Jazz, people, music

A warm glow flickered and drew me in, alongside the soft murmur of conversation as the band began to play. The walls were covered in old newspapers and bottles of alcohol peeked out between the CDs behind the bar. The vibes were immaculate. My friends and I took our seats, unaware we were about to have one of the best nights of our lives.

The band moved effortlessly between upbeat songs and slower numbers, and every song fit the mood perfectly. My favorite moment was when the music turned into a conversation with the crowd. The band sang a low “come on back” and the audience answered, matching the pace of every call. The music seemed to improvise, react and adapt in real time, becoming a living thing that we were all a part of. Smiles spread across the room. Strangers hugged mid-chorus. Soon the whole crowd was singing the same words, and no differences in age, background or language mattered. By the last chorus, no one in the room was a stranger.

This beautiful human who sat next to my friend and me soon became one of our closest friends of the night. We had little in common beyond our enjoyment of jazz, yet we couldn’t stop talking. He was 21, lived in Madrid and had grown up with the performers on stage. He even taught us some Spanish phrases and was full of kindness and curiosity.

As the music softened, the room’s conversations softened with it. I looked to my left and saw my other friends talking to an older couple from the American South on their first trip after retirement. They were warm and had so many questions about what we were doing there.

People from all over the world had gathered in this tiny jazz bar. Here, the music gave us a reason to stop and see each other. The world felt small and close. Jazz did what it does best: it brought people together.

After the show, we congratulated the band and the conversation turned into an invitation to their favorite rock ’n’ roll bar. Two of the members of the band were Irish, now living in Madrid. They shared their story and introduced us to other young people at the new music bar.

The night started as a search for live music and ended with a Spanish lesson, a retired couple’s road-trip stories and a rock ’n’ roll bar full of new friends. None of it was planned.

So go to that random jazz bar. Go to that band party you heard about from a friend. Find the music, wherever it’s playing.

Especially at jazz bars.

Siobhan wants everyone to hit the jazz bars.