The Ear Regulars

The Ear Regulars play a concert of swing, Dixieland and traditional jazz in a Woods Hole living room on Thursday, October 2, 2025 at 7:30PM. Ticket holders will be informed of the concert's precise Woods Hole location, and other mission-critical information, by email about 24h before the show.

The Ear Regulars earn their name by playing every Sunday at the Ear Inn in the far West Village in NYC. The most regular members of the Ear Regulars will be on this Woods Hole gig. They are Jon Erik Kellso on the instrument formerly known as the trumpet, Matt Munisteri on guitar, Scott Robinson on an unpredictable variety of mostly large, mostly reed instruments (e.g. bass clarinet), and Barry Stephenson on bass.

A review on NPR says, "don't let the word 'traditional' fool you. Although some of the songs they play are a hundred years old, the way they play is vibrant and exciting."

"There’s nothing forward-looking about the Ear Regulars," says a 2010 New York Times review. But, the review continues, "Mr. Kellso and Mr. Munisteri specialize in small-group swing and Dixieland, music regarded as old-fashioned even 60 years ago. But the clarity of their enthusiasm and the caliber of their execution add up to a present-tense transaction." It's joyous, well-rounded, exquisitely executed jazz, extensively improvised, but never too far from the melody. 

But don't take my word for it - watch them yourself - here is "Blues my Naughty Sweetie Gave to Me" featuring Shaye Cohn from Tuba Skinny . . . 
https://youtu.be/AGHUr5Q9jqM?list=RDAGHUr5Q9jqM
Here the Ear Regulars play "Chinatown" outdoors in front of The Ear at the height of the pandemic . . . 
https://youtu.be/ectJ_3vhjTA?list=RDectJ_3vhjTA
Did you dig it?

The Ear Inn is one of the oldest bars in Manhattan. THE oldest, depending on who you ask. The sign out front used to say, BAR, but then something happened to the belly of the B, and it's been the EAR ever since. "It's a beloved old drinking house with its own clientele," says the NY Times. If it's Sunday night, and I'm in New York, any other gig has to be awful special to get me. Usually I'm at the Ear at 6:30, even though the music doesn't start til after 8, so I can save one of the three tables near the band for my jazz guru Neal.

I've been known to blast down to The Ear just for the night if I get word that the jam is gonna be special somehow. But you can save the Connecticut Turnpike for another day - they're coming to a Woods Hole living room near you next week! Seeya there!