Jamilar

Expect familiar songs, strong vocals, tight musicianship, and a band that reacts to the room instead of simply running through a fixed set list. Jamilar moves easily through decades of rock, pop, soul, and groove-driven favorites, and we love taking requests and seeing where the night goes.

Some moments may be relaxed and easygoing; others may have the whole room singing along. We adjust naturally to the crowd, the venue, and the energy of the event while keeping the music engaging and enjoyable.

Our compact setup also allows us to bring full-band energy without overwhelming smaller spaces. That means guests can enjoy a real live-band experience while still being able to talk, socialize, and enjoy the room.

Most of all, expect a performance that feels spontaneous and fun. Because of our broad repertoire and chemistry as a trio, a song called out from the audience can often become the very next song we play.

Jamilar grew out of the Wednesday night open mic at The Brooklyn Firefly in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn — a neighborhood music gathering that gradually became the place where Bert Jantsch, Matt Missud, and Carlos Aguilar discovered how naturally they played together.

Bert had been hosting the open mic since 2017, accompanying singers and musicians on piano, guitar, and bass. Carlos began attending regularly after hearing about the session through a friend. With no house drummer or drum kit at the venue, he initially played cajon, but after a few weeks realized he wanted something that allowed him to actually play like a drummer without overpowering the room. He eventually found a compact Loota Percussion kit made in Finland, and it turned out to be the perfect fit for the space.

Not long afterward, Matt came into the Firefly, sat down at the piano, and started singing. Carlos remembers looking over at Bert almost immediately and realizing that something had clicked. Matt soon became a regular at the open mic, moving between guitar, piano, bass, and vocals.

Before long, audience members were calling out requests, and the three musicians discovered something unusual: they could jump into songs they had never rehearsed together and make them feel natural, musical, and surprisingly tight. That ability to listen, react, and trust one another quickly became the heart of the trio.

By the following year, Bert, Matt, and Carlos began playing paid gigs around Bay Ridge and South Brooklyn. They first performed under the name Firefly, but the connection to the venue caused some confusion, so they created a new name from their three last names: JAntsch, MIssud, and AguiLAR — Jamilar.

Bert grew up in a musical family in Ohio and spent several summers at Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan. He began gigging as a teenager in the Columbus jazz scene before moving to New York City in 2001 to study Jazz and Contemporary Music at The New School. Also in 2001, he began tuning and repairing pianos, a profession he continues today. His deep musical vocabulary, jazz background, and ability to move comfortably between piano, guitar, and bass make him a natural anchor for Jamilar’s spontaneous style.

Matt grew up in a musical household with a father who played fiddle and encouraged his interest in music from an early age. Some of his earliest memories involve watching The Beatles perform on television, strumming along and pretending to be part of the band. In high school he began taking music more seriously and joined his school’s senior jazz band. He later developed into a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, playing guitar, piano, and bass while building a broad repertoire that allows him to move easily between styles and decades. Today he performs throughout the five boroughs with multiple acts, teaches music on weekends, and plays regularly with Jamilar.

Carlos is a founding member and former drummer of 40 Below Summer, with experience recording, touring, and performing professionally during the band’s major-label years. After leaving the band, he continued doing session work and live performances with various artists. His approach to drumming has always centered on feel, dynamics, listening, and serving the song rather than overplaying — an approach that fits naturally with Jamilar’s request-driven, spontaneous style.

That shared instinct is what makes the trio work. Bert, Matt, and Carlos each bring different musical backgrounds, but they share the same ability to listen closely, adapt quickly, and make the music feel natural in the moment.

What began as an open-mic jam has become a working trio built around musical chemistry, versatility, and a genuine enjoyment of playing together. Jamilar does not rely on a rigid set list. The band draws from a wide range of rock, pop, soul, and groove-driven music, takes requests, and lets the room, the audience, and the flow of the night help shape each performance.

Jamilar is a compact trio with a simple, self-contained setup for most small to mid-sized events.

We provide our own instruments, microphones, cables, mixer, guitar and bass amplifiers, keyboard and stand, and a PA system designed for this type of setting. We typically require only a suitable performance area and access to standard electrical power.

Our volume is fully controllable, making the setup well suited for restaurants, private parties, cocktail hours, corporate events, and smaller outdoor or street-festival settings, while still allowing guests to comfortably talk and socialize.

For larger venues, large outdoor areas, or events requiring broader sound coverage, a house PA or additional sound reinforcement may be needed.

We can also provide background music during breaks upon request. We arrive prepared, set up efficiently, and work closely with venue staff or event coordinators to keep the technical side of the event simple and smooth.