West Texas Jazz Party returns for 58th year

May 28—This week, the longest running jazz party in the world returns right here in the Permian Basin.

The 58th edition of the West Texas Jazz Party will take place from Thursday-Saturday at the Odessa Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.

Put on by the West Texas Jazz Society, the three-day event will feature four different concerts, all of which will take place in the Devonian Ballroom.

Tickets can be purchased online at tinyurl.com/3trnk9ht.

"This is year 58 for us," West Texas Jazz Society president Eric Baker said. "Not only does that help us continue our long streak but we have our eyes on a big number with year 60 coming up. We're hoping to keep the momentum going so that people can make plans to come and join us in 2026 for the 60th edition. We have a few new musicians with us this year and some that are returning who have been out for a couple of years. We're excited to keep a few things fresh."

The first concert will be a 7 p.m. Thursday performance that will feature ballroom dancing.

"We're going to have a four-piece group coming in from Los Angeles to play primarily ballroom dancing stuff," Baker said. "We don't want people to get hung up on the ballroom part, just anything you would want to dance to. We'll have different styles in the ballroom of the Marriott. We have Thursday as a dance night."

The artists performing on Thursday will include Grammy-nominated pianist Wally Minko, bassist Ernet Tibbs, saxophonist Gary Meek and drummer David Zarlenga.

Each of those four musicians have performed for the West Texas Jazz Society in the past including the "From BeBop to Hip-Hop" concerts.

They've also performed at a recent West Texas Symphony concert.

"Those four have made such an impact that the West Texas Symphony just had those guys out in March for their pops performances," Baker said. "Because of their performance at the symphony, we had a few sponsors that wanted to bring them out again and we had people donating to the cost of bringing them out. They've really become local rock stars out here because they come out so often. We're excited for them."

Friday night's concert will also start at 7 p.m.

A brunch concert will take place from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday with the final concert of the week starting later that day at 7 p.m.

"Friday and Saturday is the more traditional jazz party layout," Baker said. "We'll have 20 musicians and they'll each go up in groups of five or six at a time and play for about 30 minutes. They'll go up and make music in real time. There's no sheet music. It's all improvised. It's very much made in the moment which is always a great electric atmosphere for everyone."

The West Texas Jazz Party was first held at the Lincoln Hotel (now Lincoln Tower), which is just a few blocks away from the Marriott.

"Every year is a reminder of the rich jazz heritage that comes out of a place like Odessa," Baker said. "Most people don't think of jazz when they think of Midland and Odessa. But the party is just a few blocks away from where it all started at the Lincoln Hotel in 1967. We can see the Lincoln Tower from the hotel. We're keeping this tradition alive all these years later. The number of musicians who have come through and all the joy and the impact and the music that has come through this city is amazing. We're happy that this community still wants to support it."

Baker talked about how people can continue to support the West Texas Jazz Party.

"The only way we can continue to support it is to buy tickets," Baker said. "We encourage people to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel so that they can listen to us and buy tickets and come to events and contribute to our scholarship fund. There are ways to be involved and help us push this towards 60 years and beyond."

For more information on the West Texas Jazz Society and the West Texas Jazz Party, go to tinyurl.com/29nz3w8a.

If you go

— What: 58th West Texas Jazz Party.

— When: May 30-June 1.

— Where: Odessa Marriott Hotel and Conference Center (Devonian Ballroom).

— Where to purchase tickets: tinyurl.com/3trnk9ht