CARBONDALE — It was a gentle evening at Steve’s Guitars. On stage, ambient, wordless tunes were flowing. In the audience, a handful of guys were quietly soaking in it.

And as always, Steve Standiford himself was watching from the back. The venue owner was nodding and smiling, totally supportive. Since starting Tuesday Night Jazz a month before, he’d seen local jazz artists such as Tim Fox and Mark Greg play. David and Bob Levey had drummed together. Their mother had joked with the crowd about Miles Davis stealing moves from their father, Stan, a jazz great.

This night’s stylings by electric pianist Nathan Patterson and guitarist Matt Sandate sounded sparse, highly synthesized. Unlike the weeks before, this was anything but traditional.

That’s just what Standiford loves about his space — he never knows what he’s going to get.

“You ask ‘why did I start this?’” he would laugh, near the end of the show. “I guess to see what would happen.”

This time around, it meant a low-key show, with musicians who closed their eyes much of the time. They slowly swayed as they played. Though their work had a modern, city feel, it was still paying homage to jazz. In the spirit of the genre, the guys were improvising their way through the night.

“I’d say we’re kind of pushing the envelope for jazz,” said Patterson, 30. “Here, we’re really kind of coming up with a hint of a melody and then going from there.”

It was during a break, and he was smiling big as he talked about his work. A musician since he was little, he called this his “great adventure into electric music.” He was also completely honored to be at the event, his last-minute plan.

“I cherish these moments,” added Sandate.

The 29-year-old wasn’t being a bit sarcastic. He described his past, how he’d worked at national parks around the country. Everywhere he’d gone, be it Big Bend or Dinosaur, he’d ended up around artists and musicians, wanting to share. It’s been “beautiful,” he said. For him, being at Steve’s seemed like a natural extension of all that.

“And here I am, playing at Jazz Night,” he went on. “It’s been a great ride.”

During the show, bass player Andrew Thompson, 45, had jumped into a few of the songs. When Standiford had asked him to play, he had been “totally surprised,” he said. After all, he was only in town a short while visiting his girlfriend, artist Nancy Barbour. Even though he lives in the music mecca of Seattle, he still seemed taken with the venue and its musicians.

“I’ve taught music. I’ve lived around the world, so I know players,” he said, “and these are good players.”

After a few hours, the guys wound down their work. Most of the audience was still sitting around, talking, drinking beer. Standiford was hanging out, too, and he seemed to be enjoying himself fully. Though his musical experiment was still so new, he already had big plans for it. This coming week, he hopes to host high school kids, showing off their jazz chops. After that, who knows?

He laughed and said he didn’t want to get “too philosophical,” but his dedication was obvious. Since starting his venue in 1993, he’s hosted 335 consecutive Friday nights of live performance. He’s happy to lend new artists a stage. He likes giving people another spot in which to hang out. “The love of music,” he said, makes him keep his place up and running.

“There is something magical about live music,” he concluded. “Because I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed with any musicians that have played in here. That kind of blows my mind.”

What is that if not philosophy?

Contact Stina Sieg: 384-9111
ssieg@postindependent.com