Ten years ago, three brothers just out of college ambled down from New Jersey to Vienna and invested in a coffee and music business. They inherited a coffee bar, a stage, instruments for sale hanging on the walls, a recording studio and an upstairs area for music lessons. Taking advantage of the premises and their passion for music, Daniel, Jonathan and Luke Brindley turned their 200-seat strip mall cafe into Jammin Java, named one of D.C.’s best music venues. How did they do it?
“We focused on what we do best by inviting great musicians to perform, giving music lessons to the community and offering food and drink,” Daniel said. “Almost immediately, people wanted a place like this in town and came out to listen. It took two or three years to actually get traction, but when the Washington Post readers’ poll came out in 2004 or 2005 naming us among the top three venues, we realized people were paying attention.”
| ONSTAGE |
| Jammin Java celebrates its 10th anniversary |
| » When: Throughout October |
| » Where: Jammin Java, 237 Maple Avenue East, Vienna |
| » Info: Jammin Java’s 10th Anniversary Pass with unlimited admission through October, $100, individual tickets $12 to $15; 703-255-1566; jamminjava.com |
The Brindley brothers look back at a decade of more than 7,000 concerts of rock, folk, hip-hop, pop and more. They have hosted superstars like Nick Jonas, Leon Russell and original Beatles drummer Pete Best, and local favorites like Eddie from Ohio, Todd Wright and Bill Kirchen. Daniel does the booking, while Jonathan is the hands-on guy. They frequently check out local talent to learn if they can draw crowds. Some of their discoveries who have been signed since to big labels are the Downtown Fiction, My Favorite Highway, Chelsea Lee and Deep River.
“The music students are here every day, from little kids and teenagers to adults,” Daniel said. “The women run the music school and the brothers run the club. We wanted to run a supercool nightclub that was also a space the community could use. Teachers from local schools bring their students here for class productions and all kinds of organizations take advantage of the facilities and our expanded stage. It’s become a community gathering place.”
To celebrate Jammin Java’s 10th anniversary in style, they are devoting the entire month of October to bringing back favorite artists and offering the public an X pass. This admits the holders to every show during that period. Because Saturday, Oct. 15, marks the true anniversary date, they planned a show for that evening retrospective of the past 10 years. Not surprisingly, it focuses on the Brindley Brothers Reunion on stage, Luke Brindley and his new band Deep River and special guests.
“We’ve caught the attention of well-known artists by booking the best and giving as many shows as we can,” Daniel said. “They tell their musical friends on the road and the word spreads. The public follows.”
