Monks Jazz Club's Upcoming Shows

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for the Nick Finzer Quartet!

Nick Finzer – Trombone

Andy Langham – Piano

James Suter – Bass

Daniel Dufour – Drums

Trombonist and bandleader Nick Finzer brings his acclaimed quartet to the stage for an evening built around a simple idea: every song has a story. Drawing from his forthcoming release Songs & Stories, Chapter One (out October 16, 2026 via Outside in Music), Finzer pairs jazz standards and original music with the people, places, and moments that shaped them — from an arrangement forged on the road with saxophonist Lucas Pino to "With Gratitude," a piece written just days after Finzer's graduation from Juilliard and revisited here for the first time in over a decade.

Expect a set that moves between classic repertoire and personal history, with the stories behind the music told right alongside it.

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.

Monks is open 6:30 PM for a new Happy Half Hour, featuring $2 off of our Classic and Signature Cocktails, $2 off Glasses of Wine, and $1 off of our Beer Menu between 6:30 PM and 7:00 PM. Join us for a drink, or come at your scheduled seating time! We'll have a wonderful evening planned ahead!

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for Two Trumpets | Rachel Spencer feat. Jonah Springs!

Rachel Spencer - Trumpet

Jonah Springs - Trumpet

Joseph Hernandez - Piano

Liam O’Dell - Bass

Mike Gordon - Drums

A convergence of trumpets and personalities meet for this late night hang.

Austin-based trumpeter Rachel Spencer is known for her expressive tone, stylistic agility, and authentic presence as both bandleader and side musician. She performs regularly in a wide variety of settings in central Texas, and has toured nationally and internationally, most recently holding the lead trumpet chair on the North American Broadway tour of The Addams Family: A Musical Comedy. Her compositional and playing style is a blend of modern groove and post bop tradition, taking inspiration from luminaries such as Blue Mitchell, Kenny Garrett, and Roy Hargrove, her playing being described as soulful and thoughtful.

In addition to performing, Rachel maintains in demand as an educator with a robust private studio and masterclasss schedule, as well as directing local jazz ensembles. Her debut release as a leader “The Next Right Thing” is pending release in early 2027. In 2025, she was awarded the Presser Foundation Award, funding her debut recording, The Next Right Thing, which is pending release.

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! Monks prides itself as a listening room, but late night sessions are always a time to enjoy yourselves a bit more. Free parking is available in the area.

Doors at 9:00 PM, Show at 9:30 PM

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for the Seth Carper Quintet!

Seth Carper - Saxophone

Tito Carrillo - Trumpet

Ross Margitza - Piano

James Suter - Bass

Mike Gordon - Drums

Making his return as a bandleader to the Austin jazz scene, Dr. Seth Carper brings his saxophone and a stellar band of old and new friends to Monks to perform his original compositions and inventive arrangements of jazz standards. Originally from a small farm in North Carolina, Seth has performed all over the world as a sideman and leader. He spent seven years in the central Texas jazz scene, co-founding the NOW Jazz Orchestra, teaching at Texas State University, and performing with a myriad of groups. After a five-year absence while teaching at Cornell, Syracuse and Binghamton Universities, Seth is excited to return to Texas State University to rejoin the jazz faculty and bring his music back to the Austin jazz community.

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.

Monks is open 6:30 PM for a new Happy Half Hour, featuring $2 off of our Classic and Signature Cocktails, $2 off Glasses of Wine, and $1 off of our Beer Menu between 6:30 PM and 7:00 PM. Join us for a drink, or come at your scheduled seating time! We'll have a wonderful evening planned ahead!

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

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

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for Late Nights at Monks | Ryan Townsend Trio!

Ryan Townsend – Piano

Oscar Bukowitz – Bass

Spencer Frye – Drums

Ryan Townsend is a working pianist and brass instrumentalist from San Antonio, Texas. A third generation musician, Ryan began playing French horn at age 11 and piano at age 15 as a church musician. After working in freelance performance and education, he moved to Austin to pursue a degree in jazz piano from the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas.

Since moving to Austin he has performed at local staples such as the Elephant Room, Parker Jazz Club and Monk’s, playing alongside renowned local and traveling talent including Solomon Jaye, Diego Rivera, and Andre Hayward among others. As a band leader, he fronts “The N:OW Project,” an experimental jazz fusion quintet. Other projects include annual performances of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” 2026 tribute show “Shades of Bill Evans,” and 2023 recording “The Riverside Five: Live at Jazz TX.”

Ryan currently performs regularly with the Dirty River Jazz Band, UT Jazz Orchestra, and with his trio as a house musician at Nica on 4th.

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! Monks prides itself as a listening room, but late night sessions are always a time to enjoy yourselves a bit more. Free parking is available in the area.

Doors at 10:45 PM, Show at 11:00 PM

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for the Drew Simpson Quintet!

Drew Simpson - Guitar

Tito Carrillo - Trumpet

Ryan Howard - Piano

Chris Jones - Bass

Adam Jackson - Drums

Drew Simpson is a guitarist and composer known for his expressive sound and dynamic blend of bossa nova, bebop, and modern jazz. He first made his mark in California, performing with jazz luminaries such as Wilton Felder, Ronnie Laws, Wayne Henderson, Ricky Lawson, Terrence Blanchard, The Banda Brothers, Bobby Hutcherson, Will Donato, Phillip Ingram and more, while appearing at renowned venues and festivals across the U.S. His debut album Noteworthy earned international acclaim, with “On Fallen Ground” and “Coastal Rays” reaching the Billboard Top 10. His follow-up release, Come Home, further showcased his composition skills across straight-ahead jazz and Bossa.

Since relocating to Texas, Simpson has become an active voice in the state’s vibrant jazz community, performing at The Elephant Room, River Sun, Continental Club, Monks, appearing on Austin PBS’s Women in Jazz, and bringing his music to festivals throughout the region. Building on his years of performing across the country, Simpson continues to captivate audiences with original compositions and inventive arrangements.

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.

Monks is open 6:30 PM for a new Happy Half Hour, featuring $2 off of our Classic and Signature Cocktails, $2 off Glasses of Wine, and $1 off of our Beer Menu between 6:30 PM and 7:00 PM. Join us for a drink, or come at your scheduled seating time! We'll have a wonderful evening planned ahead!

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

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