“Monday night jazz jams are a long tradition in the music world,” TomKats Jazz Orchestra member Joe Saunders (who is a trial lawyer by day) shares, explaining that the tradition can be traced to Broadway shows being dark on Monday nights in New York City. “Most musicians eke out a living the rest of the week, but they can take a busman’s holiday and jam on Mondays. It’s a labor of love to play the music we love.”
That’s why every Monday night you’ll find Saunders and the 18-piece TomKats Jazz Orchestra at CJ’s Backstage, which is located in a shopping center you might drive past without a second thought, behind the Tyrone Mall. That’s where you will also find a group of savvy swing dancers and jazz aficionados who beat a path past the Greek restaurant to score a spot in their favorite haunt, where jazz mayhem ensues and the show is never the same twice.
Like Saunders, the other members of the group have regular day jobs and an abiding passion for the music. They perform jazz, blues and jazz-rock fusion with a full jazz orchestra, including a horn section of five saxes, four trombones and four trumpets.
On the first Monday of every month, vocalist Liz Antony brings her mix of Motown and Great American Songbook to the stage, sometimes performing duets with regular vocalist and piano impresario Tony Castellano (who opened for Ray Charles when he was just 18).
The band’s repertoire includes traditional swing arrangements from the great big bands, such as Count Basie and Duke Ellington, through the more progressive sounds of Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich and Woody Herman, and up to Steely Dan jazz-rock and the modern big band fusion styles of Gordon Goodwin’s Phat Band. If you love horn harmonies, TomKats often attracts guest artists such as James Suggs to come play.
Founded by arranger and trumpet player Greg Dunn 40 years ago, TomKats played at an American Legion hall, then the Bilmar Beach Resort in Treasure Island for 12 years and later relocated to St. Pete Beach’s Blue Parrot for 15 years. The band celebrated its one-year anniversary at CJ’s Backstage this past October and has made Monday nights one of the hottest shows in town. Dunn has yielded the baton to Alan Stegeman (trumpet, co-band leader, arranger and music director), Steve Davis (bass, co-band leader, arranger and music director) and Saunders (guitar, co-band leader, booking and business manager).
Photo by: J David Wright
“There are no rehearsals. We arrive at six and start at seven. We are always reading new stuff and playing new arrangements, with lots of room for improv in the solos,” Saunders explains. “I don’t know how rock legends can perform the same song over and over again, because we rarely do.”
Another free-flowing jazz show also takes place on Monday nights, but this one happens in downtown St. Pete and is organized by The Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association, which is dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich heritage of jazz music in the Tampa Bay area. Founded in honor of the legendary jazz musician Al Downing, the association works to keep the region’s vibrant jazz culture alive through educational programs, scholarships and live performances that celebrate the legacy of jazz, foster a deep appreciation for this timeless art form and nurture the talents of young musicians.
The Monday Night Jazz Jam celebrated its 15th year at The Hangar Restaurant & Flight Lounge in 2025. The show runs from 7pm to 9pm and features host Dwayne White on trumpet with the house band, Stretch Bruyn on keyboard, Kenny Walker on bass and Ron Gregg on drums. All are welcome to jam, if they register in advance.
Photo by: Karen Robinson
“Jazz is one of the few true American art forms,” Bruyn offers. “In St. Petersburg, we have some legacy players, a couple of Duke Ellington alumni…so we have that tradition we want to extend and have that legacy continue on. We are actually very lucky to have a number of young people who are interested in this music and so to be able to pass that down is a blessing.”
Enjoy the view and bodacious burgers as you listen to a mix of genres, including old school and fusion jazz. Occasionally, notable guest performers such as Grammy-winning vocalist Samara Joy drop by and join the mix.
“Our mission is to promote jazz and encourage the appreciation of jazz by sponsoring concerts and providing educational opportunities and scholarships,” says Alvinette Downing, association president, who is also Al and Bunny Downing’s daughter.
Visit tomkatsjazzorchestra.com and aldowningjazz.com to learn more.
