We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jair Driesenga a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jair, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
Learning how to plan, promote, host, and emcee events has come through many years of doing some version of all those things for my own shows—since my teens. For my entire adult life, I’ve played live music. In doing so, I’ve learned a lot about how to get people hyped up and working together. In fact, over the years, I’ve come to realize I’m probably just as passionate about that part of live music as I am about the music itself.
The key to putting on a good event is having selfless intentions. Getting on stage has always made me feel great and it’s easy to get caught up in that, but more and more, I feel like I’m getting up there to make others feel good. Intentionally prioritizing and valuing the collective experience has been an essential mindset for any of the success I’ve seen in my career.
I believe I have all the potential in the world and the only thing that can get in the way of my progress is me—and sometimes I do get in my own way. One of the biggest obstacles in my career has been getting caught up in my own expectations. What I’ve come to realize is that I don’t always know what’s best and I don’t always have to know. In fact, many of my favorite moments and accomplishments in my career have come from doing my best with no expectations.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Music, art, and self-expression of all kinds have always been passions of mine. Throughout my teenage years, that materialized in the form of playing and writing my own music with friends. At around 18 years old, I started playing gigs in local bars and clubs—I loved it and I worked hard at my craft. By my early twenties, I’d find myself playing in historic venues and opening shows for some of my musical heroes.
Fast-forward to my late twenties and me having a family: after playing a gig at a local venue one night, I convinced myself that particular venue and community could benefit from a weekly open mic night. I loved going to open mics and I thought I could probably even make a few bucks hosting—it was the perfect side-hustle. The day after that gig, I confidently pitched my idea to the owners of the venue and within a few weeks, I was an open mic host—I am an open mic host.
Open mic hosting is something I’ve been doing for roughly half of a decade now. What started as a fun way to make some extra money has become something I’m just as passionate about as creating and playing my own music. 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.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
One of the most rewarding aspects of doing what I do is connecting with people—and facilitating connections between others.
Is there a mission driving your creative journey?
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.
Contact Info:
- Website: facebook.com/parktheatreopenmic
- Instagram: instagram.com/brotherjair
- Facebook: facebook.com/brotherjair
- Youtube: youtube.com/jairbear
- Other: brotherjair.bandcamp.com