The Rio Grande Jazz Society

2010 Events

This year, all Rio Grande Jazz Society monthly meetings will be on the third Sunday of each month at the Edelweiss German-American Club, 4821 Menaul NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Usually, we have a featured band the first hour, starting at 1:30 PM, and then four or five jam sets until around 5. Musicians welcome!

Musicians please note: By participating in the monthly jams, you won't have to pay the admission fee and you'll get a free drink on us. Or, if you feel shy about performing for a big audience or simply can't get ehough of jamming, the Society also holds informal open jams every second and fourth Monday at the German-American Club from 5 to 7. (Feb 8 and 22, March 8 and 22, and so on)

January 17: An all-swing extravaganza with five jam sets. No featured band this month.

February 21: Our annual Mardi Gras celebration, starting early at 1:00 PM, with five trad jazz/Dixieland bands. (Bet you didn't know New Mexico had that many!) The roster: Jazz a la Carte, the Duke City Jazz Band, the ABQ Jazz Band, Jere Corlett and friends from the Santa Fe Chiles, and the Route 66 Revelers. No jams this month.

March 21: Fabulous singer Bonnie Watts

April 18: The New Mexico Jazz Workshop Community Big Band

May 16: Award winners. Every year we give cash awards to several high school seniors who show promise as jazz performers.

June 20: Swing Shift, and a special appearance by Atlanta's Scott Hooker, pianist extraordinaire

July 18: LP Saxx

August 15: Route 66 Revelers

August 29: Swingfest! This special event went over well last year, so we're doing it again! No jams, just dancing to several swing groups all afternoon. The bands:

• The Bill Weisz Quartet featuring Arlen Asher
• Jazz a la Carte featuring Bo Whitaker
• The Doug Mulligan Quartet

September 19: Renowned vocalist Patti Littlefield and Friends

October 17: Roland de Rose Orchestra

November 21: Pianorama! Several pianists who regularly appear at the jams rotate through the 1:30-2:20 featured group time.

December 19: Prestige, the Manzano High show choir, makes its always entertaining annual appearance. In past years, the December session has included the anual Musician Appreciation Dinner. But because it occurs so close to the holidays, the Society board has decided to move it to January 2011.