On the first Friday of every month, students and faculty gather in Rodrigue’s Coffee House outside Alumni Court South for a jazz jam session. This past Friday, parents and siblings were in the audience for Family Weekend. The event brings together the music department and Rod’s, as well as students and faculty, to make music.
The event is open to all Fordham University students, and all are welcome to perform. Students and faculty performed many different songs, from jazz standards like “On the Sunny Side of the Street” and “All of Me,” to songs by jazz/pop icon Amy Winehouse and honorary Fordham degree holder Stevie Wonder. The performers typically take requests from audience members, and anybody who is interested is encouraged to come with a song they can play or sing.
Ethan Lin, FCRH ’26, has been playing the trumpet for almost a decade. Before the jam session, he said, “My favorite thing about the jazz program here at Fordham is that all the jazz musicians are really intertwined. Everyone knows everyone, it’s all very friendly and everyone helps each other improve.”
Although it can be nerve-wracking, playing in a jam session is one of the best ways to improve one’s jazz musicianship. Dr. Nathan Lincoln-Decusatis of the music department said, “I wanted to start doing this event because our students needed a space to practice playing jazz and get experience and be able to play with their professors, and this is a great way to do it.” He added, “Rodrigue’s has a pro audio system, and that’s great. It’s become a really great musical community on campus, and we love playing here.”
Rod’s is a study space by day and a music venue by night, run entirely by Fordham students. They host Fordham-centered events like talent shows and open mic nights, as well as the Battle of the Bands during the spring semester. Rod’s leadership also brings in artists and bands from New York City and beyond to perform for Fordham students throughout the year.
Chloe Santana, FCRH ’25, is the Rod’s president this year. After a few successful jam sessions last year, they decided to continue holding these monthly events. “It’s a more chill event for Rod’s as opposed to our concerts, which can get really intense, and it’s also good to get the music department involved in Rod’s, because Rod’s is so music-centered,” they said.
Performers and audience members alike enjoy these jam sessions. They usually last two hours, from 7-9 p.m., and the seats fill up fast. By 7:30 p.m., there were people standing by the door and sitting on the ground, nodding their heads and tapping their feet along to the music.
Playing in front of an audience can be scary at first, but with practice, musicians begin to enjoy and look forward to this opportunity. Daniel Deeney, FCLC ’26, played the drums for the first 30 minutes of the jam session on Friday. Before the event, he said, “I’m excited to perform tonight. It’s a good way to cultivate interest in the jazz program here at Fordham because we have faculty and students playing together which is definitely an exciting prospect.”
For information about the next jam session, follow @rodriguescoffeehouse or @musicatfordham on Instagram. Come early to get a seat, and don’t hesitate to prepare a song to perform.
