Meet Jair

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jair. 

Hi Jair, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up near West Michigan‘s lakeshore. It was only a bike ride away from Lake Michigan and I remember it taking about five Ozzy songs to get to the beach. As one might reckon, there’s a lot of wealthy people in that area, but I wasn’t one of the “rich kids” and I was well aware of that. I remember walking dogs, mowing lawns, and delivering newspapers to buy clothes my parents couldn’t afford. I was trying to fit in and figure out who I was. Sense of self was a priority and I really looked up to my Uncle Bill. I would spend a lot of time with him and he would listen to rock radio in his car—Grand Rapids’ 94.5 WKLQ and 97.9 WGRD. Loud and passionate music perfectly complemented the financially-rooted chip I had on my shoulder and my Uncle Bill dug it… That’s all I needed to know; I was hooked; music was my thing. Maybe I couldn’t be a rich kid, but I could be a rocker.

Throughout my teenage years, my passion for music turned into playing and writing my own music with friends. We’d turn everything up to eleven and tear up any bedroom or basement we were given access to. In retrospect, I’m super grateful to the adults who let us get away with all that; it was innocent, raw, and formative. At around 18 years old, I started playing gigs in bars and clubs. We’d play originals and covers in local venues and we partied hard. It was all energy, all the time. Things escalated quickly in my early twenties and I’d soon find myself playing in historic venues, such as the Sunset Strip’s Whisky a Go Go, and opening shows for some of my musical heroes, such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Blind Melon. I loved every second of it and it all confirmed to me that music was indeed my identity.

Fast-forward to my late twenties: after playing a solo gig at a local venue one night, and inspired by some of my favorite West Michigan musicians, Sam Kenny and Nicholas James Thomasma, I decided that particular brewery could benefit from a weekly open mic night—and I could probably even make a few extra bucks hosting it. I had a few kids by that time and thought it would be a cool way to make some cash for my family. It sounded better than getting a “normal job” and live music was at the heart of it, so I figured it was meant to be. The day after that gig, I confidently pitched my idea to the venue, and within a few weeks, I was an open mic host. Open mic hosting is something I’ve done for nearly half of a decade now. It started as a fun way to make money, but over the years, it has become something I love just as much as creating and playing my own music because it makes me feel like one of those adults that let me tear up basements with my friends. I’m a musician because it helps me understand myself and the world around me; I’m an open mic host because it’s an opportunity to help others understand themselves and their world.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
What I’ve learned along the way is how essential self-expression truly is—for everyone. Opportunities to uninhibitedly self-express are essential to understanding ourselves and the world around us.

Has it been easy or smooth? That’s a complicated question, but I will say I’ve appreciated the ride and I don’t plan on getting off anytime soon.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Moving forward, my goals for my work revolve around prioritizing honest and uninhibited self-expression.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love West Michigan. We have every type of weather, the Great Lakes are amazing and humbling, and the people I love are here. I believe life is about investing in the people and places that have invested in you—and West Michigan has been pretty good to me.

My least favorite thing about West Michigan are the people who don’t see the potential here because they aren’t willing to put in the work to be the change they want to see.

Contact Info:

• Email: jairimidriesenga@gmail.com
• Website: www.facebook.com/parktheatreopenmic
• Instagram: @brotherjair
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/brotherjair
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmc7N7utx1Xon87k6ojFEGw
• Other: My band — Brother Adams: www.facebook.com/brotheradams