After being stuck in Austin traffic, we arrived late to the concert already underway at a packed Cactus Cafe. The evening’s offering was an intimate and welcoming setting for engaging with Austin’s top jazz musicians during a night of conversation and music. We explored the lives and journeys of various jazz artists and through their music, tackled important themes in our world. The event was produced by Rabbi Neil Blumofe, a recognized jazz historian.

Eventually, the venue manager let us in, allowing us to witness the quality of this Cactus Cafe offering once again. It is evidently the go-to spot for jazz enthusiasts in Austin. Between each performed piece, Rabbi Neil Blumofe contextualized the history of each tune, making it impossible to take a decent photo due to the packed crowd. This was understandable, given the quality of both the artists on stage and the speaker.

Our friend Michael Malone was also on stage, but unfortunately, we couldn’t greet him as we had to leave fairly quickly. We were unable to conduct proper photo-reportage for the aforementioned reasons.

We highly recommend arriving very early if you plan to attend concerts at the Cactus Cafe. The venue is not expandable, and the high-quality performances attract large crowds. To check the upcoming concerts offered at Cactus Cafe, simply visit this web page and use the calendar on the left. The next dates include April 21 with a Cactus Cafe Session, April 25 with Songwriters Open Mic, April 28 with Spring Songwriters Showcase, and April 29 with Melissa Gail and The Morning Dew.

As you can see, there’s something for every style and taste. Cactus Cafe is highly recommended by Bayou Blue Radio and Paris Move, so if you’re in Texas, you know where to spend an excellent evening. Perhaps we’ll see you there!

Thierry De Clemensat
Correspondent in USA
Bayou Blue News – Bayou Blue Radio – Paris-Move

PARIS-MOVE, April 21st 2023