2 days ago
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What used to be Herbie Miller’s Friday Night Jazz at the F&B Restaurant in downtown Kingston, moved uptown a few months ago into a new home, The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston. And the event now takes place every Thursday inside the Blend Bar and Lounge.
“The F&B Restaurant closed in the summer ... around June 2025 ... prompting the event to seek a new venue,” Miller told The Gleaner. “Following a six-month break after leaving downtown, and with encouragement from regular ‘jazzers’, the series resumed in November. The manager of The Pegasus extended an offer, which was accepted, leading to the event’s relocation in November 2025.”
The Pegasus’ Blend Bar and Lounge has hosted the weekly event since, and Miller shared that although Friday was the preferred night, “it was unavailable, so we selected Thursday”.
He added, “It is not the ideal night, but attendance has been steady. It’s a cosy room, with a vibe reminiscent of a cosmopolitan jazz club”.
This Thursday, Miller brings one of jazz’s leading innovators, Steve Turre. A musician who is also a composer, arranger, and educator, inspiring young musicians, Turre’s bio states that he “has consistently topped both Readers’ and Critics’ polls in JazzTimes, Downbeat, and Jazziz for Best Trombone and Best Miscellaneous Instrumentalist (shells)”.
Acknowledged as “one of the most prolific living jazz trombonists,” Turre has released more than 20 albums as a bandleader and has appeared on many more as a sideman and studio musician, and has been a member of the S aturday Night Live band since 1985.
There will be two shows on Thursday, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. and 9 –10 p.m., and there is a cover charge.
Miller, who is also director and curator of the Jamaica Music Museum, formerly managed reggae legend Peter Tosh and is also a renowned jazz connoisseur. He emphasised the importance of these weekly jazz sessions in Kingston.
“A weekly jazz series matters. It broadens tastes, appeals to a loyal audience, and reflects Kingston’s diverse UNESCO music designation beyond just dancehall and reggae,” he said.
“Downtown was Kingston’s business and cultural capital, where jazz and mento thrived, influencing the city’s musical tastes and contributing to ska’s roots. The event helps to continue this legacy, providing a platform for local jazz talent and connecting Kingstonians with their musical heritage. By hosting this series, it not only sustains the vibrant jazz culture but also ensures it remains an integral part of Kingston’s evolving live music scene.”
Turre, “seamlessly blends the sounds of Art Blakey, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Latin jazz, and his own roots, crafting a signature style”. Miller noted that Turre has recorded with Monty Alexander, and he is a fan and promoter of the late Don Drummond, to whom he has recorded a tribute. On Thursday, he will be joined by acclaimed Jamaican musicians Orville Hammond on piano, Leon Duncan on bass, and Jonathan Gordon on drums.
yasmine.peru@gleanerjm.com
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