What does the music fan do in Memphis on a Friday night? On one particular December Friday, I headed down to the lobby of the Westin Hotel in downtown Memphis for a three-hour set of live jazz. The event, which is held every other Friday, is basically like a jam session for any number of Memphis musicians, especially horn players, There is not a huge fanbase for authentic jazz in Memphis, but those who do like the genre tend to come out for this. And the Westin lobby has fairly good food as well. The twice-a-month jazz jam session runs from 6 to 9 PM.
When I left the Westin at 9:30, I made my way on out to Wild Bill’s in North Memphis, a venerable old neighborhood juke joint where visitors can hear live blues nearly every day of the week. On this particular Friday, the attraction was a Christmas party featuring Memphis’s blues survivor, Big Don Valentine and the All-Stars. Wild Bill’s has a cozy and welcoming vibe, but it is a small space, and was filled to the rafters. I can think of no better way to kick off the holidays.