With new Starbucks coffeehouses opening up almost every day, independent coffeehouses struggle to set themselves apart from the uniform, cookie-cutter cafés. Java Jo’z, a coffee house on Winchester Road in northeast Temecula, is at the forefront of this struggle. They are moving away from the usual place where one quietly sips espresso and reads the paper in favor of something louder.

The blaring, sinuous sax solo, played by Ray Duffy, permeating the café gave the room a life that is unique in a coffeehouse. It gave the room an energetic ambience, such as one feels in a Hollywood nightclub, but with the comforts of a coffeehouse, including a couch for lounging and warm coffee to sip.

Acoustic guitarist Joe Tran, saxophonist Ray Duffy and drummer Ben Yirbe played for about an hour on the night of Thursday, December 28, along with three other bands, including Kyle, The Balcony Scene and Four Anxious Minds. The show lasted from 7 until around 11 p.m.

Under the direction of its new owner, James Lyons, the coffeehouse will undergo radical change. Lyons acquired Java Jo’z on December 2 and is in the process of installing a large stage, upgrading the sound system and making other changes that will accommodate live music better.

"Our goal is to… provide a safe, secure scene for everybody to come and enjoy music in a safe environment," said Lyons. "[We are a place that parents] drop their kid off on a Friday or Saturday night for less than the price of a movie."

In the near future, Lyons wants to offer music that appeals to the older crowd, such as Advertisement

[ Chatton and Associates ] jazz, in addition to the mostly younger-generation music they currently have in their lineup. Tran, Duffy and Yirbe played a mellow rock similar to that of the Dave Matthews Band and most of the people watching were in their 30s. This stood in contrast to the group of tight-pants-clad Mohawked teenagers gathering outside the coffeehouse, seemingly just arriving to see Four Anxious Minds.

Lyons wants Java Jo’z to be a place where young, up-and-coming musicians can get their first exposure. "We can give bands a jumping-off point," said Lyons. To achieve this, he has enlisted the help of local promoter Ivan McClain of Ivan Promotions, who is working on an independent "rockumentary" he calls "It’s All About the Music."

"[The film is] a documentary on what it takes to rock in America," said McClain. "Our mission is to support the local music scene… to support what’s going on." McClain believes that the music industry is changing, due largely to a Web site called MySpace.com. "Any band that is anybody has a MySpace page," said McClain. MySpace is a site where a music fan can listen to a band by searching based on criteria about the fan’s preferences. The site also makes it easy for a band to have a free, easy-to-construct Web site.

Java Jo’z currently offers live music Wednesday through Saturday evenings, and in February they will include Tuesday. Eventually, Lyons hopes to offer unique entertainment every night, not limited to live bands. He plans to include salsa-dancing lessons and an open mic night called "Artist’s Lounge."

To get more information on upcoming shows and events, call (951) 698-1113.