Jazz Kitchen

Chill out on a hot weekend at The Jazz Kitchen

The thermometers will hit 80 degrees this weekend. When it’s hot outside, there’s no better way to chill out than with great music and a satisfying meal from the Jazz Kitchen menu that’s not too heavy.

 

Our Strawberry Spinach Salad embodies summer on a plate. The caramelized pecans add a sweet crunch that complements the fresh spinach perfectly. To balance the sweet, the fresh-cut strawberries and homemade strawberry champagne vinaigrette add a tart punch to the mix. The blue cheese crumbles finish off the refreshing flavor combination with bite and creaminess.

Haven’t had the chance to clean your grill yet? We have. And our grilled salmon is always keepin’ it light. The eight-ounce filet is topped with a yellow pepper saffron sauce and served with garlic mashed potatoes or Cajun rice and fresh veggies.

Fresh tomatoes signal summer is on its way. We’ve brought in the freshest, brightest roma tomatoes, right off the vine, for our Five Cheese and Tomato Pizza. We slice ‘em up just right and put them atop a combo of mozzarella, provolone, smoked gouda, parmesan and goat cheese. Is it as good as it sound? Oh, yeah!

Stop in tonight or tomorrow! You can enjoy any of these chill-out dishes, as well as the rest of our eclectic menu, while you listen to Pharez Whitted’s trumpet trill with his Chicago-based band at 8 and 10 p.m.

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All-around great Pharez Whitted hits the JK stage this weekend

Pharez Whitted is an Indiana native, born right here in Indianapolis. (Oh yeah, did we mention he's also an educator, composer, producer...the list goes on and on). 

No matter how long his list of credentials, Whitted is proof Hoosiers can go big places in the entertainment industry. He has performed at legendary events and places, including gigs at the 1988 Presidential Inauguration, the Billboard Music Awards and Carnegie Hall. He has also hit the stage with musical legends like The Temptations, Roy Meriwether and fellow Hoosier John Mellencamp. 

Whitted has written, produced, arranged and produced two CDs for Motown's Jazz record label — "Pharez Whitted" and "Mysterious Cargo." He also co-produced the MoJazz album "People Make the World Go 'Round." His third album will be released sometime this year.

While in Indiana, Whitted studied at DePauw University and earned his master's degree at Indiana University in the Jacobs School of Music. He currently serves as director of jazz studies at Chicago State University (you know, in all the free time he has left after traveling around to perform for us with his sextet and featured saxophonist, Eddie Bayard). 

Did You Know? Pharez Whitted is the son of late singer and bassist Virtue Hampton Whitted and newphew of famed trombonist Slide Hampton.

Come groove with this Indianapolis native Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Cover is $12. 

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More funky beats for the weekend

As promised, here's the lineup for the rest of the week!

Thursday, things heat up with our weekly Latin Dance Party. Shake your hips and kick up your feet to the beats of Marco Dominguez, our king of all things salsa, merengue, bachata, reggaeton and Latin hip-hop, from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. $7 cover charge, but free for ladies until 10 p.m. And, as always, join Cyntha Limon at 8:30 for free salsa lessons!

When the weekend hits, things don't slow down here! 

FRIDAY

C-U Jazz Crusaders

& Doug Johns

The C-U Jazz Crusaders plays a combination of jazz, blues, funk and Latin jazz through the songs of "The Jazz Crusaders" and "The Crusaders," which is an important jazz, blues and funk band from the 1960s that featured Joe Sample, Wilton Felder, Stix Hooper and Wayne Henderson. 7:30-10 p.m.

Cover is $10.

 

Doug Johns is a bassist, composer, arranger and clinician hailing from Cleveland, Ohio. After working with greats like Dweezil Zappa and Dana Rasch, Johns was inspired to mix his first solo CD, which dropped in 2006. He is known for his grabbing stage presence that will keep you entertained from his first note to his last. 11 p.m.-1 a.m. Cover is $5.

SATURDAY

Dave and Jeff Devine 

& Twin Cats

Guitarist Dave and drummer Jeff return to the Jazz Kitchen stage with their many talented friends for a night of mix-it-up music. 7-10 p.m. Cover is $10. 

Then we welcome some hometown favorites, the Twin Cats. Why the funky name? Because they're twin brothers, Adam and Seth Catron, with a love of jazz/funk sounds. 11 p.m.-1 a.m.;$5 cover.

You had to find something to spark your interest in that impressive collection of talent. So pick what you like, and join us! Our door is always open to newcomers and familiar faces alike.

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Tasty Drink Spotlight: The Dickie

If your favorite friends are Jim, Jack and José , we’ve got a drink for you. The Dickie is a Jazz Kitchen original, perfect for any whiskey drinker. It’s especially appealing to Beam lovers who want to try something different than Jim straight up.

Here’s how we do it:

2 ounces Jim Beam

2 dashes Bitters

Fill with Ginger Ale

1 fresh-squeezed lime

Chocolate (and Vodka) Salvation

Warning: Not for men cultivating an overly macho image

Chocolate has long been the salvation of men and women, and lately for me as well in the form of a Chocolate Martini. I’m not one that cares about what people think of me holding an impressive desert drink. And neither should you. Certainly Dave Allee can be seen sporting a Chocolate Martini from time to time. So if you’re looking for a drink with some punch and some sweetness, here’s the recipe if you want to try at it home. Or Matt can make one for you. Might be the perfect drink for Valentines Day, especially if you're tired of all the other chocolate cliches.

Chocolate Martini

2 oz. Stoli Vanilla
2 oz. Godiva® chocolate liqueur
2 oz. Bailey’s Irish Crème
1 oz. half-and-half
Drizzle of Hershey’s chocolate sauce
Martini Glass

1.    Start by drizzling a pattern of chocolate sauce into the martini glass.
2.    Mix all the other ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake and pour into a chilled cocktail glass.
3.    Drizzle some chocolate sauce on to the surface of the drink.

You can rim the glass with chocolate if you want some extra sweetness. Frankly who doesn’t want some extra sweetness? Thoughts? How do you make your Chocolate Martini? What’s your favorite martini?