Six Bands, Six Locations, One Night: Jazz and Blue Walk Returns

Six bands, six locations, one night. The JazzErie Jazz and Blues Walk returns to the streets of Erie Saturday, July 12, providing an ambulatory experience for music lovers.

For those unfamiliar with the Jazz and Blues Walk concept, it's pretty simple. All someone needs to do is donate $10 to JazzErie at either the Erie Art Museum or Romolo Chocolates and they'll receive a button that grants them access to any and all of the six locations participating in the Jazz and Blues Walk. For you more price-conscious event-goer, that's just $1.67 per place. Even better, that minor investment grants you access to refreshments at the first stop of the night, the Erie Art Museum, and a trolley that will be stopping at each location from 8 p.m. to midnight, just in case you actually weren't all that into the whole "walking" part of the Walk.

Whether you travel by foot or by trolley, you'll want to make the rounds, starting off at the aforementioned Museum when the opening reception kicks off at 6:30 p.m. with saxophonist Bruce Johnstone and his quartet, as well as the Jim Beishline jazz trio. From there, a pair of shows starts at 9 p.m. and runs until midnight, with The Heliotropes providing a breezy Tin Pan Alley feel at The Erie Ale House and the poppy jazz stylings of Monk's Brew at The Brewerie. 

A little later in the evening, the Charles Ventrello Quartet will be accompanied by vocalist Barbara Jean at The Pufferbelly starting at 10:30 p.m., if you're in the mood for some French Street action. Finally, bass master Stephen Trohoske and his band will be posted up at Scotty's Cigar & Jazz from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. while local blues legend Rodger Montgomery rocks out at Sherlock's at the same time.

There are plenty of options for the Jazz and Blues Walk, and the best one you could make would be to get your button in time for July 12.– Alex Bieler

Saturday, July 12 // Multiple locations // jazzerie.com