Monks Jazz Club's Upcoming Shows

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for the Chris Jones Quintet!

Tito Carillo – Trumpet

Andre Hayward – Trombone

Ryan Howard – Piano

Chris Jones – Bass

Mike Gordon – Drums

Originally from Portland, Oregon, bassist and composer Chris Jones has called Boston, New York, Tokyo, and, since 2008, Austin home. Throughout his career, he has performed with an eclectic range of artists, from traditional and progressive jazz ensembles to singer-songwriters, symphony orchestras, and avant-garde Japanese rock bands.

His recordings include Way Back Home with trombonist Andre Hayward, Marco Antonio Santos' About Silence, Unanswered Questions with the Unanswered Questions Trio, and his 2026 album of original compositions, Meatsuits on Parade.

A familiar presence on the Austin music scene, Chris performs regularly with artists including Pamela Hart, Marco Antonio Santos, Cicely Jones, Drew Simpson, and many others, while also leading his own ensembles. For this performance at Monk's, he brings a new quintet to present his original music—compositions shaped by diverse and unexpected influences that reflect a lifelong curiosity about art and music from both home and around the world.

Please Note: This is a live-taping, so we'll be enforcing a whisper-policy! Cold bottles of still and sparkling water will be available for purchase, but this event is BYOB. Ice will be available if needed, wine keys and 9oz cups provided! Doors at 7:15pm, Show at 7:30pm.

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for the Blondell/Berger/Gordon Trio!

Jon Blondell – Bass

Matt Berger – Guitar

Mike Gordon – Drums

Chicago meets Long Island meets Austin in this adventurous trio featuring Jon Blondell, Matt Berger, and Mike Gordon. Over the last several years, the group has developed a unique musical language down in the basement of the Elephant Room, blending spontaneous interaction with an affection for the unexpected.

For this special performance at Monk’s, the trio will highlight some of their favorite tunes and arrangements from those years together.

Please Note: This is a live-taping, so we'll be enforcing a whisper-policy! Cold bottles of still and sparkling water will be available for purchase, but this event is BYOB. Ice will be available if needed, wine keys and 9oz cups provided! Doors at 7:15pm, Show at 7:30pm.

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for the Bidwell/Marshall Project!

Stephen Bidwell – Drums

Jaron Marshall – Piano

Erik Telford – Trumpet

Matthew Maldonado – Saxophone

Andre Hayward – Trombone

Liam Odell – Bass

Stephen Bidwell and Jaron Marshall have been anchoring the rhythm section of Austin’s Grammy-nominated psychedelic-soul juggernaut Black Pumas since the band’s meteoric rise in 2019. Outside the Pumas' world tour circuit, the two have long bonded over a mutual love of hard bop and funky early-'60s Blue Note cuts: music that grooves as hard as it swings.

When their schedules align, they call up a few trusted players and put together a setlist that leans into the soulful side of the jazz canon. This project is a nod to their roots and a chance to stretch in a different direction with deep pocket, deep cuts, and no filler.

Please Note: This is a live-taping, so we'll be enforcing a whisper-policy! Cold bottles of still and sparkling water will be available for purchase, but this event is BYOB. Ice will be available if needed, wine keys and 9oz cups provided! Doors at 7:15pm, Show at 7:30pm.

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for the Adrian Ruiz Quintet!

Adrian Ruiz – Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Seth Carper – Alto and Soprano Saxophones

Daniel Raynaud – Piano

Ryan Hagler – Bass

Daniel Dufour – Drums

Dr. Adrian Ruiz is active as a freelance trumpeter, having performed throughout the states of Texas and Iowa. In February 2021, he received a Grammy nomination in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category for Live at the Paramount with the Ruthie Foster Big Band. In June 2021, Ruiz authored a series of Claudio Roditi transcriptions, which are available through Press Music Publishing. Ruiz has performed internationally at the Guatemala, Montreux, North Sea, and Taichung Jazz Festivals. He has shared the stage with the following musical acts: John Clayton, Jon Hendricks, Norah Jones, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, James Moody, Joshua Redman, Maria Schneider, and Clark Terry. In addition to his performance schedule, Ruiz has presented clinics and performances at the Jazz Education Network (JEN) Conference, the Iowa Music Educators Association (IMEA), the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) and the Texas Bandmasters Association (TBA) Conventions.

In May 2017, Ruiz made his recording debut as a leader, releasing his first full length album entitled Premiere: A Collection Of Originals. Scott Yanow, acclaimed jazz journalist/historian and author, states the following concerning Premiere: "Adrian Ruiz is an impressive trumpeter who makes his recording debut as a leader on Premiere...In addition to being a fine showcase for the Adrian Ruiz Quintet, Premiere: A Collection Of Originals, is a fun set of creative jazz that is easily recommended." Ruiz received his Bachelor of Music Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio, Master of Music from Texas State University, and Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Trumpet Performance from the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Ruiz is a Featured Artist for Schilke Music Products Inc., in Melrose Park, Illinois.

Please Note: This is a live-taping, so we'll be enforcing a whisper-policy! Cold bottles of still and sparkling water will be available for purchase, but this event is BYOB. Ice will be available if needed, wine keys and 9oz cups provided!

First Show: Doors at 7:15pm, Show at 7:30pm.

Second Show: Doors at 9:15pm, Show at 9:30pm.

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for Elias Haslanger | "Legacy" Album Release Show!

Elias Haslanger – Tenor Saxophone

Mike Sailors – Trumpet

Andy Langham – Piano

Ryan Hagler – Bass

Daniel Dufour – Drums

A longtime fixture on the central Texas jazz scene, Austin native Elias Haslanger presents Legacy, his 9th recording as a leader. Dedicated to the great mentors Elias has had, this all-original program of music is a modern jazz recording, drawing from the rich legacy of the jazz tradition. From the title track “Legacy,” which bounces from hard bop to afro-cuban rhythms, to the ballad “Gentle Giant” which reflects shades of Wayne Shorter, each song offers a vignette of Elias’s life as a modern artist.

“Because I am a life-long learner and have such deep respect for the artists and music that came before me, that will naturally come through in my writing. I also believe that creative music is best when it reflects the attitudes and rhythms of today, so each song marks a different feeling, time, or place in my life,” says Elias.

“Faith in Family” is a stand-out track that is an emotional love letter to his family, which Elias describes as “the rock on which I build my foundation." Songs like “A View of the City," “Going Home,” and “Sweet Relief” all were written while Elias was living in Brooklyn, New York, and touring with trumpet icon Maynard Ferguson. Each offers insight into life on the road and life in the big city.

“Touring with Maynard while living in NYC was a thrill of a lifetime. Maynard taught me so much about performing and how to interact with an audience. He also was a fountain of information about the music, sharing countless first-hand stories about Bird, Wayne (Shorter), Louis Armstrong, Miles, and so many others. Life on the road can be challenging, but the experience was very important to my development,” recounts Elias.

Since returning to Austin from Brooklyn, Elias has had an active career – performing, composing and recording. His band, Church on Monday, founded with legendary pianist and organ player Dr. James Polk, is the winner of 5 Austin Music Awards, including Best Jazz and Best Residency at The Continental Club Gallery. Since 2012, Elias has led a weekly show at The Gallery in front of an enthusiastic audience of music lovers. The band has released 3 recordings, all of which have been played and streamed on stations across the world. LIVE At The Gallery was recognized by Downbeat as one of the best recordings of the year when it was released.

Elias, remembering Dr. Polk: “My time standing next to the great Dr. James Polk every Monday for Church on Monday – for over a decade – is something that is hard to describe. His feeling, his soul, his language, his very presence was a monumental force in my life and the life of many others. I’m proud to be a part of his legacy.”

Elias was also mentored by the patriarch of the modern jazz scene, Ellis Marsalis, who collaborated and recorded on Elias’s award-winning release, Kicks are for Kids.

“Ellis was a man of few words, but when he did speak, the weight of those words meant more. He had an elegance and sophistication about him, and always took the music quite seriously. I am honored that he recorded with me, and the words of wisdom he imparted sing in my head daily. I am indebted to him and to an entire generation of elders like him who lived and breathed the music, and who took the time to pass on their legacy to me,” remembers Elias.

Elias has obviously learned from these master musicians, and he honors their legacies with this recording: ten modern, original compositions that tell a life story from a unique point of view. One that is highly personal and musical with influences from the past and sounds that point to the future.

Elias has assembled some of the best musicians in the country for this session, including his partner, Mike Sailors on trumpet and flugelhorn. Elias collaborated with Sailors for their joint release in 2024, Elias Haslanger Meets Mike Sailors. Mike is a sought-after instrumentalist and an accomplished performer, writer, and arranger, penning arrangements for Decca Records, The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Dewey Redman and Lady Gaga, to name a few.

Joining Elias and Mike are Andy Langham on piano (Pancho Sanchez, Christian McBride, Ernie Watts); Ross Margitza on piano (Phil Woods, Russell Malone, Gerald Wilson, Christian McBride); Daniel Dufour on drums (Seamus Blake, Alexander Claffy, Joel Frahm); and Ryan Hagler (Aubrey Logan, Melissa Aldana, Jazzmeia Horn) on bass.

These highly accomplished musicians have successful playing and teaching careers in the United States and beyond. Together, they effortlessly weave Elias’s story together through these elegantly crafted compositions with a group sound that is cohesive, flexible, and highly interactive. This band has played together for years and the results demonstrate their natural camaraderie.

A sweeping retrospective of Elias’s life and career in music is captured here in Legacy. This recording is not a sentimental look into the past, but a vibrant representation of today, and a glimpse into the life and times of an ever evolving and growing artist.

Please Note: This is a live-taping, so we'll be enforcing a whisper-policy! Cold bottles of still and sparkling water will be available for purchase, but this event is BYOB. Ice will be available if needed, wine keys and 9oz cups provided!

First Show: Doors at 7:15pm, Show at 7:30pm.

Second Show: Doors at 9:15pm, Show at 9:30pm.

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for the Judah Guerra "Student of the Way" Album Release Show!

Judah Guerra – Trombone

Mike Sailors – Trumpet

Eli Wyatt – Tenor Saxophone

Andy Langham – Piano

Atticus Saether – Bass

Isaiah Sanders – Drums

Judah Guerra was part of a musical family from birth, the youngest of three kids, born and raised in West Michigan where he sought every musical experience he could. He eventually attained his Bachelor of Jazz Studies degree at Michigan State University where he studied with Michael Dease on trombone and Rodney Whitaker on upright bass. In Lansing, Guerra was seen performing with Walter Blading, Randy “Uncle G” Gelispie, Anthony Stanco, Randy Napoleon, and Xavier Davis. One of his most notable performances was in front of 3,000 people at the Breslin Center opening up for BBno$ playing electric bass with local artists Jahsua Smith and James Gardin.

Wanting to share what he’s been given, 22-year-old Guerra didn’t want to wait, so two weeks after his graduation he went into the studio to record his debut album (Student of the Way, Independent release on July 1, 2026) with amazing musicians from his community–some family and some like family–who helped him get to where he is at.

Then in July 2025, Guerra left for the University of Texas at Austin to further his study in music. In his first year, he has been seen on stages with artists Aubrey Logan, Kate Kortum, Helen Sung, Brian Newman, Diego Rivera, Ross Margitza, Andy Langham, Mike Sailors, Joel Frahm, and Summer Camargo. In addition to performing around the city, Guerra’s teaching assistantship at UT keeps him hungry to grow through academia.

New York trombonist Robert Edwards characterized Guerra as “refreshing” to the modern jazz scene by keeping “joy and excitement for the tradition.” Judah Guerra plans on that being a life-long pursuit, using his musical upbringing to his advantage by paving opportunities and enjoying community through the medium of music.

Please Note: MATINEE PERFORMANCE | This is a live-taping, so we'll be enforcing a whisper-policy! Cold bottles of still and sparkling water will be available for purchase, but this event is BYOB. Ice will be available if needed, wine keys and 9oz cups provided! Doors at 5:15pm, Show at 5:30pm.