Every Sunday at pinkFROG cafe in Brooklyn, something extraordinary unfolds. Musicians from across the city gather for The Spontaneous Jam Session, a fully improvised musical experience co-hosted by bassist Marcelo Maccagnan and drummer Maxime Cholley, who also serves as the event’s charismatic MC. Unlike a typical jam session built on familiar standards, this one begins with nothing—no tunes, no charts, no plan. Instead, the audience provides prompts—stories, phrases, or emotions—that spark entirely new compositions, created in real time before their eyes.
The project’s new live album captures that electricity. Recorded in a single evening, the session features Simona Smirnova (vocals), Yotam Ishay (keyboard, piano), Andrew Cheng (guitar), Andrew Denicola (saxophone), Marcelo Maccagnan (bass), Maxime Cholley (drums), and special guest Sandra Kluge on tap percussion. Across five audience-suggested prompts, the group collectively composed and performed five original pieces — each titled only after it was played, in reflection of the music’s character:
“A Few More Warm Days”
“Echo Park Rising”
“Real World Human Convention”
“One Part Martyr One Part Fool”
“Staring Up at the Moon”
The album was recorded fully live — no rehearsals, no overdubs, and no second takes. The musicians responded instinctively to one another, weaving together influences from jazz, world music, electronic, and experimental sounds into fluid, ever-evolving sonic landscapes. The result is an album that feels alive — a direct imprint of the creative moment, equal parts vulnerability and discovery.
Beyond the players themselves, the audience is a crucial collaborator. Their prompts act as catalysts for each piece, transforming the boundary between performer and listener into a shared creative space. Every performance becomes an act of collective imagination — unpredictable, ephemeral, and unrepeatable.
Since its founding in November 2022, The Spontaneous Jam Session has grown into a vibrant Brooklyn community. Musicians from every background — jazz, R&B, Indian classical, Middle Eastern, electronic, and beyond — converge each week to explore sound without boundaries, united by the joy of real-time creation.
At its core are its hosts:
Marcelo Maccagnan, a Brazilian-born bassist, composer, and bandleader, known for blending rock, Brazilian music, and electronic textures into what he calls “Progressive Jazz.” His acclaimed album Night Tales established him as a fearless innovator whose music is grounded in communication and improvisation.
Maxime Cholley, a French-born drummer and producer, brings a global sensibility and dazzling rhythmic creativity. With collaborations spanning Steve Vai, Tigran Hamasyan, Paul Winter, and more, his unique left-handed setup and cross-genre command make him one of New York’s most distinctive percussionists.
Together, Maccagnan and Cholley have built something rare — a living laboratory for spontaneous creation, where audiences don’t just witness the music but help shape it.
