Savannah Music Festival LIVE 736 – Julian Lage & Jorge Roeder

Long before the advent of concert halls, theaters and outdoor festivals, people gathered in their homes to play music and share the intimacy of musical expression in small rooms. While concert halls inside of homes have always been a part of music making, they hold a place of esteem in jazz history. Jazz house concerts first gained prominence in Harlem in the 1920s, when they were called “rent parties.” At these nighttime gatherings, the likes of Fats Waller played for music and dance parties in the apartments of hosts trying to raise money for rent. In the 30s, George Gershwin played in private homes for wealthy patrons, while Duke Ellington regularly held court at late night gatherings, creating special musical experiences for people in intimate settings. In this episode, we listen to guitarist Julian Lage and bassist Jorge Roeder, giving a house concert for SMF patrons in downtown Savannah in January of 2015.