Downtown: Where All the Lights Are Bright!

In Downtown Tucson, the Hotel Congress is definitely the “place to be” with several onsite music venues at any one time.

Recently the lobby area held the monthly First Tuesday Pop-Up Piano Bar series originated by vocalist Briggs Clinco and multi-instrumentalist Marco Rosano. Marco is primarily the reed player with the local Wildcat Jazz Band, but with this group he takes center stage as the “piano man.” With a list of about 100 well-know tunes noted on their website, the duo asks that you let them know which song you might like to sing solo or with the attending patrons. It is a true sing-a-long with friends! If you want to attempt a solo with a tune of your own choosing, Marco can probably supply the accompaniment knowing the basic chords providing the melody.

Several individuals definitely had some musical backgrounds and enjoyed the resounding applause. One soloist even brought her own music stand! Others were congratulated on their attempts while lots of smiles encouraged their efforts. Overall, it is a fun evening with not-quite singing waiters serving libations and small bites for the guests.

Briggs definitely has a musical background and she encourages all members of the audience to vocally participate. In the meantime, she acts as the “emcee” and breaks into a song whenever needed, beckoning melodies and harmonies from the often standing-room-only crowd. Briggs wears several hats in the working world, but the most unusual is that of “clown” – she is a professional clown! Making three or more annual trips to New Orleans, she parades with the local krewes wearing appropriate clown attire and the obligatory red nose. Definitely a woman of many talents!

In addition to the outdoor Plaza stage usually offering more contemporary artists within various genres and the smaller Club Congress inside with a variety of magicians, comedians, etc., the Century Room is the jazz venue offering music every night of the week. From their website:

Since opening in 2022, the Century Room has quickly become one of the premier jazz clubs in the country. Featuring a beautiful acoustically engineered stage, elegant ambience and décor, an extensive mezcal and agave spirit list, a robust craft cocktail program, and tasty snacks, the Century Room offers guests an escape into another time and place, somewhere between New York, New Orleans, and the Old West. The stage features a state-of-the-art sound system and backline, anchored by a Yamaha S5X piano and Viscount Legend Soul Organ, courtesy of the Tucson Jazz Music Foundation. World-class performers grace the stage nightly, traveling from jazz Meccas like New York City, Los Angeles and New Orleans to play the Century Room.

On July 4th the celebration of Louis Armstrong’s “acknowledged” birthday, had native Tucsonan and often New Orleanian, James Williams on trumpet. James had just returned from the Big Easy about an hour before the concert and his biggest fan—his mom—was in the audience.

Quoting Arthur Vint (dr), Artistic Director of the Century Room, the promo for this event noted:

As Wynton Marsalis so eloquently put it, jazz is the music of democracy at its best, showing how we can find harmony with one another and work together to become a more inclusive, kinder, and equitable nation. No one may have embodied that more than one of the music’s founding fathers, Louis Armstrong.

“I was born in 1900,” begins Louis Armstrong’s autobiography. “Mayann told me that the night I was born was the fourth of July, a big holiday in New Orleans, when almost anything can happen.” Even though it was later confirmed that he was in fact born August 4, 1901, Louis claimed an Independence Day birth his entire life and according to New Orleans mayor Victor Schiro, it was fitting because Armstrong is “one of Uncle Sam’s most unique, significant and successful ambassadors.

In addition to James, Anthony Gibes and Max Goldschmid became the Trumpet Trio with Kevin Ravellette (reeds), Evan Dain (bj), Ryan Magness (bs) and Calvin Simmers (dr). Max also played trombone and piano throughout the evening.

Starting out with Satchmo’s most famous tunes, James and Anthony regaled the audience with their partnership while Max circled around them on a variety of instruments. It is only fitting that such a celebrated artist as Louis Armstrong should have several “birthday” events, all the more reason to listen to the genius of “Pops.”