Community Jazz Sessions at Heartwood Soundstage ft. Sean Thomas

Want to sit-in with the rhythm section and play your tune? We welcome you!! Please fill out this form!

Join us for an evening of live jazz, community, and creative collaboration at Heartwood Soundstage. This monthly Jazz Jam features a professional house rhythm section, spotlight performances by local jazz artists, and open opportunities for jazz musicians to sit in and play or sing.

Players with jazz experience at any level — from emerging improvisers to seasoned performers — are invited to bring their instrument and sign up for an opportunity to be featured with the house rhythm section on a tune or two of their choice. Jazz listeners are warmly invited to come enjoy the music, discover local talent, and be part of a growing Gainesville jazz community.

Whether you come to play or simply to listen, this evening is designed to be welcoming, lively, and full of the spontaneous energy that makes jazz such a powerful shared experience. Everyone is welcome!

December Guest Artist: Sean Thomas

Steelpan Artist | Jazz Drummer | Percussionist | Music Educator

Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, Sean Thomas is an internationally experienced musician, accomplished jazz drummer, steelpan artist, educator, and cultural ambassador whose musical journey bridges the rhythmic traditions of the Caribbean with the rich improvisational language of jazz. A graduate of the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance (now the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz), Sean made history as the first drummer admitted to the Institute's inaugural class of 1995–1997 at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. During his studies, he had the extraordinary opportunity to learn from and work alongside some of jazz's most celebrated musicians, including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Wynton Marsalis, Max Roach, Ron Carter, Barry Harris, and Lewis Nash. Sean's musical career has taken him to international stages, including performances at the Snowmass Jazz Festival in Aspen, Colorado, and concert tours throughout India and Thailand as a member of the Monk Institute's ensemble. His contributions to jazz education and performance have also included participation in the Institute's 25th Anniversary celebrations at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and the 2015 UNESCO International Jazz Day celebrations in Paris, France, where he presented a workshop exploring the relationship between calypso rhythms and jazz. Equally passionate about his Caribbean musical heritage, Sean is a dedicated steelpan performer who brings the vibrant sounds of Trinidad and Tobago's national instrument to audiences through a repertoire that blends calypso, soca, jazz, Caribbean standards, and popular music. His approach to the steelpan reflects both the instrument's cultural roots and its versatility as a contemporary musical voice. Sean is the founder and CEO of SeanTMusic Global LLC and the founder and Musical Director of the Ocala Steel Orchestra, a nonprofit organization dedicated to steelpan education, cultural preservation, and community engagement in Central Florida. Through performances, workshops, and educational initiatives, he continues to introduce audiences of all ages and backgrounds to the expressive possibilities of percussion and steelpan music. Whether performing behind a drum set or bringing melodies to life on the steelpan, Sean Thomas combines technical musicianship, rhythmic creativity, and a deep appreciation for musical heritage. His performances celebrate the connection between jazz and Caribbean culture while demonstrating the universal power of music to inspire, educate, and unite.

Rhythm Section:

Cindy Mueller, piano

Rafael Abdalla, bass

Sean Thomas, percussion

Cindy Mueller - Piano/Host

Cindy Mueller is a Gainesville-based jazz pianist and vocalist, with many years of experience as music educator, musical director and bandleader. A summa cum laude graduate of James Madison University in Music Education, she has worked as a performer, musical director/pianist, and teacher in the United States and internationally, including with the USO in Germany and Italy. With fellow jazz musician, John David Eriksen, she has released the jazz album Sixes and Sevens, available on major streaming platforms. After hosting jazz sessions in her own music studio for years, Cindy is happy to help bring this kind of welcoming musical gathering to Heartwood Soundstage as pianist and host of the Heartwood Jazz Sessions.

Website: www.cindymueller.biz, Instagram: @cindymuellerjazz

Rafael Abdalla - Bass

Rafael Abdalla is a Brazilian bass player and composer who has been a prominent figure in the Brazilian music scene for over two decades. As a leader, he has recorded four albums, while also contributing to more than 30 other instrumental records. His work as a sideman, composer, and arranger has led him to collaborate with some of Brazil’s most influential musicians, including Raul de Souza, Leo Gandelman, Paulo Moura, Rogério Bocatto, Vinicius Dorin, Andre Marques, Zé Renato, Vânia Bastos, Paulo Freire, Nenê, Michel Leme, Vittor Santos and Lupa Santiago, Big Band SamJazz, Banda Urbana-SP, Scott Wilson jazz Quintet among many others. He holds a master’s degree in Jazz Performance from the Prince Claus Conservatory in the Netherlands and is currently completing his Ph.D. in Music Composition at the University of Florida. In addition to leading his own projects, Rafael is also the bassist for Hercules Gomes Trio and Rodrigo Almonte Quintet. Currently, he is writing material for his upcoming album, which will feature a string quartet and woodwinds, exploring strategies for merging contemporary classical music with jazz and Brazilian music.

Website: rafaelabdalla.com

Indoor stage, Chairs provided

All Ages

Free Entry - but buy a drink at the bar to support the music!

Sit-ins welcome

Bring an instrument

Everyone is welcome!

A HUGE thank you to our fall Jazz Sessions sponsors for making this event possible!

David Atherton

Christina Carlton

LJ Murawski