The Wild Rose Bistro, 850 Pappas Drive, hosts Jazz Jam Sessions by NIU students every Wednesday from 7 to 10 p.m.

Last week the sessions were canceled due to a class at 4 p.m that required all jazz majors to attend.

NIU jazz combos have been going on for about six years. They used to be held at The House, 263 E. Lincoln Highway, until it closed last semester.

This past semester, Ron Carter, coordinator of jazz studies, collaborated with Terry Kisiel at the Wild Rose Bistro. Carter and Kisiel discussed dates and times before contacting Iajhi Hampden, a graduate jazz major.

Hampden began setting up meetings with NIU jazz combos and began booking shows in September and October.

“There are six active jazz combos at NIU; mostly jazz majors but some non-majors [also] perform,” Hampden said.

“Jam sessions happen all over the U.S.,” Hampden said. “It’s a common practice between jazz musicians to put together a house group and play a set of music.”

Every so often, Hampden schedules special guests to perform at the Wild Rose Bistro. There are two guest performers per semester. The next guest scheduled to perform is Stefon Harris with Blackout on April 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. Harris has been nominated for three Grammys.

“This is my second time [attending] and it’s better than I thought it would be,” said Parmjit Singh Reehal, a junior biological sciences major. Reehal was attending the performance as a requirement for his MUSC 220 class.

The Wild Rose Bistro has a variety of music events all week, starting Wednesday and going until Saturday. There is a band made up of three professors called Shark Sandwich. The Combo Festival takes place twice a semester and includes seven different NIU jazz combos. The festival is on April 21 and begins at 7 p.m.

Thursday nights feature jazz performances, which are different than jam sessions. Groups sign up for as many slots as they want and perform rehearsed material.

This Sunday there will be a graduate recital from 6 to 9 p.m. featuring Hampden and Robert Collazo, a graduate music education major.

“It’s nice to come in, eat, relax and listen to music,” said Kisiel, who is in the process of looking for improvisational comedians to perform on Monday and Tuesday nights.