Something's Brewing at Brewhaus

Category: Quick Stops

"When you think you know everything, it’s time to quit," Frank Parker says about his 30-some years of trumpet playing. Fortunately for music fans in the Springfield area, he isn’t planning to quit anytime soon.

"You never stop learning," Parker says.

It’s a truth Parker and his fellow musicians know all too well from their Monday jam sessions at Brewhaus, a downtown Springfield bar. 

When I first meet Parker before one such jam session, the spry older man is wearing a snug red turtleneck, broken-in black pleated pants, and a New Orleans Saints ball cap, with tufts of curly silver hairs peeking underneath. He casually exhales between drags on a cigarette outside before the jam session begins.

"It was the easiest gig I ever got," Parker says. "Three years ago on Valentine’s Day I just walked in to Brewhaus to hang out, you know." Parker mentioned to the bar’s owner that he should have jazz there. The owner said show up on Monday—and Parker has been showing up every week since to hang out and play from about 5:30 to 8 p.m.

A thick wooden bar dominates the narrow jam area, which is surrounded by tall circular tables and charming, well-worn booths. Behind the bar, an expansive mirror is framed by a large wooden piece that looks like an elaborate antique mantel.

The jazz musicians set up in a dark corner of the room. The "stage" is an unceremonious foot-high platform with brass railings on one side. There are no special lights, curtains, or sound systems—very little separates audience from performer.

But the snug performance space and lack of distance between spectator and musician allow for fluidity. One can watch from the sidelines one minute and easily jump in for the next song. Simplicity is part of the appeal.

As the musicians continue to set up, Parker tests the mic, quietly mumbling "1-2-1-2-1-2."

Youthful bearded bass player Ben Taylor plucks a few strings, while 72-year-old Donnie Hietler quietly sits at his keyboard. The well-dressed percussionist, Craig Russo, adjusts his drum set and steps off stage. These are the core players for the evening.

Other musicians trickle in with instrument cases in hand and greet their friends in the bar. Most check in with Parker by catching his eye and sharing a wave. They continue to socialize and wait for Parker to announce their name, calling them to the stage.

Why a jam session?

"It’s a lot freer. Jazz is not supposed to be the same … if it was [there would be] no improvisation and it wouldn’t be jazz," Parker says. "We never know what it’s gonna be … with jazz you just don’t know."

Keeping things fresh and free-flowing is what brings bass player Ben Taylor over from Champaign every week. The jam session format does not have as many restrictions as "society gigs" do, Taylor says. "[You] never know what to expect … never know who’s gonna sit in."

Taylor is one of the younger members of the core group. Wearing a zip-up fleece vest, a collared short-sleeved shirt, and loose fitting pants, he sits relaxed in a booth before the jam session begins.

Heitler, who’s been playing piano for more than fifty years, looks out through glasses with large black frames and thick lenses. His pale skin has seen some years, but his smile is youthful and bright. Heitler admires his fellow musicians, saying "each one of ’em has a story."

"We all know each other so it’s easy," says percussionist Craig Russo. He says the jazz musicians around Springfield come together to form a subculture.

Russo is a radiologist by day but considers playing jazz a great outlet and a passion. He says the players that come to Parker’s jam session have a range of talent and experience from "world class" to "obvious." "This is where people learn to play," he says. The laidback environment provides freedom for experimenting and making mistakes.

With a "1-2-uh" the music begins.

A trombonist is the first to take a solo. The notes come out sharp, clear, and fast. The drummer, keyboardist, and bassist get softer but maintain the beat. Parker’s trumpet rests momentarily as the trombonist finishes his spirited riff.

Then Parker takes over with his trumpet.  He is not tall in stature but he is big in sound. His baseball cap casts a shadow over his eyes, but his horn gleams brightly, reflecting the low lights of the bar and the neon signs.

The crisp notes of a piano crescendo and take the listener’s attention. Heitler’s fingers move swiftly across the keys. His head is turned slightly to the left, his body upright. He never looks down.

Taylor and Russo take their turns on bass and drums, respectively. Russo’s drum kit is tucked in the back of the crowded performance space. He is hard to see but easy to hear. Without strategy, his beats could overpower the tunes and the other musicians mere inches in front of him.

The bass lays down the foundation. Taylor says it’s the glue of the jam. He expressively allows for his instrument to emanate "plenty of mix between percussion and melodic stuff."

As the jam band moves to another song, the same pattern continues. The musicians unite in establishing the basic melody or framework of a song, then individuals make featured solo interpretations of that melody as the rest of the band backs them up.

"Someone has to jump out and get it," Parker says, referring to the first solo part. After someone gets it, it establishes a sort of pattern for the rest of the song.

But occasionally Parker nods or points to one of the musicians, nonverbally saying, "it’s yours, take it." His leadership keeps the improvisational music flowing smoothly.

The name of a new song is whispered among the band. And a barely audible "yeah, yeah, … yeah," from Parker is all it takes to decide what is coming up next. 

"[It’s] always a surprise, but it is great when you hit on something that really jams," says trombonist Doug Burns.

"Jazz brings people together," adds Karen Deal, a flutist participating in the jam session for the first time. The jam session offers an "opportunity for different musicians to play together, learn, and socialize at the same time," she says.

Deal’s regular musical repertoire is classical, not jazz. Currently the director of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, she says she met Frank Parker at another jazz performance and he encouraged her to stop by. So she did.

And that’s what it’s all about.

"Everyone plays everywhere around here," Parker says in reference to local Springfield musicians. That’s why his jam session is open to those just passing through, wanting to hone their skills, or simply hoping to dazzle their friends.

And, of course, people who just want to listen to some great jazz are welcome anytime. —Story and Photos by Kristin Nisbet

Get There
Brewhaus
671 East Washington St.
Springfield, IL 62701
217.525.6399
Brewhaus features jazz on Mondays and special events featuring local bands many evenings each week.

Looking for more jazz in Springfield? Head to Remy’s on Monroe (225 East Monroe St., Springfield; 217.528.3222).

About the Writer
Jazz enthusiast Kristin Nisbet is an implant to central Illinois due to her pursuit of higher education. She enjoys going on spontaneous adventures and taking her pen along for the journey.

Tags: Quick Stops | Springfield | Brewhaus | Jazz | Live Music | Bars |

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