Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for the Jalen Baker Quartet feat. Ruben Fox! Jalen Baker – Vibraphone Ruben Fox – Tenor Sax Marwan Ghonima – Bass Gavin Moolchan – Drums Jalen Baker, born in Washington DC and raised in Houston, TX, is a vibraphonist and composer whose early training involved both classical and jazz. Jalen received his BA in Jazz Studies from Columbia College Chicago. He distinguished himself as a jazz vibraphonist and received several accolades including outstanding soloist at both the Notre Dame and Elmhurst Jazz Festivals. Jalen was accepted as a Graduate Assistant in the Jazz Performance program at Florida State University and in 2019 received his MM in Jazz Studies. During his tenure at Florida State he was chosen as a Ravinia Jazz Fellow in 2018. He has been a performer with the Johnathan Blake Quintet, The Ulysses Owens Trio and Quartet, Jeremy Pelt Quintet, Tim Warfield Sextet, Michael Mwenso, Paul Cornish Group, Leon Anderson Quartet as well as leading his own band in venues all over the country. In 2021 Jalen released his Debut Album “This Is Me, This is Us” which was chosen as the #4 best Jazz Debut of 2021 and in 2023 released his second album “Be Still” that made it as high as #24 on the international jazz charts. 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! 22 free parking spaces onsite are first-come-first-serve. First Show: Doors at 7:45pm, Show at 8pm. Second Show: Doors at 9:45pm, Show at 10pm. 

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for Stephen Bidwell Quartet! Brian Donohoe – Saxophone Matt Muehling – Guitar Ryan Hagler – Bass Stephen Bidwell – Drums Stephen Bidwell was born in Washington, DC, and grew up in the Virginia suburbs. Since first being handed drumsticks in the late 80s he has studied and lived in West Virginia, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, and New York but has called Austin, Texas home since 2005. Somewhere in those travels, he earned a Bachelors’s degree in classical percussion (two of them actually) and a Master’s degree in Jazz studies. Since early 2018 he has been the drummer for the Grammy-nominated Black Pumas, a psychedelic soul group known for incendiary live shows. When not on tour with Black Pumas, Stephen plays in several diverse projects (Hard Proof, The Calm Blue Sea, Azmaris, Mood Illusion), works in any genre you can think of as a sideman and teaches lessons at his home studio. 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! 22 free parking spaces onsite are first-come-first-serve. First Show: Doors at 7:45pm, Show at 8pm. Second Show: Doors at 9:45pm, Show at 10pm. 

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for the Damian Garcia Quartet! Celine Shue – Vocals Damian A. Garcia – Piano Liam O’dell – Bass Chris Torres – Drums Damian A. Garcia is a professional musician currently living in Austin, TX. His interest in piano began at the age of five. Although trained classically, Damian became attracted to jazz at the start of his freshman year of high school. It was during this time where his interest in jazz led him on a path to become an accomplished jazz pianist. Upon graduation, he attended Texas A&M University – Kingsville (TAMUK) on a music scholarship where performed in the university’s top jazz ensemble for three years. While attending TAMUK, he was a member of the Wind Symphony and performed at the 2007 TMEA Convention in San Antonio, Texas. After three years, Damian transferred to Texas State University to further advance his studies in classical and jazz piano. While attending Texas State, Damian studied classical piano under Dr. Jason Kwak, earning positions in the top jazz and performing ensembles. Damian’s past performances include the Texas Association of Music Schools, the National Association of Schools of Music, and Steinway & Sons. Other past performances include the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia National Convention in Orlando, Florida, under the direction of Jamey Aebersold and Jim Ketch (University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill). He has also had the privilege to perform alongside many great musicians such as Paquito d’Rivera, Claudio Roditi, Wayne Bergeron, Frank Wess, Butch Miles, Bob Mintzer, John Fedchock, Taylor Eigsti, Jamey Aebersold, Andre Hayward, Tom Brechtlein, and many others. Damian has attended the Stanford University Jazz Residency, the University of North Texas Jazz Workshop, the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston on a $16,000 music scholarship, and awarded the Piano Achievement Award by the Texas State University School of Music. Damian is a graduate of the world-renowned University of North Texas jazz studies program and studied piano with Stefan Karlsson, Michael Palma, and Dan Hearle. Past teachers have included Hank Hehmsoth, Ray Santisi (Berklee College of Music), JoAnne Brackeen (Berklee College of Music), Taylor Eigsti, Lee Tomboulian, Michael Weiss, Lynn Seaton, and Steven Harlos. Damian continues to perform across the state, having his name credited in dozens of studio recordings. Most recently, his music has taken him to Japan, having performed several times among some of the best musicians in Tokyo. Damian is an alumnus of the University of North Texas Two O’Clock Lab Band and Jazz Singers. 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! 22 free parking spaces onsite are first-come-first-serve. First Show: Doors at 7:45pm, Show at 8pm. Second Show: Doors at 9:45pm, Show at 10pm. 

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for the Sarah Sharp Holiday Show! Sarah Sharp – Vocals Mitch Watkins – Guitar Oliver Steck – Piano, Accordion, Cornet John Fremgen – Upright Bass Masumi Jones – Drums Enthusiastic accolades have followed Sarah Sharp through her career including multiple awards for her singing and songwriting. The self-produced album “Phoebe’s Dream,” with then-band Jitterbug Vipers, earned Sharp Top 5 placements in Austin Music Awards categories for Best Female Vocalist, Producer, Songwriter, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Band of the Year, and Best Jazz Band. Sarah also was a (two times, once with Jitterbug Vipers, and once as Sarah) top recipient of the Black Fret Award (now Sonic Guild) from the organization supporting “the creation and performance of extraordinary new music.”“It’s so clear that the music you create is so inspired by your environment,” says NPRs Michael Feinstein. Of her song “Trouble,” Feinstein adds, “That is the kind of song that has such a classic quality to it and it’s a song that could have been written a long time ago, and yet it speaks so much to the world now, and I think it will speak to people whenever it’s heard.” 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! 22 free parking spaces onsite are first-come-first-serve. First Show: Doors at 7:45pm, Show at 8pm. Second Show: Doors at 9:45pm, Show at 10pm. 

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for the Noa Lee Chait Quintet! Noa Lee Chait – Vocals Joel Frahm – Tenor Sax Andy Langham – Piano Ryan Hagler – Bass Daniel DuFour – Drums Always with a tender and intimate approach to the Great American Songbook, Noa Lee Chait has become one to watch on New York City’s decorated jazz scene. Not yet 30, Noa has already become a regular at the village’s famed Mezzrow, holds a weekly residency at Melody's Piano Bar, and continues to preform both in intimate and larger setting around the city and globally. Having roots in Cape Town and Tel Aviv, and growing musically in the traditions of Jazz and Pop musics, Noa has studied with luminaries such as Jazzmeia Horn, Sachal Vansandani, and Mike LeDonne and has worked with some of the top musicians in jazz today like Eric Alexander, Mike LeDonne, Jon Davis, Michael Kanan, Willie Jones III, Yotam Silberstein, Alexander Claffy and Benny Benack III. Noa is a graduate of the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, having been distinguished with the Alice & John Coltrane Award for Musical Excellence, and is currently working on her debut album. 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! 22 free parking spaces onsite are first-come-first-serve. Doors at 7:45pm, Show at 8pm. 

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for Christian Wiggs Big Band Wishes You A Happy Holiday! Christian Wiggs — Voice Thomas Wenglinski — Piano Marco Antonio Santos — Guitar James Suter — Bass Daniel Dufour — Drums Matthew Maldonado — Alto Sax Paulo Santos — Alto Sax Joel Frahm — Tenor Sax Diego Rivera — Tenor Sax Eric Hargett — Baritone Sax Leo Gauna — Trombone Andre Hayward — Trombone Kevin Hrabak — Trombone Demetries Thornton — Trombone Eric Johnson — Trumpet Matthew Collins — Trumpet Tito Carrillo — Trumpet Mike Sailors — Trumpet An emerging polymath in the music industry, Christian Wiggs has gained a reputation for being one of the most versatile forces in industry today. A true multi-hyphenate, Christian Wiggs is a vocalist, bandleader, lyricist, producer, director, artist manager, educator, record label executive, founder and CEO of Bandstand Presents and host of “Jazz Tonight” on PBS. Born to a choreographer, Wiggs’ immersion into theatre and the jazz tradition has led to a remarkable career as an artist, leading and featured with ensembles on prolific stages such as Birdland, Blue Note, Dizzy’s Club and SXSW. Producing chart topping records for the most sought-after names in jazz and reaching millions of viewers with his PBS television show, Wiggs manages GRAMMY and Tony Award-winner Bryan Carter, Emmet Cohen and serves as the musical manager for global icon Jeff Goldblum. As an educator, Wiggs is the co-founder and Executive Director of Global Jazz Workshop alongside Artistic Director, Chad LB. 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! 22 free parking spaces onsite are first-come-first-serve. First Show: Doors at 6:45pm, Show at 7pm. Second Show: Doors at 8:45pm, Show at 9pm. 

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for AJS Presents: Bruce Saunders' Holiday Show! Bruce Saunders – Guitar Eric Hargett – Tenor Saxophone Jake Lampe – Alto Saxophone Paul Deemer – Trombone James Suter – Bass Daniel DuFour – Drums Bruce Saunders is a guitarist, composer and educator living in Austin, TX, formerly a resident of New York city (1986-2014). During his tenure in NY he recorded and performed with some of the world’s best jazz musicians. A partial list would include: Jack DeJohnette, Dave Holland, Bill Stewart, Peter Erskine, Kenny Werner, Ben Monder, Donny McCaslin, Joe Lovano, Bill Pierce, Bobby Previte, Mark Murphy and many others. Since moving to Austin he has played with many of the world class jazz musicians in the city and state. Bruce has performed as a leader and sideman at jazz joints worldwide including noted NY venues such as Birdland, The Blue Note, the 55 bar, Smalls, Fat Cat, The Jazz Standard, The Knitting Factory, Barbes, Detour, Smoke, Tonic and many others. He has conducted clinics and concerts in Colombia, Portugal, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Croatia and Japan as well as throughout the United States. He has 7 CDs as a leader and has been a sideman on numerous other recordings. He is the author of six guitar method books published by Mel Bay Publications. Bruce’s next recording has been mixed and mastered, will be entitled “Go Figure” and features the wonderful musicians Gary Versace (organ) and Mark Ferber (drums). It was recorded at Tedesco Studios in New York and mixed and mastered by Justin Douglas. –––– 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: 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! 22 free parking spaces onsite are first-come-first-serve. Doors at 7:45pm, Show at 8pm. 

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for the Diego Rivera Octet | Jazzy Lil' Christmas! Diego Rivera – Tenor Saxophone Matthew Chavez – Alto Saxophone Aidan Brown – Bari Saxophone Mike Sailors – Trumpet Judah Guerra – Trombone Ross Margitza – Piano Liam O’dell – Bass Daniel Dufour – Drums Diego Rivera is a world-class musician, composer, arranger, and educator who has entertained audiences for over twenty years. Known for his muscular tone and unique blend of straight-ahead jazz and music inspired by his Latino background and heritage, he is currently the Director of Jazz Studies at the Butler School of Music, University of Texas at Austin. Rivera is a Vandoren Performing Artist. With West Circle, saxophonist Diego Rivera delivers a powerful and deeply personal statement, channeling his emotions into a poignant new quartet recording on Posi-Tone Records. Rivera crafts a stirringly introspective musical narrative that speaks of his own spiritual transformation after the tragic events at Michigan State University, his alma mater and former place of employment in his East Lansing hometown. West Circle blends resilience, reflection, and raw emotion into a compelling modern jazz journey. This album is not just a tribute—it’s a testament to the healing power of music. 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! 22 free parking spaces onsite are first-come-first-serve. First Show: Doors at 7:45pm, Show at 8pm. Second Show: Doors at 9:45pm, Show at 10pm. 

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for Home for the Holidays with Mike Sailors and Friends! Mike Sailors – Trumpet Matt Collins – Trumpet Judah Guerra – Trombone Seth Carper – Alto Saxophone Diego Rivera – Tenor Saxophone Elias Haslanger – Tenor Saxophone Eric Hargett – Bari Saxophone Jakob Hartz – Piano Sam Pankey – Bass Daniel Dufour – Daniel Dufour ...with special guests Akinna Adderley, Amy Atchley, Courntey Gayle and Christian Wiggs! Mike Sailors has performed around the world in venues such as the Blue Note (New York, Tokyo, and Sapporo locations), Ronnie Scott’s, Porgy and Bess, Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, The Jazz Standard, Smalls Jazz Club, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center; and has appeared at the Montreal, Detroit, EFG London, and Tokyo Blue Note Jazz Festivals. He has also been an active musician in Broadway orchestras, most notably as the Music Director of Sleep No More. In addition to leading the Mike Sailors Nonet, once dubbed "an all-star outfit" by the New York Times, he has performed as a sideman with the Birdland Big Band, the Hot Sardines, the Gerald Wilson Orchestra, and The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra. An active composer and arranger, Mike has written for such luminaries as Dewey Redman, Dick Oatts, Sean Jones, Jimmy Cobb, and Peter Bernstein. He has composed and recorded music for numerous commercial campaigns, as well as for TV and Film – most recently for the Netflix original series, Cannon Busters. Sailors is also a performing artist/educator with Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Let Freedom Swing educational program, is a copyist and editor for the Essentially Ellington jazz program, and currently serves as the Professor of Jazz Trumpet at University of Texas at Austin. 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! 22 free parking spaces onsite are first-come-first-serve. First Show: Doors at 6:45pm, Show at 7pm. Second Show: Doors at 8:45pm, Show at 9pm. 

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for Elias Haslanger | Tribute to Hank Mobley! Elias Haslanger – Tenor Saxophone Mike Sailors – Trumpet Ross Margitza – Piano James Suter – Bass Daniel Dufour – Drums ARTIST STATEMENT: "The middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone", Hank Mobley didn't receive the attention that John Coltrane or Sonny Rollins received but was a well respected and highly influential player who recorded extensively for the Blue Note label. We will pay tribute to this hard bop pioneer with songs and stories from some of his most famous and lesser known recordings. Over the span of his 30-year music career, native Texan and Austin resident Elias Haslanger has carved a unique and distinguished place in jazz history as a saxophonist, composer, and band leader, whose playing and writing has drawn comparisons to John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Ben Webster, and Wayne Shorter. He has performed, recorded, and toured with many world-class artists including Ellis Marsalis, Maynard Ferguson, Christopher Cross, Charlie Hunter, Asleep at the Wheel, Alejandro Escovedo, Sheryl Crow, Grupo Fantasma, Spoon, The Four Tops, and The Temptations, among many others. Mentored by the legendary saxophonists Harvey Pittel and Dick Oatts, Elias studied saxophone at the University of Texas and then at the Manhattan School of Music. His interest in writing music culminated in a Master’s Degree in Composition at Texas State University in San Marcos. Elias has performed around the United States and Europe at clubs like Snug Harbor in New Orleans, Jazz Alley in Seattle, The Elephant Room in Austin, and The Blue Note in New York. He has also served as a guest artist/lecturer at universities around the nation. Elias has 7 recordings as a leader all of which have been played on radio stations across the world. His 2014 recording LIVE at the Gallery, received 4.5 stars in Downbeat magazine and was listed as one of the best recordings of the year. "Haslanger's freewheeling licks roar with virtuosity and infectious joie de vivre." -Michael Jackson, DownBeat 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! 22 free parking spaces onsite are first-come-first-serve. First Show: Doors at 7:45pm, Show at 8pm. Second Show: Doors at 9:45pm, Show at 10pm. 

Join us for a live taping and listening-room concert for Collin Shook | Holiday Special! Collin Shook – Piano James Suter – Bass Daniel Dufour – Drums ...with special guest Leila Sunier! Collin Shook, native to Dallas, Texas, is a jazz pianist, composer, and founder of Monks Jazz. During high school, he studied instruments from all around the bandstand, moved to Austin in 2007, performed and recorded in Tucson from 2009 to 2013, and finally returned to Austin in 2014. In September 2016, Collin collaborated with the art co-op Topology in East Austin to create Monks Jazz Club, a pop-up listening room concept. Having hosted nearly 100 pop-up concerts in over a dozen venues from 2016-2020, Monks transitioned to a live-streaming format in response to the pandemic, and in 2021 landed a permanent brick and mortar space in the heart of East Austin, where Collin has produced over 600 Monks live-taping concerts. His two albums as a leader (Derivatives 2012 & The Desert 2016) can be found at collinshook.bandcamp.com 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! 22 free parking spaces onsite are first-come-first-serve. Doors at 7:45pm, Show at 8pm.