By day, Luke Brandon and Mike Cemprola play jazz with the Airmen of Note, the premier 18-piece jazz ensemble of the U.S. Air Force. But on Friday jazz nights at Maryland Meadworks, they let loose.

Brandon, who plays trumpet, and Cemprola, who plays saxophone, are two of the founding members of the Hyattsville Jazz Collective, which is anything from a trio to a sextet depending on who shows up.

On most jazz nights, Brandon’s wife, jazz vocalist Lena Seikaly, joins them. Sometimes Chris Ziemba, another member of the Airmen of Note, plays piano. Other members have at times included Hamilton Price, Nathan Kawaller and Eliot Seppa on bass; James Collins on piano; Paul Pieper on guitar; and Kevin McDonald, Dan Monaghan, Ele Rubenstein and Kevin Cerovich on drums.

The band doesn’t practice much, but because they’re focusing on standards they have all played professionally for more than a decade, Brandon says that’s not really necessary. It’s a stark contrast to his day job.

“Although the Airmen of Note is a fulfilling musical experience and we get to play big band music on an extremely high level, there are times when repertoire is guided by the purpose of the performance,” Brandon told the Hyattsville Wire. “In contrast, Meadworks is a creative outlet for all of us. It’s a place for us to play the music we love for no other purpose but to express ourselves and enjoy the moment with everyone in the room.”

The group formed after the meadery opened in 2018, when Brandon noticed that a corner inside the meadery would work well for acoustic jazz. The name was a tongue-in-cheek reference to the renowned San Francisco Jazz Collective and the more recently formed Baltimore Jazz Collective.

Brandon hopes the shows make jazz more accessible to listeners.

“I wish more people of all ages would try listening to jazz — also I’d encourage new listeners to talk with the musicians after the performance,” he said. “One informative, engaged conversation can turn you into a jazz lover for life.”

Be sure to check out the Hyattsville Jazz Collective this Friday, Feb. 21,  from 7-10 p.m., at Maryland Meadworks located at 4700 Rhode Island Ave in Hyattsville.