There is no other way to communicate the sheer excitement that comes with watching jazz musicians play their instruments, as if they were a volleyball team passing the ball and racking up kills.
Every Thursday night at The Dakota East Side Ice House, great live jazz shows are held for free. Musicians and music enthusiasts stop by to enjoy an evening full of phenomenal music.
Jazz can be listened to on so many formats, but the experience of listening to jazz live is incomparable. There is no better way to listen. The Dakota East Side Ice House’s show last Thursday had the crispiest cymbals to ever grace anyone’s ears. The saxophone player stole the show with his solos. The deep, low frequency of the bass complemented the high notes of the trumpet — an unspoken agreement of sounds and melodies. The way these musicians matched the harmony on the spot created complicated arrangements, making it an entrancing experience that people could not take their eyes off.
The improvised teamwork of these musicians was unparalleled. They were complete strangers. They arrived one by one with their chosen instruments in hand and took turns participating when they found the chance to do so. There was a rotation of musicians every fifteen minutes or so, but there was one constant: guitarist Luis Gonzalez.
During the band’s break, The Paisano had the opportunity to sit down with Gonzalez, the leader of this musical ensemble.
“The band’s name is the Luis Gonzalez Trio, we started this band 8 years ago but this [jazz] project [started] 5 years ago,” said Gonzalez, sliding his phone on the table and showing the chords of Stolen Moments by Oliver Nelson, one of the many covers they play on the show.
The Luis Gonzalez Trio creates an inviting atmosphere, welcoming everyone who enters the establishment wanting to listen or jam along. With his red telecaster, he hosts these jazz jams every Thursday from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. It is something he started with his band that he met eight years ago from “playing in different bands.” Gonzalez leads the jam session with a clean and clear sound, followed by the drums and bass, letting the newly joined brass instruments take courage to throw themselves in the tune. People were ordering food and drinks to thoroughly enjoy the spectacle, still amazed by the spontaneity of it all.
The Dakota East Side Ice House is undoubtedly a hidden gem in San Antonio’s music scene. For those new to jazz and wanting to experience the atmosphere of a show, these jazz jam sessions are the best to delve into the genre.
