MERRIMANS' PLAYHOUSE
A Home for Jazz

Jazz Open Session

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It's open to the public.
Listen. Play. Woodshed. Discuss.
Based on Jazz Standards. 
It's a Learning Environment. 
Bring your Instrument, your Ears, your Friends.

Egos stay at the door.
 

Every Tuesday 
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
(doors open at 7:00)
$5 suggested donation

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Hosted by the Merrimans

Featuring The Merrimans' Play-House Players

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Concerts and events made possible, in part, with support from the Wells Philanthropic Services provided by grants from the John, Anna, and Martha Jane Fields Memorial Trust Foundation and the Florence V. Carroll Charitable Trust, The Esther and George Jaruga Charitable Foundation, the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County's ArtsEverywhere initiative, and the Arts Project Support Grant and Arts Recovery Grant through the Indiana Arts Commission.

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Student Jazz Open Session (coming soon)

 

As an extension of our Jazz Open Session, we want to offer a Student Jazz Open Session. This would be an hour long session with the core rhythm section of Merrimans’ Play-House Players, at a separate time than our regular open session. This will allow the opportunity to have the budding jazz musician/student practice and perform with seasoned players in a non-intimidating environment. It’s important for musicians to learn how to play with other musicians in real time to really get the feel of performing jazz. Practicing at home is only part of the learning process. Playing with other musicians builds on this, not only for learning feel, timing, forms, soloing over changes, and dynamics, but also how to listen, and work with other people in a democratic way. This separate time will help build the confidence of the student, so that if the student feels comfortable, they can start sitting in with the regular Jazz Open Sessions.