Live Jazz Venue Parker Jazz Club Announces Winter 2021 Programming

Austin's premier live jazz venue Parker Jazz Club, located at the heart of Downtown Austin's booming Warehouse District at 117 W. Fourth St. #107b, Austin, Texas 78701, has shared its November calendar. Musical highlights for the month include Houston's own award-winning jazz artist Kristine Mills EP release show on Nov. 4; Kris's Birthday Jam with Doug Lawrence & Special Guests on Nov. 11 to celebrate Parker Jazz Club founder and owner Kimura's birthday; and Monte Warden & the Dangerous Few on Nov. 18.

For more November dates, see the club's calendar here. For a 360-degree virtual tour of the venue, see here. For more info and additional programming, visit parkerjazzclub.com.
A special Media and VIP Music Industry Night previewing the Parker Jazz Club Christmas show is planned for Dec. 3, allowing attendees to get a special sneak peek of the club's holiday show before it runs through the month of December. The preview will be from 5 - 6:30 p.m. and will be open to media and VIP music industry only.

"I couldn't be happier to share the stage with a dear friend and musical hero for my birthday," said Kimura, referring to Birthday Jam special guest Doug Lawrence, featured tenor saxophonist with the legendary 19-time Grammy-winning Count Basie Orchestra. "I built this club to celebrate jazz and showcase my heroes! In that spirit, we've eschewed standard ticket sales for the night and are instead asking guests to donate directly to Texas Jazz Society, a nonprofit very close to my heart, in support of its mission to keep this music alive and thriving in the Lone Star State."

Parker Jazz Club has also just announced a brand new cocktail and mocktail menu, expanded wine list and food menu. Inspired by monthly Parker resident Monte Warden, acclaimed singer/songwriter and two-time member of the Texas Music Hall of Fame, the mocktail menu includes non-alcoholic mojitos, cosmos and more.

"As a lifelong professional Austin musician with almost 17 years in recovery, I have always wondered why nightclubs do not offer a full and sophisticated mocktail menu," said Warden. "In addition to being such an important artistic town, Austin has a thriving recovery community. So often the sober menu options read like a kids menu or an afterthought. I mentioned the idea of a mocktail menu to Kris after a Dangerous Few date one night, and he JUMPED at it! I am grateful that Parker has leaned all the way forward so that everyone can enjoy the music and atmosphere and also make toasts and clink glasses with the best of 'em! I am honored to have helped get this started. Once again, Kris and Parker are filling a void Austin didn't even know it had. CHEERS and BOTTOMS UP!"

Parker Jazz Club has carefully crafted and fine tuned "all the small details" to elevate the signature intimacy and ambiance of the acclaimed basement lounge. With talented acts appearing Wednesday through Sunday each week (see schedule below), Parker Jazz Club also offers a series of Jazz Therapy shows every Tuesday night from 8 - 9:30 p.m., welcoming everyone for a night of live jazz music that's good for the heart and soul. All medical professionals and teachers/educators can attend the Tuesday night shows free of charge with a valid ID.

Since opening in 2018, Parker Jazz Club has made a name for itself in the Live Music Capital of the World as a state-of-the-art listening room. The club has hosted jazz legends including the Legendary Count Basie Orchestra, Joey DeFrancesco, Kenny Garrett, Curtis Stigers, Doug Lawrence, Jerry Weldon, Louis Hayes, Butch Miles, Nestor Torres, Tom Scott, Herlin Riley, Eric Reed, and many more. And you just never know who might sit in - Wynton Marsalis and Kamasi Washington have been known to play impromptu sets on the Parker stage. But the room is also revered for its inimitable Parker Jazz Club House Band, which draws a dedicated crowd every weekend.

"I wanted something you would see if you went to New York and spent an evening at Dizzy's Club, or went to London and visited Ronnie Scott's, or went to Paris - a truly timeless, world-class venue," said Kimura. "But also, it couldn't be too stuffy because this is Austin. People in Austin are cool. We wanted to kind of mix that high-end thing with this hip, distinctly Austin thing, and I feel like we've hit the mark."

Named after the young son of award-winning jazz vocalist and multi-instrumentalist founder/owner Kimura, Parker Jazz Club began with a basement and a dream. With the support of investors who shared his vision, the Austin musician set out to build a world-class venue on par with renowned jazz clubs such as Birdland, Blue Note, and Yoshi's. Parker Jazz Club was created to contribute to the appreciation, cultivation, and education of Austin, with Kimura's assured "if you build it, they will come" approach to creating a dedicated space for live performance. An upscale 21 and older lounge by night, the venue can also be rented out for private events during the week.

Others in the industry rave about Kimura's passion for excellence. "I don't think I've ever known a musician to be so hands-on in opening a club," said Doug Lawrence, featured tenor saxophonist with the Count Basie Orchestra.

What draws guests from far and wide is the club's very own Parker Jazz Club House Band, led by Kimura. The band features Ryan Davis (piano), Ben Triesch (bass), Jeremy Bruch (drums), and Kimura (woodwinds/vocals), with veteran lighting and sound engineer Mac McDonnell. Kimura's long-term ties to the local and national jazz community allows for a steady flow of notable acts. While always providing a neighborhood bar warmth and feel for their regular guests, Parker Jazz Club keeps the entertainment fresh and exciting.