Thursday Night Music Club brings a jazzy evening to Ruby Diamond Concert Hall
Thursday Night Music Club will bring its “big band” sounds, complete with talented soloists and vocalists, to Ruby Diamond Concert Hall when the ensemble presents its 14th annual Jazz Showcase at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 11, 2022. Tickets are $15.
Thursday Night Music Club is the outgrowth of the question that amateur trombonist Trisha Moynihan posed to friends and acquaintances from Tallahassee’s musical circles some 16 years ago: “Are you interested in meeting on Thursdays to play “big band” sheet music — just for the fun of it?” Her invitation struck a chord: The answer was an enthusiastic “Yes.”
Things to do in Tallahassee: Cool blues, hot jazz, refreshing art blows in for weekend
Film Festival: Tickets on sale: Tallahassee Film Festival returns Labor Day weekend with 'Lost Highway'
Animated film: Philanthropist Rick Kearney signs on as 'The Man in the Mangroves' producer
Over time, the informal reading sessions on Thursday evenings evolved into a fully formed ensemble ready to share the musical fun with others. The band began playing at small local venues — charging only enough to supply the group with sheet music and band gear.
Some 18 months later, Thursday Night Music Club recruited a standout prospect from the faculty of the FSU College of Music. In view of Dr. Patrick Dunnigan’s triple threat skill set (conductor, arranger, guitarist), the group started him immediately.
Dunnigan pledged to “stretch” the band musically. He expanded the breadth of the band’s repertoire (which now encompasses swing, ballads, blues, rock, pop, Latin, funk), added technically challenging “project pieces” to the rehearsals, and filled players’ binders with music charts until they bulged.
On Thursday nights, class is in session!
TNMC performed its first nine Jazz Showcase concerts in FSU’s cozy Opperman Music Hall. In 2017, it booked the far (nearly three times) larger Ruby Diamond Concert Hall for the first time. The group felt it was taking a big chance.
How would the community respond to a home grown, upstart band consisting largely of amateur musicians that aspired to play Tallahassee’s premier venue — home to the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra and touring celebrity artists? Anxious band faces became excited grins when event overseers opened Ruby Diamond’s balcony to accommodate all of the attendees.
In 2018 and 2019, ticket sales exceeded 1,000 tickets for each of the band’s 11th and 12th Jazz Showcase performances in Ruby Diamond.
Clearly, while the band was honing its craft at the Tallahassee Museum, Lake Ella Food Truck Nights, LeMoyne Art in the Park events, and the Festival of Lights, Tallahassee was paying attention.
Then came the COVID-19 pandemic. Live music events were suspended for more than a year. Dunnigan researched and implemented safety protocols so that the group could continue to practice on Thursday nights: Whenever live performances became possible again, TNMC’s leader intended to hit the ground strumming.
The band presented its 13th Jazz Showcase in Opperman Music Hall in October of 2021. The audience rewarded the ensemble’s performance with a standing ovation.
There could have been no finer way to set the stage for Thursday Night Music Club’s return to Ruby Diamond on Aug. 11.
Tickets for the concert are available from band members, at the door, and on line at ThursdayNightMusicClub.org.
If you go
What: Thursday Night Music Club 14th annual Jazz Showcase
When: 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 11
Where: Ruby Diamond Concert Hall, FSU
Tickets: $15; visit thursdaynightmusic.club
Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat using the link at the top of the page.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Thursday Night Music Club brings big band sound to Ruby Diamond
