ELKINS, WV, restaurant - El Gran Sabor

When you organize, or help to organize, music events through the West Virginia Jazz Society, you have a chance to see the event from the inside, after a fashion. So here's the inside perspective on the July 17 "Cool Jazz On A Hot Summer Night" in Weston at St. Paul's West Hall, 206 Second Street, the original WVJS venue when they produced their first shows.

This show is being produced by the Arts Council of Weston, the group from which WVJS was born. They put together a nice plan for a great music event, offered with some terrific food from Thyme Bistro, a new Weston fine dining restaurant opened by owner/chef, Geoff Krause. Jeff provided the food for the first WVJS show and everyone raved. For this event, it's tapas, the Spanish-styled approach to small plate cuisine.

The band is Appalachian Jazz Project, Rob Masten's Elkins-based quintet, who opened for C.C. Booker in Jazz At Charles Pointe last January. The cool thing about AJP comes from their longevity and their interest in exploring different types of jazz through association with guest artists.

Their rhythm section - drummer, Jeff Broschart, and bassist, Seth Young - is as tight as you get after many years playing together, often challenged to blend with the guest artists. Masten plays great sax, and is frequently called away from Elkins to work a tour or as a session man for a studio recording. Their guitarist is Bo McMillion, aka "The Braxton County Monster", who can do anything with a guitar is an absolute joy to hear.

Last January, Appalachian Jazz Project played with Randraiz Wharton, a keyboard phenom sitting in as a guest, and you would not have known they had not been together for years. Seamless.

This July 17, I anticipate the same kind of simpatico and togetherness when Ian Walters, the blues singer/pianist/entertainer out of Washington, DC, plays with Appalachian Jazz Project in Weston.

Some say we should put the emphasis on entertainer when describing the performance Walters' gives, and don't be surprised if he starts to dance at some point. I'm really looking forward to what I anticipate is a kind of an animated Dr. John belting out the Latin blues in front of a very solid, high-energy jazz combo. Add Appalachian Jazz Project's bad belle vocalist, Erin Young, and you've got what I'd call a hot night, alright, but still very cool. Know what I mean?

Tickets are $35 and include the tapas dinner. Order through the office of Dr. James Shaver (call 304-269-4030). You can also make reservations through Thyme Bistro, 5 1/2 East 2nd Street, Weston, WV 26452, (304) 269-7177. It's pretty casual regarding the tickets as they only anticipate selling 90 so the room is not too crowded. Nice idea. BYOB, ice available.

When you organize, or help to organize, music events through the West Virginia Jazz Society, you have a chance to see the event from the inside, after a fashion. So here's the inside perspective on the July 17 "Cool Jazz On A Hot Summer Night" in Weston at St. Paul's West Hall, 206 Second Street, the original WVJS venue when they produced their first shows. This show is being produced by the Arts Council of Weston, the group from which WVJS was born. They put together a nice plan for a great music event, offered with some terrific food from Thyme Bistro, a new Weston fine dining restaurant opened by owner/chef, Geoff Krause. Jeff provided the food for the first WVJS show and everyone raved. For this event, it's tapas, the Spanish-styled approach to small plate cuisine. The band is Appalachian Jazz Project, Rob Masten's Elkins-based quintet, who opened for C.C. Booker in Jazz At Charles Pointe last January. The cool thing about AJP comes from their longevity and their interest in exploring different types of jazz through association with guest artists. Their rhythm section - drummer, Jeff Broschart, and bassist, Seth Young - is as tight as you get after many years playing together, often challenged to blend with the guest artists. Masten plays great sax, and is frequently called away from Elkins to work a tour or as a session man for a studio recording. Their guitarist is Bo McMillion, aka "The Braxton County Monster", who can do anything with a guitar is an absolute joy to hear. Last January, Appalachian Jazz Project played with Randraiz Wharton, a keyboard phenom sitting in as a guest, and you would not have known they had not been together for years. Seamless. This July 17, I anticipate the same kind of simpatico and togetherness when Ian Walters, the blues singer/pianist/entertainer out of Washington, DC, plays with Appalachian Jazz Project in Weston. Some say we should put the emphasis on entertainer when describing the performance Walters' gives, and don't be surprised if he starts to dance at some point. I'm really looking forward to what I anticipate is a kind of an animated Dr. John belting out the Latin blues in front of a very solid, high-energy jazz combo. Add Appalachian Jazz Project's bad belle vocalist, Erin Young, and you've got what I'd call a hot night, alright, but still very cool. Know what I mean? Tickets are $35 and include the tapas dinner. Order through the office of Dr. James Shaver (call 304-269-4030). You can also make reservations through Thyme Bistro, 5 1/2 East 2nd Street, Weston, WV 26452, (304) 269-7177. It's pretty casual regarding the tickets as they only anticipate selling 90 so the room is not too crowded. Nice idea. BYOB, ice available.
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El Gran Sabor Authentic Venezuelan Food and Spirits
413 Kerens Avenue Elkins, West Virginia 26241 ph (304) 636-8200