Trader Tunes

Get into the Swing of Things at Trader Jon’s

by Roane Beard

Chances are that by now you’ve heard Trader Jon’s is back on the Downtown entertainment scene. But did you know that with the help of Joe Occhipinti’s Big Band they’re going back to the original Trader style? On Saturday nights, the Big Band sound is back.

“That’s what Trader Jon’s started with, and we’re continuing it,” says Occhipinti. “We’re playing the greatest music ever played by the best of the big bands.”

You’ll find the trombones wailing and the bassline walking on Saturday nights, as the fourteen-man band takes the stage from 8 to 11 to play big band favorites from Artie Shaw, Xavier Cugat and, of course, Glen Miller.

“It’s a great place for dancing,” says Occhipinti. “If you’re a big band dancer, you should come down. You can swing, foxtrot, cha cha, or rhumba, and if you can’t do that we’ll do a waltz—so you only have to count to three.”

The historical ambiance of the place makes it an ideal venue for dancing to the big band music. Trader Jon’s had been a military favorite in Pensacola for decades. “Trader” Jon Weissman opened the doors on New Year’s Day in 1953, and took Pensacola’s Navy Aviators for a ride that lasted more than 30 years; he closed the bar in 1998 after suffering a stroke, and passed away in February. The new owners, Kerry and Matt Heckemeyer, opened the bar again late last year with the intention of keeping Trader Jon’s alive as both a Pensacola tradition and a happening nightspot.

“I love it here,” says Stony Mayock, a former Blue Angel pilot, full-time beach resident and a customer of Trader John’s from the bar’s earliest days. “It’s got historical ambiance, and it’s a lot of fun. With the live music Kerry and Matt are putting on now, it’s as good as ever. I hope people come out and enjoy it.”

Big Band night is Trader Jon’s latest attraction, but not the only one. They have live music several nights a week. Thursday’s feature a guitarist in the Blue Room—that’s the room featuring the bar’s Blue Angels museum, in addition to a full bar and pool tables. Fridays see a DJ spin in the Blue Room while local rock bands play the Trader Bar. There’s also a rock band in the Trader Bar on Saturdays in addition to Joe Occhipinti’s Big Band performance in the Blue Room.

Of course, no bar is complete without drink specials, which is why Trader Jon’s offers $1.50 longnecks, $2.00 well drinks and $1.00 drafts daily from 4 to 7. They have more specials every Wednesday, for Ladies Night.

So come out and check out the Big Band action on Saturday, or stop by for the drink specials. Either way, you’ll be taking part in a Pensacola institution. Call Trader Jon’s at 429-1000 for more details, or Joe Occhipinti at 433-6287 for info on Joe Occhipinti’s Big Band.