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From the left, Dr. Justin Pierce(front), the Southwest High School Jazz Band (back), and Teacher Adam Kramer (right).
The Fort Worth Presbyterian Church doesn’t look like a place where a jazz storm would break loose. But step inside on a warm Sunday afternoon in May, and you’ll find yourself in the middle of something that feels like the beginning of a beautiful story.
It’s called the Bluebonnet Sessions — a small but mighty concert series where the old guard of Texas jazz meets the future, note by note. In the center of it all stands Dr. Justin Pierce, a saxophonist with a resume that includes working with legends like The Temptations and Doc Severinsen.
On Sunday, May 4, at 5 p.m., Pierce will lead a quintet of North Texas heavyweights through a set that promises to leave scorch marks on the church rafters. The Justin Pierce Jazz Group — starring vocalist Ashley Pierce, pianist Sean Michael Giddings (Christopher Cross, Pat Green), drummer Matt Young (White Denim, and a Golden Melody Award winner), and bassist Young Heo (Dallas String Quartet) — isn’t just bringing the chops. They’re bringing the soul.
Before the pros hit the stage, though, it’s the kids who will set the tone. And that might just be the best part.
The Southwest High School Jazz Band, under the wide-open leadership of longtime Fort Worth band director Adam Kramer, will open the show. It’s a full-circle moment — pros and students, side by side, the music connecting them across generations.
Kramer has spent the past 15 years building something special at Southwest High. “When I started, the program was tiny — just kind of going,” he says, with a smile that suggests he still can’t quite believe how far they’ve come. “I really wanted to build something where kids could fall in love with jazz the way I did. For me, it was meeting local musicians, seeing them up close. That was the hook.”
Today, his jazz band is a living, breathing, 25-piece testament to that dream. "Typical jazz band instrumentation would be 17 or 18 players," he says. "I’ve got seven saxophones when I should have five, eight trumpets instead of five, and two guitars. If a kid wants to play, I find a spot for them."
No auditions. No velvet rope. Just show up with an instrument — and a little bit of heart.
"I’m not putting them onstage to solo until they’re comfortable," Kramer says during a Thursday afternoon practice. "Inside these walls, they can practice improvising and grow at their own pace."
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Take Daniel Davila, a senior saxophonist who sees jazz as a lifeline. “For me, it’s a way to just let off steam," he says. "You let the music feel your emotions.”
Or Ranyia Clements, a sophomore guitarist who stumbled into jazz almost by accident. "I’ve always been into rock and metal," she laughs, brushing her hair back. "Jazz was totally new to me. But now, playing it, I can hear the jazz influences even in the music I’ve loved for years."
For Clements, the Southwest jazz band has become a place to shake off stage fright and dream bigger. "I get very nervous," she admits. "But when people tell me they love my solos, it reminds me I can work well under pressure."
In the band room, friendships stretch across grades and genres, erasing every social line that usually separates teenagers. "Honestly, I don't think I would’ve ever talked to Daniel if it wasn't for jazz band," Clements says, flashing a look across the room.
Davila grins back. "Yeah, and my little brother’s in the band too. So it really is family for me."
That spirit — that feeling — is the real headline of the Bluebonnet Sessions. It's what happens when the music becomes more than just notes on a page. It's something you believe in. Something you pass down.
"You can hear the difference when these kids believe in what they're playing," Kramer says. "It’s a feeling. The audience can tell."
Come Sunday, May 4, you’ll be able to hear it yourself, rising up from a church on Oakmont Trail, where jazz isn’t just surviving. It's thriving.
“This concert is more than just a performance—it’s a celebration of mentorship, collaboration, and the vibrant jazz community in Fort Worth,” Pierce says. “We’re excited to share the stage with these talented students and create something meaningful together.”
Event Details:
Justin Pierce Jazz Group – Live at the Bluebonnet Sessions
Date: Sunday, May 4, 2025
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Location: Fort Worth Presbyterian Church, 6251 Oakmont Trail, Fort Worth, TX
Open to the public (seating is limited)
