Search Chicago Jazz
Jazz Calendar
Mosaik
Phyllis' Musical Inn
May 21st 2012
1800 West Division St.
Chicago, Ill 60622
Cost: $0
Get More Info
Rebecca Sullivan
Uncommon Ground Devon
May 21st 2012
Chicago, Ill
Cost: $7.00
Get More Info
Jazz Jamming At The Serbian Village
Jazz Jamming At The Serbian Village
Date Posted: July 22 2011
Written By: Randy Freedman
|
 Bookmark it!
|
Jazz Jamming At The Serbian Village
By Randy Freedman
A jazz jam session is a musical event where various jazz musicians perform together, mostly by improvising without any extensive rehearsal or written arrangements. New York City hosted famous jazz jam sessions during the 1940s and ‘50s at Harlem’s Minton Playhouse, first founded by tenor saxophonist Henry Minton in 1938.
These jam sessions frequently included legendary jazz musicians like Ben Webster, Lester Young, Thelonious Monk (Minton’s house pianist), Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie, and are regarded as having played an important role in the development of bebop and other forms of modern jazz.
Against the backdrop of this past great era in jazz history, Chicago carries on the tradition with jazz jam sessions at such venues as Andy’s, Katerina’s, the Green Mill and Chambers Seafood Grill and Chop House in Niles. Now adding to this mix is the Tom Muellner Pro Jazz Jam Session, Monday nights at the Serbian Village (3144 West Irving Park Road).
Currently featured as regulars are savvy veteran jazz musicians Tom Muellner host and pianist, Jim Cox on upright bass, and Phil Gratteau on drums. When I visited in early May the special guest that evening was renowned saxophonist Eric Schneider. This particular lineup played a long first set together; later, other musicians were invited to the stage.
As you enter the Serbian Village, a very long bar with stools greets you on your left and extends all the way to the back wall of the large rectangular room. There hangs a big screen TV on the wall with a huge jukebox underneath. The high ceiling is covered in off-white acoustic tiles and has ceiling fans. Across from the bar, on the right side, tables and chairs run along a wall, which breaks in its center to open to another room where the music is played. The (un-elevated) stage area is in the center of this second room.
It is flanked on either side by two dining areas, each separated from the center by wrought iron work. One side is more casual, with uncovered wooden-looking tables and metal chairs, and the other more formal looking, with white tablecloths and wooden chairs. The walls of the dining area are lit by lantern-shaped fixtures and decorated with long mirrored strips.
Serbian dinner cuisine tends to be meat intensive and reflect outside influences from geographically nearby cultures, like Mediterranean, Turkish and Hungarian. That evening I was seated by the owner, who noted that he was offering a limited menu, and explained the choices available. I settled on a combination plate since this was my first actual taste of Serbian cuisine and I wanted to try as many dishes as possible.
The meal got off to a fine start with a bowl of veal soup which had tasty reddish broth and was chock full of tender pieces of veal. The combination plate was both visually appealing in its presentation and impressive with generous portions. It included one of the most popular and famous Serbian dishes Cevapecici (pork, beef, and lamb sausage about the same size and texture of American breakfast sausage, but with a milder, less seasoned, more natural flavor) and Raznijici (chunks of marinated grilled pork tenderloin served on a skewer.).
These were complemented by feta cheese and separate portions of both red and white cabbage, finely chopped and dressed with oil and vinegar. Accompanying my combination plate in its own bowl was Serbian Rice. This was a delicious mix of white rice, vegetables, and rendered pork fat (sorry, vegetarians), baked to a crispy hash brown-like crust and a creamy inner texture. Room for dessert? Not really, but I could not refuse the freshly made strawberry crepes covered with chocolate sauce and powdered sugar, and they were wonderful. Save room for them, and if you don’t, order them anyway. You will thank me later.
As you might imagine from their very nature, jazz jam sessions can be a hit-or-miss proposition musically. On this night the hosting Tom Muellner Trio and their special guest Eric Schneider were definitely a “hit” throughout their first set together. On many songs the trio deferred to Schneider to begin with an extended saxophone or clarinet solo, which he performed brilliantly, and which set a great pace and mood for the trio to later enter, often while Schneider finished his solo.
Highlights included Schneider’s saxophone lead-in to the breezy classic “I Love You” (Porter). Muellner led in with a beautiful keyboard solo on “Emily” (Mercer and Mandel), which was soon followed with some soulful and haunting bow work by Cox on the upright bass. Schneider’s clarinet was a standout on “Gentle Rain” (Dubey/Bonf) as was the rhythm section’s finish, with drummer Gratteau shining throughout.
All of Chicago’s jazz jam sessions are worthy of your support, but beginning a new venture in these perilous, economically challenged times is a brave gesture from both the musicians and venue and should receive special consideration. With no cover charge, good food, and a top-flight regular trio hosting, jazz fans will likely find the Monday night jazz jam sessions at the Serbian Village a fun and rewarding place to be.
For more information contact: tommujazz.com or yelp.com/biz/serbian-village-restaurant.com.
Chicago freelance writer Randy Freedman is a jazz connoisseur, photographer, food critic, humorist, and devoted music fan. He is a regular contributor to Chicago Jazz Magazine.
Don't miss anymore Chicago Jazz Information.
Subscribe to Chicago Jazz magazine / Get A Free CD.
Subscribe to our Chicago Jazz weekly newsletter.
