AC’s June Jazz Set to Celebrate 30 Years of Live Concerts

Celebrating 30 years of Tuesday night concerts in June, Amarillo College is gearing up for a favorite community tradition: Jim Laughlin June Jazz. 

This is 30th year for June Jazz, which commonly draws an audience of hundreds to the College and is named in honor of its founder and continuous organizer, Dr. Jim Laughlin, professor of music.

The concerts are free and open to the public. They occur from 7-9 p.m. each Tuesday throughout June. 

The bands will set up on the steps of the Experimental Theater on AC’s Washington Street campus. Each week “After Hours Jam in the Pit” will start at 9 p.m. The program will move inside the nearby Concert Hall Theater in the event of rain.

This year’s lineup features the following jazz musicians and groups:

June 3: 7 p.m. Amarillo Jazz Society Big Band

June 10: 7 p.m. Esquire Jazz 8 p.m. Polk Street Jazz

June 17: 7 p.m. The Martinis 8 p.m. Sean Vokes

June 24: 7 p.m. Austin Brazille and AC Alumni 

"Our concerts are so fun because everyone makes themselves comfortable by bringing blankets, lawn chairs, picnics, and pets,” Laughlin said. “It’s totally family friendly, and kids are always playing and dancing; everyone is welcome.”

Enhancing the experience will be new menu choices and AC merchandise available for purchase at the Badger Central Café and Bookstore in the adjacent College Union Building. 

For those who cannot make it to June Jazz in person, the concerts are aired beginning at 7 p.m. on 89.9 FM and kacvfm.org.

“June Jazz is one of Amarillo’s favorite community gatherings featuring some of our amazing local artists,” Laughlin said, “and it just never gets old.”