Jazzing Up Friday at the DI Coffee Bar.
Dominic Walker and friends at the DI Coffee Bar Friday Night Jazz show
Guitarist Dominic Walker has hosted the DI Coffee Bar Friday night jazz for over a year. Finding live jazz in Tampa is difficult, so having this available weekly is a special treat. It has grown into a popular event with talented artists joining him on stage every week.
Coffee shop by day and wine bar by night, this spot has expanded to embrace the need for food and fun on the islands. It’s an oasis that feels far away from the hustle and hassle of big-city Tampa, with a chill vibe and friendly staff.
The coffee bar has a small presence along Davis Blvd. but extends to a large patio the rear with a stage
DI Coffee Bar is open every day and serves pastries, sandwiches, and other goodies along with coffee
The DICB stage is set in the corner of the warmly lit, comfortable, dog-friendly garden back patio with twenty or so small tables. The one challenge with the setup is a column in the middle of the stage, obstructing the view. I bob my head from one side to the other to see the talent on stage. But I’m here to listen.
The crowd is a mix of jazz lovers and Davis Islands folks playing cards, chatting, and enjoying the neighborhood wine bar feel. Staff recently began patio table service that, according to my server Ryan, used to be a mish-mosh of self-service and spotty table-side help.
The menu offers simple bar food, including variations on Cuban sandwiches, a couple of salads, and charcuterie. Inside is a self-serve wine machine with 20 different wines on tap, 12 reds, and 8 whites, sold Dave and Busters style with a rechargeable card for those who still prefer DIY. The shop also offers up to 100 bottles of wine at competitive prices for parties where by-the-glass is not enough. The beer offerings are respectable, with a nice cross-section of national labels and local craft brews.
The WineStation self serve bar has twenty varieties on tap
The music is delicious. Walker is joined this night by bassist Brian Hall and vocalist Sasha Tuck. Walker’s warm, clean, juicy, uncomplicated solos (he could complicate if he wanted to), all enveloped by his hollow-body Gibson L-4 guitar chords, form the foundation of this trio. Tallahassee-based Brian Hall is a professor at Florida A&M University. He is visiting Tampa to lead a jazz workshop at the University of Tampa. His style on stage changes between fat bass notes and bowing his stand-up, adding a broad bottom for the group. Vocalist and educator Sasha Tuck teaches jazz and contemporary vocals at UT, Eckerd College, and St Petersburg College and lives in Gulfport.
Guitarist Dominick Walker plays his hollow body Gibson L-4 as he hosts the DI Coffee Bar Jazz Night
Visiting bassist Brian Hall bows his stand-up
Vocalist Sasha Tuck performs a soulful version of Pure Imagination from the movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
Dominic Walker and guests on stage at the Davis Islands Coffee Bar for the weekly Friday Night Jazz show.
Together, their talent creates a masterful trio playing American songbook standards and a few show tunes at just the right volume in this perfect open setting.
Walker also hosts a jazz jam on the first Friday of each month. Anyone with the gumption can perform with the band.
If you want a refreshing night out filled with jazzy tunes and a delightful casual atmosphere, this is the place. It's a relaxing time of music, decent food, and service. Parking is free and easy, prices are moderate, and there is no cover charge. It can get crowded, so arrive early if you want a table. Come enjoy some jazzy island time on Fridays from 7:30 to 10. Live music is performed on other nights as well. Check the DICB website for times.
DI Coffee Bar Monday- Thursday 7am-8pm, Friday 7am-10pm, Saturday 8am-10pm, Sunday 8am-6pm