Front Porch Pandemic Jazz Band
Greg Pardue; photo credit: Steve Covault
Monday, November 17, 2025
12 PM
Back in April 2020, three long time professional San Diego musicians found themselves without any gigs or opportunities to play with other musicians because of the new Covid-19 Pandemic. Having gigged together in various bands for many years, on April 30, 2020 (UNESCO International Jazz Day), Greg Pardue (saxophones), Jack Hoffman (piano) and Roy Jenkins (bass) decided to try jamming outdoors on Greg's front porch where there was plenty of fresh air and room to observe the new concept of "social distancing." They had so much fun that they decided to make it a weekly jam and invited a few friends to check it out because it was a relatively safe environment for an audience and the musicians even in the throes of the pandemic. Word got out about great live jazz every Thursday afternoon and the jam was appropriately named the “Front Porch Pandemic Jazz Jam.” Several local TV stations checked them out and the event garnered local and international media coverage. In 2021, the band was the winner of “Best Local Band” in the San Diego Reader's “Best of San Diego” poll and they placed in the top 3 in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Weather permitting, the Front Porch Pandemic Jazz Jam still performs every Thursday starting around 4:00 p.m. for 2 hours or so outside at 5626 Bloch Street in San Diego's University City neighborhood. This Athenaeum Mini-Concert features the core quartet of Greg Pardue on saxophones, Jack Hoffman on piano, Mark Phelps on bass, and Mike Masessa on drums.
Greg Pardue, saxophone
Greg has been a professional musician since 1970 and has a B.A. in music from San Diego State. He studied classical saxophone with Roger Greenberg and jazz with the legendary Phil Woods. For over 13 years, Greg gigged as a full time nightclub musician along with teaching private music lessons. While being a working musician, he also had a 25+ year career as a woodwind specialist and independent musical instrument manufacturers representative for companies like Jupiter Band Instruments/KHS America, P. Mauriat Saxophones and LP (Latin Percussion, Inc.).
As the band leader of “Forecast” for 45+ years, Greg helped popularize the jazz-rock fusion sound that San Diego became well known for and in the late 1980's Forecast received international jazz radio airplay. Greg has shared the stage or opened for artists like Kirk Whalum, Richard Elliot, Alphonse Mouzon, Gil Scott-Heron, Charles McPherson and War. In 2020, Greg, Jack Hoffman and Roy Jenkins started the 'Front Porch Pandemic Jazz Jam” and they still continue to jam every Thursday afternoon as a free community event. Even in “retirement”, Greg still plays over 50+ gigs every year.
Jack Hoffman, piano
Jack began his musical career as a rock n' roll drummer in Iowa at age 15 with a band called the Jags. They had several top 40 hits and were inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. The Jags shared the stage with artists such as Johnny Cash, The Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Conway Twitty and they just missed being on the same bill as Buddy Holly by one day following his tragic death.
After gigging around Los Angeles for 25 years, Jack has now been gigging around San Diego for over 25 years as a pianist and drummer. While playing music, he earned a masters degree and had a career as an aerospace engineer working on projects like the Saturn rocket that carried astronauts to the moon and the early development of supercomputers. Jack was also involved in the creation of the Jazz Association of Greater San Diego (JAG) and participated in its management for several years. Today he continues to be an active freelance jazz musician performing in big bands and small combos along with the Front Porch Pandemic Jazz Jam.
Mark Phelps, bass/vocals
Mark started his musical career in the mid '70's as a touring rock 'n roll bassist. In 1973 he attended UCSD to study with world renowned bassist Bertram Turetzky. In 1980 he received his B.A. in music from San Diego State and started a career teaching high school music. Mark was the instrumental music teacher at Oceanside High School from 1982 to 2015. After his retirement, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors Proclaimed June 23, 2016 as Mark Phelps Day for his outstanding service, leadership, and commitment to the students of Oceanside High School and the music building at Oceanside High was renamed the Mark Phelps Music Department. In 2016 he was inducted into the Oceanside High School Hall of Fame. Since then, in addition to the Front Porch Pandemic Jazz Jam, Mark has been an active freelance jazz musician performing in many San Diego area big bands and small combos.
Mike Masessa, drums
Mike started playing drums at age 10 and he's had a life long career as a working professional musician and drum teacher that continues to this day. He studied with jazz great, Joe Morello. As an in demand freelance musician he plays gigs all over the U.S.. In the mid 70's Mike toured the U.S. and Europe and recorded two albums with the Jim Cullum Riverwalk Jazz Band while also attending the University of Texas at San Antonio. In 1979, Mike moved to Orlando to work for Disney World and in 1995, he began an 8 year stint cruising up and down the great rivers of America's heartland with the Delta Queen Steamboat Co.. Since moving to San Diego, Mike has been the house drummer for the Lawrence Welk Theater along with playing in the Front Porch Pandemic Jazz Band, several big bands and small combos and teaching private lessons.
Free concerts at noon every Monday year-round . . . no wonder the Mini-Concerts are the longest-running and one of the most popular classical music series at the library! This series was founded by Glenna Hazleton in 1970 at the Athenaeum, and has been going strong ever since. The concerts feature both local and touring musicians, prize-winning students, university music faculty members, local chamber ensembles. . . and the repertoire also includes jazz, folk, and world music. There are no reservations, no tickets . . . just line up at the side door of the Athenaeum before noon. (Donations are always welcome!) Mini-Concerts take place every Monday at noon and last about an hour.
The concerts will be in person at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. There are no physical tickets for these events. Doors open at 11:40 a.m. Last entry is at 12:10 p.m. or once capacity is reached. Seating is first-come; first-served. Reservations are not necessary, but seating is limited.