CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Monthly jazz performances are returning to The Clubhouse Bar in Carmichael next month. After an 18-month hiatus, the Carmichael tradition will be revived on Tuesday, November 2.

Prior to pandemic closures, Ron Cunha Big Band musicians blew lips off faces on first Tuesdays for more than six years. “It’s been a long break,” laments Cunha. “But the community has greatly supported live jazz and we’re hoping to get that momentum back.”

The former Jesuit High music teacher has played trombone professionally since his teens. In 2014, he found a steady Carmichael venue for his big band. “The Clubhouse owner hired rock bands, so I persuaded him to give jazz a try. Somehow it worked.” Several Sacramento vocalists have joined the fray and Susan Skinner will contribute vocals on November 2. “We’re all friends who’ve played together for years,” explains the leader. “Playing at this level is not so much a gig as a sociable experience. We pass the hat so my guys have something to take home for their efforts.”

Fans can order appetizers, burgers or pizza but first Tuesday is all about the music. “The volume could fill Carnegie Hall,” concedes an audience faithful. “The musicians are relaxed and friendly; they hang with the fans. The place feels more like Greenwich Village than Fair Oaks Boulevard.”

The event is Tuesday, November 2, from 7pm. Masks and vaccinations are suggested. The Clubhouse Bar and Grill is at 5150 Fair Oaks Boulevard. For information, call (916) 979-1422.