Last summer, diplomat-cum-jazz impresario Jeff Stacey began producing the U Street Jazz Jam, a weekly late-night jam session on Fridays at U Street NW’s Ulah Bistro. It continues to this day, and will keep going—but not at Ulah Bistro.

Stacey says that business differences have forced a move for the U Street Jazz Jam. Tonight, led by brothers Todd and Shawn Simon, the event tests out a new home at Climax Sports Bar and Lounge at 900 Florida Ave. NW. It’s likely a temporary home, he says, while he works on possibilities for a more permanent home. “Unless [Climax] works extra well for the cats,” he adds, in which case he’ll work on staying there.

“The U Street Jazz Jam is going forward and will retain a Friday night home for D.C. [and] Baltimore musicians as it has over the past year,” Stacey says. “We look forward to it being a place for highly creative improvisation.”

Jam sessions are becoming Stacey’s stock in trade, incidentally. He is aiming to build in both Friday and Saturday night components for the U Street Jam Session; meanwhile, on March 30, he’ll introduce a Sunday afternoon, vocalist-focused jam at Black Fox Lounge in Dupont Circle. In addition, his Thursday night “Dukem Jazz” productions at U Street’s popular Ethiopian restaurant are developing a tradition of jams during the second set.

Photo by Darrow Montgomery