All you need is a little Jazz

By Shelby Gonzales |Staff Writer|

The weekend may be over, but Mondays don’t have to be a bore!

Escape from a long day by checking  out a local live jazz band and enjoy an evening outdoors!

Every Monday evening jazz group Pliny & The Elders performs in the alley of Augie’s Coffee House in downtown Redlands.

The three man, straight-ahead-jazz trio consists of Gary Lynch paying bass guitar, Bob Smith, and Daniel Martinez keyboard.

Their music consists of jazz, blues, modern music with a jazz twist, a little something for everybody to enjoy.

The setting of the performance was intimate and consisted of rows of chairs and at times dim lighting. It most definitely gave a feel for that jazzy type ambiance

The chemistry between each band member was unmistakable. It was obvious the respect they had for one another as friends and as performers.

True to the jazz format each artist was given his own solo piece to perform in front of the crowd during each song.

The crowd that Pliny & The Elders draws in is small, yet very passionate about jazz and the vibe of the crowd was very enthusiastic. There was a large amount of cheering, clapping, and even one couple got up to dance.

Some of the audience members were even musicians. In the crowd was bass player Mark Gonzales who loved the performance.

“They were excellent. They understood the true meaning and feel of jazz,” he said.

Other audience members spoke up and conversed with the band by taking about the instruments they played and the importance each musical instrument gives to the band as a whole.

It’s obvious how much the band members appreciate their audience as I noted their expressions of gratefulness to them for coming out to watch. After each song they played, they never hesitated in thanking their audience and telling them how pleased they were in them taking the time to come out and watch them.

Before attending this event, I never really had an interest in jazz music.

While it was not my taste in music, I did enjoy myself and thought their performance and the music was excellent.

An evening such as the one I just described is perfect for a date night, an outing with a friend who appreciates fine music, and even time well spent with your family. I was fortunate enough to bring my dad who loves jazz music and it was a great way to bond with him and spend quality time together.

If anyone is a jazz fan, this would be a well spent Monday evening.

If you are looking for something to do on a Monday night from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, go check out Pliny & The Elders at Augie’s Coffeehouse in Redlands.

You can enjoy great music, coffee, atmosphere, and company!