The Gold Coast Jazz Society Hosts First Friday Jazz Jams

The Gold Coast Jazz Society invites students (elementary - college) of all skill levels to step on stage and play jazz live at First Friday Jazz Jams, a FREE monthly improv-style concert held on the first Friday of every month in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

This interactive jazz experience is an open, welcoming jam session where anyone can participate. From seasoned professionals to students and first-time jammers, musicians are encouraged to bring their instruments, join the bandstand, and create music in real time. No two nights are ever the same, as performances are built through spontaneous collaboration and improvisation.

“First Friday Jazz Jams is about removing barriers and giving student musicians a space to play,” says Gold Coast Jazz Society Executive Director Pam Dearden. “It’s a chance for the community to experience jazz the way it was meant to be—live, shared, and improvised by the people in the room.”

Audience members are also part of the experience, enjoying front-row access to the creative process as musicians listen, respond, and build off one another’s ideas. The result is a vibrant, high-energy night that celebrates jazz as a living art form and strengthens Fort Lauderdale’s creative community.

Whether you’re ready to jump into the jam, try improvising for the first time, or simply soak in the sound, this is your invitation to be part of the music.