie soundtracks including Spy Kids 2, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Michael, Happy Texas and Sliding Doors. Chris was also interviewed in 2011 in a promotional video as part of the 60th Anniversary of the Fender Precision Bass.

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Make a donation to be recognized:

Supporter Level: Donate $50 or more, and we'll mention your name as a Supporter of the "AJS Presents: Midweek @ Monks" series, as part of the mission to creating more sustaining performance opportunities for Austin jazz musicians!

Sponsor Level: Donate $100 or more, you’ll be recognized as a Sponsor of the "AJS Presents: Midweek @ Monks" series.

Please Note: MONKS JAZZ IS NOW A FULL SERVICE BAR. As part of this transition, Monks Jazz is no longer a BYOB venue. We invite you to enjoy our thoughtfully curated beverage menu and roll with us through the changes! As always, this is a live-taping, so we'll be enforcing a whisper-policy! Free parking is available in the area. Doors at 7:00 PM, Show at 7:30 PM.

Every Wednesday, Monks opens the stage up for a late-night jazz jam hosted weekly by Austin's very own Daniel Dufour.

9 PM to Midnight · Every Wednesday

No Cover · One Drink Minimum

Come sit in, bring your instrument, or just settle in with a drink and listen.

Please Note: MONKS JAZZ IS NOW A FULL SERVICE BAR. As part of this transition, Monks Jazz is no longer a BYOB venue. We invite you to enjoy our thoughtfully curated beverage menu and roll with us through the changes! As always, we will be live-streaming during the event, and jams will be live-streamed to the public via our Youtube Channel!

Free parking is available in the area. Minors must be accompanied by Parents or Guardian. Doors at 9pm.

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for George Colligan | Night One!

George Colligan – Piano

Joel Frahm – Tenor Saxophone

Alex Claffy – Bass

Daniel Dufour – Drums

George Colligan is not only one of the great jazz pianists of his generation, but he has earned an international reputation as a multi-instrumentalist (drums, trumpet, organ, keyboards), composer, accompanist, teacher, and bandleader, as well as popular blogger).

Winner of the 2015 DownBeat magazine Critics Poll (Keyboard), he has had a long association with living jazz legend Jack DeJohnette; recent touring took Colligan around the U.S. with “An Evening with Jack DeJohnette and Savion Glover.” He has also recently toured the U.S. and Canada as a leader with his trio featuring legends Buster Williams and Lenny White. With over 130 albums to date as an accompanist, Colligan has worked with a long list of jazz greats, including John Scofield, Buster Williams, Cassandra Wilson, Don Byron, Ravi Coltrane, Chris Botti, and many others. His latest album, “Live at The Jazz Standard” (Whirlwind Recordings 2025) is his 40th as a bandleader; the album features Linda may Han Oh and Jack DeJohnette and was a critic’s pick in Downbeat magazine.Colligan, a New York resident for 15 years, now resides in Portland, Oregon where he is a Full Professor at Portland State University. He has recently won two Regional Arts and Culture Council grants, a South Arts Jazz Road grant, and a PSU Faculty Development grant. Colligan recently won the PSU College of The Arts Dean’s Council Award for Research, Scholarship and Creativity (2020), and also won the Researcher of the Year Award from the PSU College Of The Arts(2021).

George Colligan has toured, recorded ,and/or performed as a sideman with Jack DeJohnette, John Scofield, Chris Botti, Lonnie Plaxico, Gary Bartz, Benny Golson, Gary Thomas, Miguel Zenon, Tom Harrell, Steve Coleman, Eddie Henderson, Ralph Peterson, Vanessa Rubin, Steve Wilson, Dave Weckl, Richard Bona, Jane Monheit, Ravi Coltrane, Lenny White, Michael Brecker, Mike Clark, Nicholas Payton, Sheila Jordan, Janis Siegel, Christian McBride, Billy Hart, Charles Fambrough, Mingus Big Band, Al Foster, Mark Turner, Don Braden, Lew Soloff, Gunther Schuller, Larry Coryell, Victor Bailey, Carl Allen, Rodney Whitaker, Lee Konitz, Jamie Baum, Michal Urbaniak, , DJ Logic, Randy Brecker, Carlos Santana, and Stefon Harris, among others.

Please Note: MONKS JAZZ IS NOW A FULL SERVICE BAR. As part of this transition, Monks Jazz is no longer a BYOB venue. We invite you to enjoy our thoughtfully curated beverage menu and roll with us through the changes! As always, this is a live-taping, so we'll be enforcing a whisper-policy! Free parking is available in the area.

First Show: Doors at 7:00pm, Show at 7:30pm.

Second Show: Doors at 9:00pm, Show at 9:30pm.