Hartford Jazz Orchestra
Elicit Brewery
Manchester, Conn.
Sept. 18, 2023
This may have been the first time I’ve gone to a bar on a Monday night for a reason other than football.
Don’t get me wrong, the games were definitely on full display at Elicit Brewery in Manchester. There were several large screens lining the walls, with a gigantic screen to the left of the entrance showing the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints. But all of my important games had been played on Sunday. The 49ers won, the Dolphins won, and the Giants made an improbable comeback victory, so I was satisfied.
Besides, I was there for the Hartford Jazz Orchestra’s weekly performance. I’d been to Elicit several times over the years, but I never knew that they had an upstairs area, much less that they featured a live jazz band every Monday. I would have never guessed that Elicit hosted such an event.
First though, I needed food. I went with my old favorite, buffalo wings and french fries. Compliments to the chef, as Elicit is one of the few places that always gets “fried hard” just right.
And what would a trip to the brewery be without a brew? I’m a fan of darker beers, so I chose the Kick Shamrocks Irish dry stout. It tasted like Guinness without the sometimes overwhelming creaminess. A definite winner.
Finally, with my food in one hand and my drink in the other, I made my way up the stairs and into the second bar room. The downstairs area of Elicit is a sprawling space divided into distinct areas; the upstairs is a smaller one-room bar with high tables and stools for seating.
I arrived at the tail end of the first song. It was standing room only, so I took up a position on the ledge towards the rear of the room. The first song I heard them play was “Autumn in Rome,” a smooth cover of the song made famous by Tony Bennett.
Jeff Taylor’s solo on the saxophone brought the same gravely flair that Bennett’s tenor did to the song so many years ago. The crowd was enthralled at the performance, and I took a moment to look around between songs. It was an older crowd, again not what you would expect for a brewery. They clapped and sang along as vibrantly as any other crowd, and the band fed off their energy in their performances.
After a few songs, the band came to one that I recognized instantly as the song from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. As it turns out, the song has a title: “Pure Imagination.”
It felt fitting, as I think it took a wonderful leap of imagination to think of a space so often dedicated to sports and drunken games as a place to listen to the jazz standards of yesteryear. It made me think about what goes where and why — why don’t more bars host jazz orchestras? — and who gets to be there. As it turns out, young people aren’t the only ones looking for a brewski.
NEXT: The Hartford Jazz Orchestra returns with special guest Dana Lauren on Sept. 25.
Jamil takes in more high society at the Bushnell with a ballet performance of Cinderella.
